Cafe 209

Reviews

• Sean C.

  star star star star star 10 June 2026

  Cafe 209 has been here for years.  The small cafe is always busy when ever we come and is loved by the regulars who come here.  
  
  Joy the owner is definitely what most people would call "a character". Some people may not "get her" judging by some of the reviews here but she is always fun and welcoming.
  
  The menu may not be very extensive but the food is freshly cooked to order and is very good value.   It is also BYO so make sure you bring your own wine or beer
  
  Try the stuffed chicken wings... We always have to order two portions!

• Tom K.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 10 June 2026

  Came here as I've just moved from Australia to London. Australia is full of authentic Asian foods, in particular Thai and Vietnamese. Been to Thailand and Vietnam more than 6 times, have had many authentic Thai meals cooked by my friends mothers and grandmothers, for all the people claiming this place is authentic, you are very much kidding yourselves. The food was on par of a shopping centre takeaway, not as a restaurant. The food came out literally minutes after ordering which is always a bad sign... We were in and out within 20 minutes. The pad kee Mao was pretty much a handful of thin rice noodle with a whole lot of oil, and a touch of chilli oil.
  The musaman curry was completely tasteless and the red curry wasn't very flavoursome either. None of the dishes had any form of fresh herby Thai flavours, there was no Thai basil/coriander or other fresh herbs used in any of the dishes... To top it off, our meals for two people (3 mains and rice) came to about £18, yet we were charged £20 because for some reason there is some made up rule about the minimum charge being £20 that wasn't written anywhere... Terrible food, terrible staff. Avoid this place like the plague.

• Tony M.

  star star star star star 5 June 2026

  The food is decent / good.  The experience is what it's about.  I feel sorry for George B., because I think he may have missed Joy's (the owner) sense of humour.  She is hilarious.  
  
  Here is a set of exchanges between my group and her:
  
  Us (not me): "I wanna have sex with you, Joy"
  Joy: "I no horny, because my body don't make any more eggs.  I'm done with that, so sorry."
  
  Me: "What's the secret to a long, successful marriage?"
  Joy: "Marry someone who can't talk"
  
  Just to hear her witchy laugh is reason enough to go.
  
  It's BYOB (there's an off-license across the street).

• Melania P.

  star star star star star_border 2 June 2026

  Thai food is never better than when you find a little restaurant owned by a Thai family that makes such succulent delights that you become a regular! Cafe 209 is down the street from my boyfriend's house and we've become serious regulars.  The family that owes the restaurant is very friendly and they know all the regulars.  Whenever we enter we are warmly greeted and always sit at the same table.  The restaurant is BYOB so we normally stop and grab a bottle of wine on the way.  They do charge a small corking fee but it's nominal.  The green curry and red curry are especially delicious and if you have room after the meal(the portions are large) the coconut dessert melts in your mouth.  I love this place, the food is excellent and the service perfect! I could really eat here every day!

• Qype User (Jia…)

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 20 May 2026

  Agreed with the comments above, came to this restaurant once and never return. The service was horrible and the food wasn't great.