Wilkins, Marsham Street, SW1

Not normally my kind of thing, a vegetarian cafe, but this place is irresistible. They've taken the shell of an old cafe and filled it with ancient patinaed bits of second hand stuff. Old wooden table and chairs, trays you might have got in a school canteen...

...and those 70s cups with the plastic sleeves/holders.

All kinds of wood, scented with generations of crumbs.

That condiment area says a lot. No sauces. You're not going to get eggbaconchipsandbeans here.

Comments

[Patrick Turland]

I feel like the bearer of bad tidings again ! I've been here about 20 times in the past year. Unfortunately, the block it's in, Romney House, is due to be redeveloped. One of the shop keepers told me a couple of weeks ago that all the existing small shops are due to vacate within the next two months. He thinks that Marks and Spencer will occupy what is currently the ground floor parade. Thanks for capturing the memory of this unique place on camera, before it becomes erased for ever.

[Michelle Delon]

I used to work on Marsham Street and going to Wilkins always made me so happy. The food was cooked by the owner and his wife and the portions were massive and cheap. He would always give us a good selection of whatever was on offer as well.

I think it is such a shame that Wilkins has had to close down and it makes it worse that it is being replaced by a Marks and Spencers. It was one of the best secrets in London and I will miss it.

I hope that the owner will read this and know that I always enjoyed coming to his cafe, that the food he made was the best Italian food in London and that I always appreciated his smile and good humour.

[Patrick]

Wilkins is now vacated.

I passed by this morning, only to see a forlorn interior, empty but for a table and sad looking collection of plastic chairs.

All the other shops are empty. You can see inside their empty shells, to see the gutted innards of the building.

I can recommend Tevere up the road as a nice, restful cafe.

[Casimir Stankiewicz]

Thank you. Interesting site, have you considered an index, we have lots of good greasy spoon addresses aroung the country.
Cas

[texasfences]

Although I don't have piccies of it yet, The Workman's Cafe on Blackstock Road, near Finsbury Park, is probably one of the best cafes I've been to here. The bubble is the stuff of legend, big portions, small prices, and friendly staff...sunday morning with the papers is bliss

[KathleenM]

Thanks for the pix and the memory blast. I worked there when it was owned by Pamela Wilkins, '79-80. Still use her basic recipe for wholemeal bread. Sorry about the demise.

[janice]

oh my gosh, I worked there in 1984 as well, when peter and pamela wilkins still owned it. american exchange student. i WISH i had the whole wheat bread recipe! if texasfences reads this can s/he send it to me?? best bread EVER.

great homemade food cafe. thanks for the memories!