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Pit Bar
★ 3.0(1 review)Bar
theatrecasualpre-show
About the Vibe
Penny is the basement cafe-bar tucked beneath The Old Vic theatre on The Cut. While it's run by the folks behind the much-loved Milk in Balham, it doesn't quite hit the same notes—expect decent British charcuterie and Kernel ales, but the service can be hit-or-miss and the space sometimes feels more like a storage area than a destination. It's perfectly fine for a pre-show drink or a quick coffee, but don't expect it to rival the standalone cafés the team operates elsewhere.
Known For
- •British charcuterie
- •Kernel ales
- •pre-theatre drinks
Best For
pre-theatre drinksquick coffeecasual meeting
1 review
City InsidersEditorialApril 10, 2026
A theatre cafe that doesn't quite hit the mark
Penny sits in the basement of The Old Vic theatre, a spot that should be buzzing before every performance but often feels more like an afterthought. The team behind it runs Milk in Balham and Fields in Clapham Common—two genuinely excellent neighbourhood cafés—so expectations are high. Unfortunately, Penny doesn't quite deliver. The menu looks promising on paper with British charcuterie platters, quality cheeses, and interesting drinks like Kernel ales and smoothies, but the execution falls short.
On a couple of visits, the experience was marred by disorganisation. The café once closed without warning for a private party, and on another occasion, boxes of drink deliveries were stacked around our table as if we were just an inconvenience. The service, while not rude, lacks the warmth and attention you'd expect from a team with such a strong reputation elsewhere. It's a perfectly adequate spot if you're already at the theatre and need a quick drink before the curtain goes up, but it's not somewhere you'd特意 seek out.
For theatre-goers, Penny serves its purpose as a pre-show pitstop, especially with the 20% off drinks discount if you show your ticket after 9pm. But if you're looking for a proper café experience in Waterloo, there are better options nearby. Penny feels like a venue that's playing it safe rather than taking risks, and that's a shame given the pedigree of the people behind it.