The Wet Fish Café

Restaurants, British West Hampstead
5 out of 5 stars
(16user reviews)
Winner<br/>2018

Winner
2018
Winner<br/>2018

Winner
2018
The Wet Fish Café

Named in homage to the wet fish shop that once resided at 242 West End Lane, the Wet Fish Café now offers hot drinks, cold drinks, boozey drinks, food, live music and art.

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Venue name: The Wet Fish Café
Contact:
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Address: 242 West End Ln
West Hampstead
London
NW6 1LG
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Average User Rating

4.6 / 5

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star:11
  • 4 star:4
  • 3 star:0
  • 2 star:1
  • 1 star:0
LiveReviews|16
1 person listening
tastemaker

My friends and I have been visiting the Wet Fish for years now. Brunch is our usual type of visit, such lovely options including some lunch items and cocktails. The breakfast salad and avocado on toast are winners for veggies, but then you can't go wrong with their hangover cure breakfast: Bloody Mary / coffee / chorizo, potato, scrambled eggs! The service is good with a fairly quick turn around. The decor is from decades ago and in great condition, brought up to date with all the original character. Looks like t may have once been a butchers or bakers. You can't book a table on a weekend brunch/lunch but you can always put your name down on the list.

tastemaker

If you think Eggs Benedict is the best thing you could ever order for brunch, you have yet to try the Eggs West Hampstead whipped up behind the little kitchen in this atmospheric cafe. 


This intriguing variation is a different take on Eggs Benedict / Eggs Royale - instead of the ham that you get on a standard Benedict or the smoked salmon you find on a Royale, what sits on those muffins is a scrummy salt cod mash and I must add... the poached eggs are perfectly done! 


But if you're not a fan of fish, their other brunch options are equally appealing! (I'll be going back to try the other dishes very soon.) The fresh mint lemonade is also perfect for a nice summer's day. 


On weekdays, they have fantastic brunch and lunch specials which are priced at £7 or £8 each respectively, and £8 or £9 if you fancy a drink. 


I can't recommend this cute cafe enough - great food, great value, great location!


Fantastic! Lovely atmosphere, all cosy and candlelit in the evenings and pleasant staff. The beautiful antique tiled interior is contrasted with a rotating exhibit of contemporary art (for sale) chosen by the owner. As the name implies the concise menu is slanted mostly towards seafood. Dishes are thoughtfully put together with flavourful sauces and wide ranging uses of pulses rather than a glut of the typical potato offerings. Fantastic early bird menu (which runs all night on Mondays) makes the Fish a more regularly affordable treat. Prepare to queue for Brunch. There's a healthy edge to the dishes and the avocado smoothie makes for a virtuous hangover cure. Also popular in the afternoons with people studiously tapping away on laptops over coffee and cake. Highly recommended at any time of day or evening.


This little restaurant was the reason I moved to West Hampstead in the first place. I had spent a long day house hunting in Chiswick, then decided to go and check other areas, and happened to dine here. Fell in love with the reataurant and the area that evening and moved to WH instead of Chiswick.


The best local, with live music events art exhibitions and great food and drinks!


best coffee in the west - amaze balls .. the egg n chorizo brunch is a winner too, nice late night venue under the constant vigil of the chefs from the kitchen on high


Buzzy day times, intimate in the evenings. Exhibiting great artworks and amazing music nights. Best local in West Hampstead.

Staff WriterStaff Comp

The Wet fish is my go to place for Breakfast in West Hampstead, it's the only place in the area that feels individual.  Great soya cappuccinos and great eggs with corn bread and bacon. It's buzzy and they do great juices too.  A great local place for a low key brunch 


I live nearby and have been here on three occasions, with various success. The first time I went on my own, and had the sea bass, which according to the waitress was the best thing on the menu, and it was nice - not the best fish meal I have had, but it was worth the money although the portion was quite small without any side dishes. The place always seems to be busy in the evenings, and the atmosphere was lovely and quite bohemian. Second time I only went in for a drink and a business meeting and came straight into an on-going jazz night. Music was lovely, and again, the place was packed and atmosphere great. Third time I went for late breakfast with my boyfriend, and we were both disappointed. The place was only about half full, but the waitress rather read the newspaper on the bar - in the view of the customers - than cleaning tables filled with empty glasses and plates. Second, she had a meal on the bar in front of us and kept on ignoring the customers. It took us a while to get her attention, and she was not very service minded. I ordered a coffee and my boyfriend a tea, and our hot drinks arrived about ten minutes after our water. The slices of lemon he got with his tea were dry and must have been a couple of days old and not very appealing. He ordered a breakfast dish with duck and potatoes, and it was very boring and tasteless and the duck was dry. My superfood salad about the same - it was okay, but with no exciting flavours, and something you could have made better at home. We were not very impressed with the place, regardless of a cozy venue with an old history, and unfortunately we won't be coming back, as the food is not worth what you pay for it. It must be said that the quick set lunches they do are very cheap and value for money, but you can't choose, it is only one set dish on offer every day, with a drink.