Comments on: Canteen

By: Jemma

Jemma — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:00:35 +0000

I’ve had a good time at Canteen in Shoreditch but the last time I went to this place the service was painfully slow, the portions were very small (£14 for a tiny piece of chicken and some leaves), our side of roast potatoes were rubbish but worst of all our waiter was rude and ignored us for the entire time. He seemed to always be visibly doing nothing but walking around looking important and NOT serving us, which was even more frustrating, busy waiters I understand, lazy waiters I do not.

We had to ask for water 4 times, would have easily had wine and pudding had there been anyone asking us if we wanted to order any at any point. It’s not often I completely with hold a tip, but i did this time and left wishing I’d done more than just that.

I’m actually a very tolerant diner but this is the worst experience I have ever had and I do not intend to return.

By: Nicola Frame (from Which? / The Good Food Guide)

Nicola Frame (from Which? / The Good Food Guide) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:13:03 +0000

Perhaps you should try the original Canteen in Spitalfields -it was voted The Good Food Guide Readers’ London Restaurant of the Year in 2007 (this year the accolade went to Pied a Terre).

There’s also a new branch of Canteen on Baker Street (on the site of the old M&S head office) and I hear they’re going to be opening up in Canary Wharf too.

By: Rob Green

Rob Green — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:47:19 +0000

It might be worth trying Canteen in Spitalfields Market instead; though they share the rudeness when it comes to actually seating you, the food is often fairly prompt and really tasty.

I agree though, for the price they charge is it really worth having an unpleasant experience…

By: pete

pete — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:23:41 +0000

I went last weekend and it was pretty bad. My coeliac friend sent back his spinach and poached egg salad because it arrived with croutons, despite no mention on the menu. It was returned to my friend minus most of the croutons, although some still remained amongst the spinach leaves. They claimed they had made a new salad from scratch. For his main he ordered roast chicken and it was miserably insipid, with flabby skin. A truly rubbish experience and evidence of a kitchen that can’t cope with a busy restaurant. On the plus side, my devilled kidneys were beautiful.

By: American in London

American in London — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:10:06 +0000

LOL. That sounds like an awful experience, and I’m not surprised based on my mildly-less rude experience last Sunday evening. When I went to the RFH location on Sunday, the place was empty, and the host also insisted that we wait by the bar while he found us a table (note that over the course of the evening, the other tables around us didn’t fill up). At first, we hovered near the host stand to chat with our two friends, and he really seemed angry at us for not moving to the bar (where there wasn’t anybody behind the bar to serve us anything anyway).

In any case, I agree with Su-Lin . . . I like both the food and service at the Spitalfields location much more than at RFH. Maybe it’s hard for RFH to avoid crankiness given all the tourist traffic they must get? In any event, while it might be an explanation, it’s no excuse for rudeness by the host.

By: Niamh

Niamh — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:26:03 +0000

I have found Canteen rude, rushed and the food was never amazing. I really don’t know people love it so much!

By: Lizzie

Lizzie — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:48:55 +0000

I really dislike it when people tell me they need the table back in however many hours, it makes me feel rushed and uncomfortable, like I should be constantly checking my watch!

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:47:38 +0000

Gotta love such an hones review. How can a host be rude? Isn’t it their job to be nice? I don’t get it…How was the Jay Rayner interview?

By: Su-Lin

Su-Lin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:24:53 +0000

I’ve been to both Canteens and I’ve definitely found that the service at the RFH branch is insanely bad. Never had a problem at the other one though.

By: Gemma

Gemma — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:39:06 +0000

I went here a while ago and had the most disappointing fish and chips I think I have ever eaten but my boyfriend’s pie seemed more successful. Anyway I won’t be in a rush to go for dinner again.