Brook’s Counter & Table

This is a response to the review by Joanna M.
Firstly I wish to emphasize, it is absolutely critical all reviews are 100% honest & accurate as it is the reputation of one’s business which may be impacted from behind our keyboards without consequence and subsequently without the business ever getting a chance to respond which is hardly fair.
Next, I would like to say that I am the man that served Joanna this particular morning and I was quite disappointed to stumble across Joanna’s review as providing a friendly, approachable, helpful & happy service is something I pride myself on as it is one of the few things I can control from working behind the counter.
This is my account of what occurred that particular day;
Joanna waited in line for no longer than 10mins (which may have felt like 25 at that time in the morning) but none-​the-​less, still a long time to wait simply for a croissant.
I would also like to say, it is impossible to wait that long in a queue at Brooks’ unless the line was out the door and 50m down Shepherd’s Bush Rd which it wasn’t, it was a queue of approx. 7 customers in total (which didn’t extend beyond the shop front). Furthermore, to validate my point it takes approximately 30 seconds to a minute to take a customer’s order before placing it and serving the next customer in the morning period. (Lunch may take 2mins as handling food is involved). I will concede that it was an unfortunate situation that day for Joanna as one of the customers in front of her had purchased approx. ¾ of our pastry selection plus cakes in which I spent approx. 4 minutes with this customer alone. By the time Joanna was served, the customer immediately in front of her had just purchased the last croissant which added to Joanna’s frustrations.
When Joanna asked for a croissant I responded regrettably & apologetically that the lady in front purchased the last one (as I was aware of the time she had spent in the queue) which is when I received a frustrated & appalled response claiming that she had been waiting for 15minutes for nothing. I did NOT smirk and carry on working but apologized which followed with a sympathetic facial & body expression as if to say «hey, I’m sorry but it’s not my fault — I just serve customers in the order in which they line up» and before I could offer anything Joanna simply stormed out.
To wrap this response up, working at Brook’s Counter & Table may only be short term employment for me while I travel around Europe but in NO means is that reflected in my work attitude or ethic. I try my best in every shift to provide an enjoyable experience for the customer and I enjoy working at Brook’s which is why I was extremely disappointed to come across Joanna’s review.
Thanks for your taking the time to read.

Shockingly bad! and so annoying as its such a lovely looking local coffee shop.
Stood in a cue at 8:30 in the morning for about 25mins, it was like poetry in slow motion. There were 4 people in front of me when I arrived, one of which walked out saying ‘this is ridiculous’. By the time they actually served me they had sold what I wanted, a croissant. I said ‘that’s a shame as I had been waiting 25 mins’,
The man serving just looked at me smirked and carried on, he didn’t even offer another pastry or a mince pie!
Shocking service!

Good quality pastries. Not too much offers but quiet good cakes and biscuits. The staff was nice and helpful and the location is clean and friendly.

The food is excellent, so it’s definitely worth coming… but don’t come here if you’re feeling sensitive about noise levels, or quality of service, at the moment. Wait and come another time, when you’re feeling less sensitive.
The entirely antipodean female staff does a decent job of holding it together, in the midst of what appears to be mild chaos and a substantial amount of disorganization.
It’s definitely «friendly and local», which is part of the charm of a London café anyway. High-​quality ingredients made up for 30 minute wait for my eggs Florentine, although I did have to send it back to have them add the hollandaise sauce! The coffee was weak, but then West Coast strength coffee is not exactly a feature in London.
All in all, I liked it, and I would come back. But only if I was not in a hurry.

Best place for lunch in the area by a long shot. The spanakopita is to die for!

Fact: This place is expensive. Have no doubt about that. Brook Green is expensive. I used to live in Brixton, that’s probably why I think this way, but based on other reviews I’m not alone.
There are two food options here, the pre-​prepared dishes which are usually a bit more intricate and can be microwave reheated by choice, or the limited number of things which can be prepared fresh from the kitchen. I get the impression that the kitchen must be tiny, hence the reason for this. You might think from this description that the only rational option is to go for the fresh stuff. If you believe this, you’d be missing out. Time and time again I’ve had fantastic, fresh food here that’s tasted gorgeous. A limited menu to ensure what is done is done well.
There’s also a limited number of food goods like bacon and eggs you can buy from the fridge, a limited number of things that I’m guessing are organic, or ethically sourced or rare, or high quality or a hybrid of all of the above. Expensive, but there for people who want them.
You can either takeaway or eat your food there. During the daytimes, this place doubles as a crèche and I wouldn’t recommend going there for peace and quiet or to contemplate the world. However on weekends it’s more of a varied clientele and set up as a pleasant café.
So in conclusion, expensive and limited, but what’s there is good and they make the most of it.

A good friend of mine lives in the area. So, today, he decided to invite me to his neck of the woods to have a cuppa (coffee) while he «works» from home.
Lil’ ol’ me on my lil’ ol’ racer. Chugging along High Street Ken, then down to Hammersmith. Man, this place can be a beeyatch to get to when you’re on a bike, it’s 28C out and all that traffic. But, that’s not consequential at all to this review.
Love the independent feel of this place. Rustic-​esque. Could use a little refresh of the bistro chairs. Decent coffee, although, at first, my request for an ice coffee was turned down. Uh, hello?! 28C out? Must have ice for weary biking clients… tee hee hee… Anyway, the coffee was decent and so was the company. A small al-​fresco section outside, but being right next to Shep Bu Road does mar the experience just a little. The food looks delectable, though I have yet to try it. As a Unilocal Elite reviews it, it’s better than going to the local Café Rouge — but, long live the independent coffee shop.
3* Will come back if in the area.

