Prestige

Staff are rude, poor service. Plenty of other cafes or restaurants on Bellvue road that are much more enjoyable.

We’ve lived near Wandsworth Common for twenty years now and bit by bit
our little parade of shops has changed. Our local post office and
newsagent closed down, as did both the bank branches, the greengrocer
and one of the two off-​licences. Also a local wonder known as The Lucky
Parrot where kids could buy appealing toys and trinkets with pocket
money. The pharmacy, bookshop and convenience store have survived, but now
we have expensive dress shops, a bake-​your-​own-​cake venture, and any
number of estate agents. Plus three bistros and several cafes to service
the area’s increasingly transient and upwardly mobile population. My
wife reserves particular scorn for the languid gangs of blonde,
long-​legged Yummy Mummies (as she calls them) who cluster around the
tables with their giant pushchairs, designer sunglasses and loud
confident voices. But here’s the thing. For our family — even though we’d rather see a
return of the hardware shop, post office and bakery the arrival of
decent cappuccino and genuine French patisseries isn’t exactly
unwelcome. The real reason we’re so irritated by the Yummy Mummies is
that, for all our Guardian-​reading smugness, we’re every bit as
bourgeois as they are. Just a tad less honest about it. So if you’re ever round our way looking for a light lunch or simply a
Danish and coffee, here’s an insider tip. Ignore the predictable chain-​restaurant atmosphere of Caffe Nero and the faux-​continental décor (and free wifi) of Mooca (
). You’ll find the best espresso, freshest food and most comfortable ambience are here at Prestige Café (
), 14 Bellevue Road, Wandsworth Common, London SW17 7EG. Not to mention the lowest concentration of braying blondes with baby buggies. And yes, since you ask, they have free wi-​fi too.

There is a run of coffee shops along Wandsworth Common, but this is by far the best. There is a great menu of sandwiches and snacks, but it is the cake selection that really sets Prestige apart.