we know Ben and we love it there, from the moment he opened. Ben has succeeded where others have failed: people comes BACK which is key when you are in the hospitality business...
He wanted a hang out place, a place where people are having a good time, the place is open to everyone of all ages and like other have said this is reflected in the atmosphere, in the staff friendliness and the fact that the place is always busy Monday to Sunday. I personally also love what he did inside especially the design of the bar, very groovy! I hope people will enjoy the new place as much!
There are so many great things on Saint John Hill, BirdHouse (apparently not child friendly tho ), The Plough (friendly staff and child friendly), Powder Keg (great food and cocktails), Deli Boutique (French little deli/bakery/coffee shop), Ben Canteen of course, Urban Gourmet a little further (she is sooooo nice), The thai restaurant as well as the Erythrean one... Never been to the new bar so can't comment.
Oh and if you need stuffs for the home, you have it here as well on Saint John Hill, go and check

Hi everyone - just wanted to add my excellent experiences at Bens Canteen. I have been visiting 'Bens Canteen' since it opened with my dog. They are amazing...the staff go out of their way to offer my dog a bowl of water and then they will come over and make a big fuss of him every time we visit. My dog adores the staff at Ben's Canteen.

While I'm having my food and drink I'm always most impressed at how hospitable staff are to all genres of customers - including mums with children. As others on this thread have posted - staff are very keen to greet mothers with children & ensure their seating arrangements are to their requirements. It's a nice large restaurant with lots of choice about where to sit.

There are toys and a blackboard near the entrance to the restaurant. So many times I have seen staff come over to where the children are - and entertain the children - almost putting on a personal entertainment show for the kids!

A few weeks ago there was a child who kept changing his mind and continually asking for endless condiments to accompany his meal. The staff were absolutely delighted to 'wait' on this young 'Sir' and were delighted to bring him all the things he demanded as he cheekily ate his meal!

As others have said - Bens Canteen is one of the best restaurants in Wandsworth - in fact it's probably one of the best establishments i've visited in a very long time. Please do visit and try it for yourself - you will be extremely impressed

Oh and one last thing, they are so flexible that when I was eating with a friend who doesn't eat wheat, they popped over to Sainsbury to pick her up some Gluten Free Bread to go with her Brunch.

I think that's pretty great service.

Briony

Bee's Pantry
www.beespantry.com

I go here regularly and so do a number of other 'start-up' businesses as the staff are lovely, friendly and of course there is free wifi, they allow dogs and are just generally one of the best Cafes in town. The good news is they are opening a second one in Earlsfield - so yeh for a happy success story whose audience are varied enough to keep the business flush.

Oh and whenever I go there, there are always lots of mums with their babies/toddlers. The staff actively interact with the kids - I've seen kids paying for meals (clearly using their mother's cards/money) and there is never a tutting person in sight if this causes the cash register to slow up a little.

Great place ..!

This is not a fair reflection on a nice family friendly cool place to eat/drink:chill - with or without your brood.

We love Bens Canteen xxx

from what others have said it sounds like this place IS family friendly but - for some establishments - the mummy/baby market is a death sentence.

If I ran a café I have to say I would do all I could to keep the under 5s out. Their parents don't spend the big money and they deter those who will.

I absolutely disagree with this opinion of Ben's Canteen. I go there pretty much every day with my 3 year old and have done since it opened nearly three years ago. It is perfect for people with dogs and babies (I have one of each). There is a comprehensive kids menu and my daughter gets treated like a princess EVERY time we go. The staff are welcoming and virtually entertainers. The space is excellent and food outstanding for kids and adults alike. There is an array of toys and there is lots of space for buggies and various paraphernalia.

Ben's is a lively, local success story and extremely busy at weekends which is great! They have always tried to accomodate my family despite being rushed off their feet.

I honestly do not understand why someone can go to a busy, local restaurant and write such comments in a public forum. miserable.

Another post for Annabel to investigate me thinks.....

I have been to Ben's & found it very children friendly, it was full of children when we went so I feel for anyone there without children

quite a naughty rat.......

Does anyone else smell a rat?

Thank you all for the replies.
Clearly I will not try again, but glad that it might have been a one-off.

(my personal favourite for families and always-kind-service: Pizza Metro Pizza)
Ciao

I like this place so much, I felt I had to post a separate non negative review...

Great for an adults evening meal and for daytime family fun, my children especially love the fishfinger sandwiches.

Bens canteen has always been a favourite of my family (3 under 5).. They have a great kids menu, blackboard and chalk for the kids to play with, basket of toys... Never had a problem there with my family.

Does get busy sometimes but they've always tried to accommodate us and I've never felt unwanted there.

Always mums with babies in there..

Think you caught them on a very rare off day... Definitely don't be put off!!

Does it advertise itself as child friendly? If not, I'm not sure it's very fair to post such a negative view. When my children were younger I'd always take a look at a restaurant/cafe and if it seemed to be more of a grown up place then we wouldn't take the children there. I'm not sure why everything has to be child friendly. As another poster said, maybe its target market is not people with children. There are plenty if other places to go which are child friendly - choose one of them.

Maybe its target market is adults?