Where To Eat In Brixton
Brixton Village
Okan
Okan is like a tiny slice of Japan in the middle of Brixton Village. Specialising in Osaka street food such as yaki soba, yaki udon and okonomiyaki pancakes, it’s a busy place, but you can usually beat the queues if you swing by around lunchtime or mid-afternoon. Failing that, there is another Okan just around the corner on Coldharbour Lane. Be sure to try the okonomiyaki with prawns, squid kimchi and sweetcorn – authentic and delicious.
Visit OKANBRIXTONVILLAGE.COM
Kricket
Kricket started as a Pop Brixton pop-up before moving to a permanent site in Soho. Now, it’s back home in a cool, industrial yet inviting spot under the railway arches by Brixton Market. Serving inventive Anglo-Indian small plates, Kricket has a few dishes that change monthly, as well as stalwarts like the legendary Keralan fried chicken paired with tangy curry leaf mayonnaise. Its take on the popular Mumbai street food bhel puri is a must-order – imagine a crunchy puffed rice dish loaded with chaat masala, sweet and sticky tamarind, and dollops of yoghurt.
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Temaki
Temaki on Market Row focuses on its Japanese namesake – handrolls. The lively bar features pared-back oak interiors and industrial concrete flooring, with a central communal chef's counter set low and flat with nothing to divide the chefs and the guests. The chefs wrap fresh cuts of the finest sushi-grade fish – from tuna to ‘unagi’ eel and marinated salmon – in vinegared red rice and a crisp piece of seaweed, handing it directly to guests across the counter. The menu also offers a concise selection of small plates to accompany the handrolls, such as yellowtail sashimi, vegetable tempura, and monkfish with karaage.
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Black Bear Burger
With a few spots around London and a permanent outpost in Brixton Village, Black Bear is staking its claim as the best burger joint in the capital. It says the key to its success is the grass-fed beef it sources from the south-west of England. The result is indisputable: great patties with just the right balance of fat and meat. You can’t go wrong with the Double Black Bear – two dry-aged beef patties, American cheese, smoked bacon, garlic mayo and onion jam – but you need to give the Double Miso Burger a go, and cheese fans should know the rarebit crumpet is a must-order.
Visit BLACKBEARBURGER.COM
Etta’s Seafood Kitchen
Owner Etta is possibly the only restaurateur in Brixton who can say she has been a local for more than 40 years. With the help of friends and family, Etta’s Seafood Kitchen has grown organically since it launched via Brixton’s ‘empty shops project’ in 2011. Menu highlights include saltfish fritters with spicy dipping sauce, scallop salad with lime dressing, sweet potato and pumpkin curry and fish soup with vermicelli noodles.
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Fish, Wings & Tings
Fish, Wings & Tings is as much of a Brixton institution as its larger-than-life owner, Brian Danclair. It’s snagged one of the best spots in Brixton Village market – half the outdoor tables are cosy under cover, while the rest are by Coldharbour Lane. For the menu, Danclair has drawn on his Trinidadian heritage, loading it with the bold and spicy flavours of the Caribbean. Look for coconut curried prawns with rice and peas, pineapple and mango chutney, stewed oxtail, curried mutton and, of course, jerk wings. All of which often sell out. Luckily Danclair’s other spot, Danclair’s Kitchen at nearby Granville Arcade also has the famed Fish, Wings and Tings cod fish fritters on its menu, as well as other Caribbean staples.
Visit FISHWINGSANDTINGS.CO.UK
The Joint
Brunch and BBQ spot The Joint is not trying to be anything other than what it is. In a prime location in Brixton Village, it’s always full of walk-ins drawn to it by the smell of its marinades. Its menu is as unpretentious, unfussy and pared back as its interiors. What it does, it does well. Its 16-hour smoked pulled pork is tender and succulent, and its crispy chicken burger has all the trimmings needed, and nothing extra. The kitchen sources its buns from the Bad Boy bakery in Brixton prison, and offers a selection of Brixton Brewery craft beers.
Visit THEJOINTLDN.COM
Elsewhere…
Naughty Piglets
Off Brixton’s main drag, heading towards Herne Hill, Naughty Piglets is a relaxed and charming wine bar and bistro. Owner Margaux Aubry brings a French flair to the spot – simple ingredients are transformed with artful technique and inventive flavour profiles. The blackboard menu is concise, full of small plates and constantly changes. Meanwhile, its rotating guest chefs put their own spin on the menu – the current resident is Michael Bagnall, a Brunswick House alumnus. The one mainstay is the plethora of natural wines on offer, stored in the on-site ‘dungeon’. There is no list per se, but the staff really know their stuff and can point you in the right direction depending on your selection of dishes.
Visit NAUGHTYPIGLETS.CO.UK
The Laundry
The Laundry on Coldharbour Lane has all the trappings of a European-style café or bistro. At the weekends, locals fill up the rattan seating and cast-iron tables on the south-facing terrace for brunch and people watching. The classic Edwardian building used to be a commercial laundry – hence the name – and holds onto the old signage. It now serves an all-day menu of European dishes as well as the aforementioned brunch – featuring hash browns, sausage brioche baps and ‘however-you-like’ eggs on sourdough. The bloody mary ketchup is a must, as are the Sunday roasts that come with all the trimmings.
Visit THELAUNDRYBRIXTON.COM
Bunhead Bakery
Bunhead Bakery started as a lockdown passion project. Now at a permanent site, which opened earlier this year, it has become a runaway success story – if the Sunday morning queues are anything to go by. Self-taught baker Sara Assad-Manning serves up a selection of sticky pastries and sourdough sandwiches, drawing on her Palestinian heritage for the flavour profiles. However, it's the buns that are the main event. There’s the textbook cinnamon bun, one inspired by knafeh (a Palestinian pudding), as well as a pink-glazed rose and pistachio offering. There are savoury options too, like the za'atar and feta bun.
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Wood & Water
You can’t go far in Brixton without finding Caribbean food. April Jackson – former Miss Jamaica Universe and The Apprentice candidate – is behind Wood & Water, a fun British-Caribbean fusion restaurant. It’s hard to go wrong, but if you are looking for a steer, start with the slow-cooked goat croquettes with plantain ketchup dipping and follow up with a thick slice of pork belly with ackee. Make sure to save room for the poached pear and mascarpone desert. The wine comes from all over, but the cocktail menu is firmly Caribbean inspired, and full of rum-heavy drinks.
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