Milk London

"Milk is among the best spots for food in Balham full stop. There will be a queue at weekends, though staff bring coffee while you wait and the outside is a very nice place to sit and people-watch when it’s warm. Everything at brunch is made with the same attention to detail that most restaurants reserve for fancy dinners—the seasonal specials are killer, and the tonkatsu fish sando is something special too." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"Milk is a great cafe in Balham and one of the best spots in south London to get brunch. Plus, it also happens to have a bunch of outdoor benches that are perfect for groups." - oliver feldman, rianne shlebak

"Head to laid-back Balham cafe Milk for your post-doggy paddle coffee and banana bread. It's a 20-minute walk from the lido, there’s space out front for when it's warm, and all the food is a cut above your average brunch dishes. Stay for two courses so you can try their famous fish finger sando, and the miso and white choc caramel french toast." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna

"Milk isn’t just one of the best cafes in Balham, it’s one of the best brunch spots in the whole city. The dishes are inventive, the coffee has the silk factor of Victoria’s Secret pyjamas, and the service is friendly. They make their own gluten-free cornbread, which can be swapped in for any dish that has sourdough. And staff are more than happy to guide you through the suitable options. " - heidi lauth beasley, sinead cranna

"We don’t know what they put in the milk frother here, but the latte is the silkiest, smoothest cup of coffee we’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping. And yet it’s still not the best thing you’ll find at this super-popular spot in Balham. On Saturday mornings, you’ll almost definitely have to wait for a table, but the excellent food coming out of that kitchen is well worth the wait. From a fish sando that we’d cross London for, to a halva butter-topped banana bread that will give you—and your dentist—heart palpitations. Nobody comes here and stops at a flat white—the menu of inventive twists on classic brunch dishes makes that impossible." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak