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Food - Grey Crane, Greater London, England

Grey Crane

4.9 (39)
£25 and under
Café
316 St John St, Greater London, England EC1V 4NT

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A photo of Grey Crane restaurant

Grey Crane

4.9
£25 and under
Café
Clerkenwell

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for brunch
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
We’re a family-run café made for both mornings and evenings. Brunch, coffee, and easy vibes by day—warm meals and good drinks by night. Grey Crane is about balance, comfort, and a place you’ll always feel welcome.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Café, Breakfast, British
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Tue 08:00–17:00 Wed–Fri 08:00–20:00 Sat 09:00–20:00 Sun 09:00–17:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Grey Crane.

4.9

4.9
(39)
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.7Value

Noise • Energetic

Diners' Choice Awards

  • London

    Neighbourhood gem

  • London

    Café

  • City of London

    Best Overall

  • City of London

    Best Food

  • City of London

    Best Service

  • City of London

    Best Value

  • City of London

    Great for brunch

  • City of London

    Neighbourhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Grey Crane offers a "delicious dining experience" with "super tasty food" and "excellent attentive service," making it a "hidden gem" near Sadlers Wells Theatre. Patrons praise the "lovely, friendly attentive staff" and "great service," making it perfect for pre-theatre dining. It's a "lovely relaxed place" to enjoy a meal.
39 Reviews
  1. Richard

    London2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our second time at the Grey Crane after far too long a gap (we're not local!), and it was just as enjoyable as the first time..... . This time we had brunch, and all 6 of us said it was outstanding - as the clean plates and happy smiles proved. Our welcome and our service was absolutely exceptional. and we are all determined to come again as soon as we can.

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  2. Theresa Gold

    London519 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 12 September 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Flamed banana on French toast was a nice touch but need more honey or even better, Canadian maple syrup. Roast chicken and 1 poached egg over polenta made what is supposed to be crispy placenta cake not crispy. A leg of roast chicken would look better than shredded chicken mixed in with spinach and red peppers. 2 poached eggs would be expected since most brunch dishes come with 2. Price of additional egg at £1.50 is good value and a definite positive add on.
    Grey CraneResponded on 16 September 2026
    Thank you, Theresa, for your 4-star review and valuable feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the flamed banana and appreciated the additional egg option. We’ll take your suggestions on board and share them with our kitchen team. We hope to welcome you back soon. Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  3. Julie

    Kent39 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 22 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What an amazing find, only 5 minutes from Sadlers Wells so very handy for pre-theatre dining. Delicious food, excellent service & fabulous price for London eating. We paid less than £100 for 2 people, 3 courses, with coffee & service!! Would rate it 6* if I could.
    Grey CraneResponded on 24 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Julie! 🌟 We’re absolutely delighted that you discovered us and enjoyed your visit. It’s wonderful to hear you loved the food, service, and value for money. 😊 We’re especially pleased we could be a convenient stop before your visit to Sadler’s Wells! 🎭✨ We look forward to welcoming you back again soon! 🍽️🥂 Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  4. Jane

    London7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 21 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent meal before the theatre. Lovely staff. Will go again
    Grey CraneResponded on 24 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Jane! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your meal and that our team made you feel welcome. We’re so pleased you enjoyed your visit, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon! 😊 Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  5. Patricia

    Bath/Somerset2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 13 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    On one of the hottest days of the summer and the food and staff were unphased. It was just the right lunch for our 70th birthday celebration - 3 friends from teacher training college from back in 1974! We then went to the ballet at Sadlers Wells. Perfect
    Grey CraneResponded on 18 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Patricia! 😊 We’re so pleased you enjoyed your lunch and that we could be part of such a special 70th birthday celebration. 🎉 What a lovely story — friends since teacher training college in 1974! ❤️ So glad you had a great day, even in that summer heat! ☀️ And lunch followed by the ballet at Sadler’s Wells sounds perfect. 💃✨ Wishing you and your friends many more happy celebrations together! 🥂💕 Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  6. Neil

