London Peckham Restaurant Guide

2022 Review: Vegan and vegetarian neighbourhood bistro, set in a quiet street near Peckham Rye station. It was opened in autumn 2019 by ex-Vanilla Black chef Tom Heale (plus his two brothers and a business partner) and – though it’s a simple, cosy venue – it quickly attracted favourable press from The Torygraph and Marina O’Loughlin in The Sunday Times. Sharing is encouraged and drinks include biodynamic, organic and vegan, and numerous fancy teas.

2022 Review: One of the few early 2021 newcomers (at which time it was delivery only) – this ‘soul food fusion’ newcomer operates out of the Peckham Levels. The aim? – ‘a bold and culturally relevant brand to disrupt the traditionally Euro-centric and often whitewashed London food scene’. This translates into hearty spicy scoff – Trinidadian Bara Tacos (fried bread with a chickpea filling), Philly Banh Mi Cheesesteaks… deep-fried Oreos.

“Best pizza for miles…” Andrea Asciuti’s mega-popular pizza powerhouse has found its first permanent home in Peckham, opening in Feb’ 2023 at this small, 20-cover unit. “Frantic service from Italians, but that doesn’t matter because the pizza’s so good!”. (It also serves Napoli-inspired street food such as frittatina, arancina, crocche…. He also operates within pubs at the Smugglers Tavern in Fitzrovia and at Camden Town’s Colonel Fawcett).

2021 Review: “Tasty street-food vendors, a good pint and a great atmosphere” (plus, for families, “plenty of space for kids to scoot around”) win a thumbs-up for this vibey project, converted from seven levels of an underutilised multi-storey car park. Levels five and six are the heart of the action foodwise: residents include Nandine (offshoot of a Kurdish café in Camberwell), Other Side Fried (chicken burgers) and Hao Hao chi (handmade regional Chinese street food).

“Find of the year and worth the trek to Peckham” (although the foodie in-crowd have known about it and its sibling Forza Win, newly transferred to Camberwell, for several years now) – this rooftop wine bar with a “buzzing ambience, perched above Peckham Rye station”, offers “a great selection of small plates” to nibble on while sipping “natural wine only, but a fair few easy-drinking bottles” (or cocktails if you prefer). In September 2023, they opened a large new offshoot on the terrace at the National Theatre: there are 100 covers inside with an open kitchen, and a sheltered outside area with seating for 70 drinkers and diners.

This “interesting” conversion of the Victorian booking hall and goods rooms at Peckham Rye station accommodates a café/restaurant whose modern menu is “thoughtful without being too crazy”. The day-time brunch offering gets a thumbs-up, too, as “many steps ahead of the typical avo on toast”. (A back-handed compliment from north of the river: “As an ex-north Londoner, I was amazed to find this in central Peckham. How things have changed!”)

“Tasty, good-value noodles” in a “relaxed environment” make this 12-year-old London chain (14 branches, plus Brighton and Brum) “worth a visit”. The “ramen is deep and fabulous” if “limited in range (no fish-based dishes except prawn)”, and is augmented by “quite acceptable katsu curry”. Aficionados should head to the Haggerston branch to watch the noodles being made.

“This Malaysian place at Market Peckham has wonderful food” – “the chicken satay is as good as I’ve had in the UK” and “the Hainanese chicken sando is delectable”. It’s “highly regarded, with fans including reviewers (Marina O’L)”, but popularity has brought problems with “scaling up” – “they need more space, staff and flexible portions”. BREAKING NEWS – in September 2023, they announced they have found their first ‘forever home’ at 78 Lower Clapton Road, Lower Clapton, London E5 0RN. The bigger space, with open kitchen, will have 40 covers, with 20 seats inside and 20 seats on a ‘garden’ terrace.

“A true neighbourhood go-to” – in her 20th anniversary year, Peckham food pioneer Clare Fisher is “still doing things with South Indian flavours that make the heart sing”. Top Tip – “don’t forget to buy a jar of homemade garlic or beetroot pickle to take home”.

An “interesting and very good menu” – “prefer the à la carte to the set” – with natural wines to match draws an appreciative crowd to this open-kitchen outfit, behind Peckham overground station. Inspired by the ‘bistronomy’ of Paris or Copenhagen, it no longer generates the volume of feedback or stellar ratings of a couple of years ago.

Patrick Williams and Amy Corbin’s original Peckham opening (it now has siblings like Little Kudu, see also) has become a well-known pin on southeast London’s restaurant map (owing only partly to the celebrity of Amy’s father, Chris Corbin, among the capital’s foodie commentariat). Amidst the menu choices, there is the occasional nod to Patrick’s heritage (South African), but the inspiration for the “tasty, small plates” magpies from all over the globe. Brunch is a big occasion here for which there’s a dedicated menu; and “friendly” service is also a feature. Top Tip – eat in the back garden on warmer days.

2022 Review: “Levan’s sister restaurant is a useful addition to the Peckham dining experience, and also revolves around sharing plates”. Originally due to open on the first week of the first 2020 lockdown, this all-day Peckham diner (in the same stable as Levan and Salon) is named after groundbreaking NYC DJ Larry Levan and is a homage to Jewish and Italian NYC diners, circa 1975. You are served at retro orange tables, with diner-style sarnies at lunch, or more substantial dishes like schnitzel and cheesecake, all dolled up a bit for 21st-century sensibilities (I don’t remember any gochujang mayo served back in the day…).

2023 Review: “Deliciously different pizza” comes by the slice in the “relaxed setting” of this yearling in a former grain warehouse (a former site of Forza Win). For all its “very basic” appearance, serious thought goes into the toppings, along with ingredients such as Sicilian datterini tomatoes, Calabrian tropea onions and Turkish figs. “The only problem is knowing when to stop ordering!”

This “exceptional local wine room”, one of the prime movers and shakers in the Peckham foodie scene, presents an “interesting list of wines” in a “fun and unpretentious atmosphere”. There’s also a short but well-received menu of modern European nibbles and larger plates. A long-heralded spin-off called ‘Little Cellars’ was due to open in Camberwell in 2023.

2023 Review: “Tasty thin-crust dough – cooked well in the middle, so no soggy bottoms” – is the secret to the appeal of this seven-strong South London sourdough pizzeria group, where the emphasis is on local ingredients (including Shipton Mill flour and British-made buffalo mozzarella) washed down with locally brewed craft beers and juices from Kent.

Open in June 2023 from Peckham’s Kudu Collective, Little Kudu replaces the Smokey Kudu cocktail bar in Queen’s Road (which has shifted to the RIXO fashion emporium on Chelsea’s King’s Road). There’s a strong focus on South African wine here, with simple, tapas-y/small plates food to soak it up (eg Braaibroodjie: a Saffa cheese toastie).