Union Viet Cafe

Union Viet Cafe is a family-run restaurant where there’s gentle ribbing about who makes the best coffee and you might find yourself joining in with a conversation about the optimum frothiness of a latte. If not, you’ll at least have a pleasant meal in a dining room that has the right amount of knick-knacks—garlands of cardboard baubles, Hanoi beer signs, and cheery art—to make you feel at home. This is a much cosier place to eat than the hard chairs would have you think. The roasted pork bánh mì at this Vietnamese spot is a solid option, and a big bag of chilli-flavoured prawn crackers is a good move too. While it’s not our favourite Vietnamese spot in the city, we enjoy it for its useful location (between Borough and Southwark stations), satisfying food, and the feeling that you could be roped into helping settle a family dispute at any moment.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch