Brixton Restaurant Guide

Converted from a Victorian laundry by Brixton Market – this “friendly local with tasty small plates, an appropriate wine list and the bustle of Brixton life” has a distinctly Antipodean flavour – owner Melanie Brown founded the New Zealand and Australian Cellars, while exec chef Samantha Harvey hails from Sydney. It has a “great outdoor space for lunch”, too.

“Brilliant, innovative and constantly changing” – Will Bowlby & Rik Campbell’s “unfailingly interesting” street-food cafés provide “real Indian food… cooked by Brits” and inspire a large army of fans for this small group, which added a fourth Canary Wharf outlet in early 2024 (and has announced a fifth branch will be coming to Shoreditch at the end of the year). They have achieved an all-round success story: “super-friendly service” scores incredibly highly as does the “buzzy environment”. And in Soho, “the restaurant is now supplemented by the Soma Bar next door” with an array of funky cocktails.

“Consistent and authentic Thai food” earns a shout-out for this low-key, family-run trio, in Brixton, Battersea and Tooting. Prices are reasonable and the ability to BYO in each location is a further boost to the value of a meal.

“Sinfully good” burgers are delivered with “quick and efficient service” – and “genius free soft serve ice cream” (which accompanies your bill) – at this independent group with a handful of outlets around London. Former nurse Liz Down and her husband Stew started out in 2016 with a stall on Broadway Market, inspired by working holidays in the Canadian Rockies. Top Tip – “indulge in the guilty pleasure of their dry-aged beef glazed in miso with double cheese”.

‘Rebel against the establishment and join the sushi revolution!’ – purists should steer clear of this small Brixton pitstop, where various funky meat, vegan and veggie options sit alongside more traditional Japanese sushi combos. Feedback was limited this year, but continues to rate it positively all-round. And they must be doing something right, as a new Shoreditch branch opened in June 2024.

An “honest and unpretentious Tuscan-focused menu” is the specialty at this “delightful Italian restaurant with a local neighbourhood vibe” near Brockwell Park (which is named after Tuscany’s Maremma marshes). Its sizable fan club is more than local (“I love this place, it’s always buzzing…”; “if in doubt, fall back on this cute little local for romance”).

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Margaux Aubry’s “exceptional” Brixton wine bar always “does a great job in making you feel welcome” in a “tiny space”. Co-founder Joe Sharratt is no longer involved, so Margaux’s “great wine list” is now accompanied by cooking from a succession of guest chefs – which means “the only complaint, that the menu rarely changes”, no longer holds, so now it can be more of a “regular haunt”.

“Not a place for a posh dinner, but lip-smackingly good tucker and a fun night out” – that’s the deal at Brian Danclair’s vibrant small gaff “in the heart of Brixton Village Market”, close to his Fish Wings & Tings. The menu is “super-tasty”, often with a Jamaican twist; and “you get a very warm welcome from the boss”.

This 10-year-old group with six sites offers a “good-value and tasty” take on the Middle Eastern kebab, served with a “modern twist” alongside “noteworthy cocktails”. “A seat at the counter is fun” at the original Kingly Court branch in Carnaby Street, which has a ‘fine dining’ option downstairs, Kebab Queen (see also).

“A takeaway hole in the wall with some seating” characterises the branches of Pui Sing, Cheong Yew & Mo Kwok’s HK-inspired group, which specialises in Siu Mei (“authentic roasted Chinese meats”) served in “generous portions” plus noodles – “top Hong Kong food, affordable and better than at ‘normal’ sit-down restaurants”. Towards the end of 2024, they will open their largest site to-date: a 50-cover restaurant in Ealing’s Filmworks development.