Lovely place. Stumbled upon it on the way to Westfield at Sheppards bush. Atmosphere is very cozy. You find yourself feeling right at home on the wooden tables/​benches. The pastries and freshly baked goods are spread all over the counter in neat arrangements. Most of the cakes are displayed at the window and really make passerbyers salivate. The place is also family friendly with a change table across the toilet and toys around the eating area.
On my first visit, I had one of the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. The eggs benedict was a decent portion size and satisfying on a cold winter day.
The day right after I couldn’t help but go there again and had a generously filled smoked salmon crêpe filled with cream cheese.
Definitely will make this a local fav of mine!

Nice little neighborhood café with a personal charm.
I went there to get some work done (since they have free wifi). I got there before 2 pm when the place filled up with the stroller pack.
It’s odd because the staff was really rude, on the verge of hostile, but it kind of fit with the place. I found it somewhat charming. It felt like nobody was there on anyone else’s premises, neither customers or staff.
The food alike had something two sided about it. It was put out beautifully and there were a lot of yummy looking things to choose from. At the same time it felt very homely and when you looked closely at any bakery/​dish it looked like you could had baked it yourself.
My overall experience was something along the lines of «home away from home», which sometimes is just what you are looking for.

This family-​friendly deli, run by close friends Jo and Leanda, serves up the most gorgeously flavoursome, attractive and filling homemade fayre on the high street. Produce is fresh and deliciously used in light, vibrant salads, unusual risotto balls and continental flaky pies. There is also an impressive stack of gooey cakey slabs and smoothies, coffees and teas to choose from.
The café is bright, airy and spacious enough to accommodate buggies and active toddlers. It’s also provides an intimate setting for gossip with your girl friends over cake and coffee. Once the chatting is done you can pick up a few delicacies from the specialities shelves, that line one side of the café wall, and create a culinary masterpiece at home.

Very snooty… Very pricey and very average food which they microwave in front of you. Better places nearby.

Simply the worst service ever experienced in Hammersmith. Three times.
Why would I go back? It’s the nearest place to me, so I figured I’d give them a second chance. What a mistake, they’re incredibly unfriendly and £10 for two cold sausages and a blob of polenta with salad… MICROWAVED??? If you’re going to microwave sausages in front of me, at least have the decency to do so for long enough to make them hot.
Appalling. I mentioned these two visits to my dad. Turns out he’s been there too. That’s why it’s three times for the worst service in Hammersmith… he turned up at five minutes to opening and they made him wait in the rain while they sat around inside for five minutes. I’ve worked bars, restaurants, counters. I’d never have had the arrogance to do that to my employers’ customers… but that’s how these guys treat their own.

How I love Brooks. If it wasn’t for the small irritation that is work, I would while away hours here, and probably churn out a few novels in the process.
It’s ludicrously expensive but has a lovely homely feel, apart from the times it resembles a nursery, heaving with yummy mummies and their offspring.
The homemade hot and cold dishes are imaginative, fresh and tasty. I had a divine goat’s cheese tart with caramelised onions and cherry tomatoes when I was there last.
It’s hard to eat here though and not be seduced by the surrounding walls of scrumptious offerings such as quince paste, spelt and plum pickle. The cheese counter is worth a visit too.

I’ve had a meeting in West Kensington and as usual I was way too early… so I decided to go over my speech at a local Starbucks or so… but luckily I walked by this little gem of indy coffee shop.
The atmosphere is really nice and there’s plenty of seatings — big community tables, small tables and high-​tables that allow you to look out of the window. I didn’t pay much attention to the food selection, but there was quite a nice array of different beverages — cold and warm alike.
The only downside for me was that it was packed with Mommies and their screaming kids… but I just plugged in my earphones and tuned out the whining noises.
Try it out, it’s for sure refreshingly different from the nearby Café Rouge…

This is a cute little delicatessen and café serving up homemade goodies and organic produce. A friend and I sat outside watching people go by and drinking elderflower fizz and pear juice.
Brook’s also offer a catering service. They are well known for their range of delicious cakes and biscuits and even offer a children’s dinner on a Thursday, enabling busy mums to have a night off.
It’s nice for the occasional visit, but probably a bit pricey for hanging out at regularly.

Brook’s Counter & Table is a smart, slightly smug café and delicatessen on Shepherd’s Bush Road, Brook Green. If you need your order with soy milk or vegetarian or organic, you’ll probably find something to tickle your fancy. Their coffee is delicious (although occasionally not quite hot enough), and they have a mouth-​watering range of tasty flans, quiches, pastries, and cakes. They also serve a selection of breakfast dishes including granola and porridge, as well as home-​made smoothies.
They’re very child-​friendly with clean toilets and baby change facilities, and they run a kids’ tea event every Thursday evening with healthy food that might tempt even the pickiest of small persons. They also sell frozen organic baby food.
It isn’t cheap by any means, but you can be sure that everything is freshly made and of a high quality. It’s also a good place to buy deli items such as olives and cold meats.