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 9 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent coffee and food. Some excellent different choices for breakfast. Home made baked beans were delicious.
    Grey CraneResponded on 18 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Neil! 😊 We’re really glad you enjoyed the coffee and food, and especially our homemade baked beans! 😋☕️ Lovely to hear you enjoyed the breakfast choices too. Hope to see you again soon! ❤️ Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  7. Chris

    Essex1 review

    4.0

    Dined on 31 July 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A hidden gem, perfect for eating and drinking before or after shows at Sadlers Wells Theatre, lovely, friendly attentive staff. We would certainly eat here again.
    Grey CraneResponded on 4 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Chris! We're really pleased you found us and enjoyed your visit. It's lovely to hear you felt well looked after by our team. We can't wait to welcome you back next time you're at Sadler's Wells. Hopefully, we'll make you feel even more at home and earn that fifth star! 😊 Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  8. Christine

    Surrey1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 30 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is the second visit to Grey Crane cafe before going to a show and it was as impressive and tasty as the first. The staff are absolutely brilliant and friendly. The food was fresh and very tasty, yummy. Such a good find and will definitely return.
    Grey CraneResponded on 4 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Christine! We're thrilled to hear that your second visit was just as enjoyable as your first. It means a lot to know you enjoyed the fresh, tasty food and that our team helped make your visit special before your show. We really appreciate your kind words and your continued support. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon! Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  9. Joanne

    London6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 30 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service - friendly & helpful. Really good brunch food. Lovely place I’d go back to.
    Grey CraneResponded on 4 August 2026
    Thank you so much, Joanne! We're so pleased you enjoyed your brunch and that our team made you feel welcome. It means a lot to hear you'd come back, and we look forward to seeing you again soon! Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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  10. Divya

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 7 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    super tasty food, excellent attentive service and a lovely cafe feel. Just wish the aircon had been higher but otherwise can't fault it
    Grey CraneResponded on 21 July 2026
    Thank you so much, Divya, for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed our food, attentive service, and the welcoming café atmosphere. We also appreciate your feedback about the air conditioning—we'll certainly take it on board as we always strive to make every visit as comfortable as possible. We hope to welcome you back again soon! 😊 Kind Regards, Grey Crane

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    £25 and under
  • Cuisines
    Café, Breakfast, British
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Tue 08:00–17:00 Wed–Fri 08:00–20:00 Sat 09:00–20:00 Sun 09:00–17:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress

FAQs

Yes, Grey Crane is often chosen for intimate dinners and special evenings, with guests reporting cosy, romantic meals and visits for occasions like a belated Valentine’s date.

Casual dress, comfortable, everyday clothes are entirely appropriate at Grey Crane.

Guests frequently describe portions as generous and satisfying, reviewers note "good portion sizes, " "empty plates all round, " and meals that left them comfortably full.

Yes, Grey Crane has a few outside tables both at the front and the back, with guests enjoying sunny courtyard and shady outdoor spots for coffee or brunch.

The Apple and Cinnamon Crepe is a particular favourite at Grey Crane, guests repeatedly praise it, and it appears on both the brunch and evening dessert menus.

Grey Crane feels like a small, cosy, family‑run café, intimate, calm and welcoming, with a clean, modern interior and attentive, friendly service that many guests praise.

Grey Crane tends to be busiest around pre‑theatre times before Sadler’s Wells, several guests recommend booking, while calmer slots include early weekday dinners (one guest found plenty of space at 5:30 on a Thursday).

Yes, according to guests, Grey Crane accepts the Blue Light Card and applies a 15% discount.

Yes, families are welcome: guests report staff were accommodating for bookings with little ones and that children happily enjoyed dishes like the pancakes.

Grey Crane is a lovely pre‑theatre choice, go before Sadler’s Wells shows for a relaxed brunch before matinees or an early dinner ahead of evening performances.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United Kingdom
  3. London
  4. City of London
  5. Clerkenwell

Make a booking

A photo of Grey Crane restaurant

Grey Crane

4.9
£25 and under
Café
Clerkenwell

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
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