Why Llewelyns is one of South London’s loveliest lunch spots

Llewelyns is exactly the kind of neighbourhood restaurant that makes you wish you lived nearby.

My sister and I have a habit of picking a different corner of London and making a day of it. Today we’re in Herne Hill, slowly working our way through a cafe crawl before heading to Brockwell Lido for an afternoon swim. It’s one of those summer Saturdays where the sun is shining, nobody’s in a rush, and all that’s left is finding somewhere lovely for lunch.

Thankfully, Llewelyns Herne Hill is exactly that.

Sitting on the corner overlooking the village-like high street, it’s the sort of restaurant that makes you think, I wish this was my local.

Quick info on Llewelyns Herne Hill

• Restaurant: Llewelyns
• Where: Herne Hill, London
• Must order: Burrata with nectarine and tomatoes, Flat iron steak with Café de Paris butter
• Price: Around £82 for two for a shared starter and a main each. Not cheap, but entirely in line with London’s better neighbourhood restaurants.
• Good to know: Grab one of the outdoor tables if the sun is shining.

Read the full Llewelyns restaurant review to find out more.

A summer lunch at this neighbourhood restaurant feels exactly right

On a warm summers day, we manage to nab one of the many tables outside, and feel like we’re in exactly the right place for a lazy lunch.

The pace at Llewelyns is gloriously relaxed. Staff are friendly without hovering, drinks arrive promptly, and courses are spaced out nicely.

It’s the sort of neighbourhood restaurant that encourages lingering. If only we didn’t have a lido calling our names afterwards.

The burrata starter is summer on a plate

We begin with the burrata, nectarine and Marinda tomatoes, and it’s one of those deceptively simple dishes that tastes amazing.

The burrata is beautifully creamy, as always, while ripe nectarines burst with juicy sweetness against vibrant red and green tomatoes. Fresh basil adds just enough pepperiness to stop everything becoming overly delicate, and the whole plate feels very fresh.

It’s sunshine on a plate – and it’s a simple dish executed in the best way.

The mains prove why lunch here is worth the journey

Next comes the mushrooms with polenta and summer truffle – our first dish from the main section on the Llewelyns menu.

The polenta is uber silky, flowing lazily across the plate beneath a generous pile of beautifully cooked mushrooms. Together they create a comforting, earthy dish that you can’t help but crave, even in warmer weather.

Interestingly, I barely detect the truffle. Normally I’d consider that a disappointment, but here I don’t really mind. The mushrooms bring so much natural umami that the dish never feels like it’s missing anything. In fact, I’d almost forgotten truffle was listed on the menu by the time we’d finished.

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The flat iron steak is the reason I’d return to Herne Hill

If there’s one dish from the Llewelyns menu that perfectly sums up the restaurant, it’s the flat iron steak with crispy potatoes and Café de Paris butter.

Too many London restaurants simply plonk a steak onto a plate and expect the quality of the meat to do all the heavy lifting. Which it can do, but it does look a bit bare.

Happily, Llewelyns goes further.

The steak arrives beautifully cooked, with tender, fleshy slices laid over a generous pool of gently spiced Café de Paris butter. Then everything is topped with a glorious tangle of crisp julienned potatoes.

Every mouthful is brilliant. I find myself dragging each slice of steak through the buttery sauce before piling on the crunchy potatoes for contrast. It’s rich and indulgent, and more thoughtfully composed than many steak dishes costing considerably more elsewhere in London.

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Sadly, we leave too full for dessert

By this point in the lunch we’re completely defeated – having already been to a few Herne Hill bakeries first too.

Dessert just isn’t on the cards for us here.

That said, I spend a good few minutes eyeing up the olive oil cake with peach and creme fraiche arriving at the neighbouring table. It looks every bit as good as it sounds, and immediately goes onto my mental list for next time.

Is Llewelyns Herne Hill worth the money?

Lunch for the two of us comes to around £82, including one starter to share and a main each.

It’s certainly not cheap, but it’s broadly in line with London pricing for higher end restaurants, particularly when the cooking is this confident and service this polished.

Final thoughts on Llewelyns

Some restaurants impress you because they’re theatrical, others because they’re wildly inventive.

Llewelyns London doesn’t really do either. Instead, it quietly excels at being a great neighbourhood restaurant, that adds something great to the area.

The food is thoughtful without showing off, service is warm, the terrace is a glorious place to while away a sunny afternoon, and the whole experience leaves me with one overriding thought.

I wish this was my local.

Instead, it’ll have to remain a destination restaurant. Thankfully, Llewelyns Herne Hill is one that’s more than worth travelling across London for.

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Llewelyns London review
Address – 293-295 Railton Rd, London SE24 0JP
Nearest station – Herne Hill