LDNGuide
Where To Eat Near Brixton Academy
Quick, delicious, and great-value. Here are five crowd-pleasing pre-gig dinner options.
The gig’s at 7pm but they don’t actually get on until 8:30pm, at least that’s what Twitter’s saying. But work finishes around 6pm, though you can probably knock off early if everyone’s getting to Brixton earlier, and you’d like a drink or two beforehand. But you really should eat, and that McDonald’s gets mental (it’s 24hrs, y’know), so preferably something good, and quick, but also easy. Maybe a meal deal is the answer? No. Go to one of these spots instead.
THE SPOTS
Okan has a couple of locations: in Brixton Village and on Coldharbour Lane, and both offer generous and delicious Japanese food at decent prices. Their spot in Brixton Village is walk-in only and while neither of the locations of this Osaka-style Japanese restaurant have a tonne of room, they make up for it in pork belly okonomiyaki, thick yaki udon, and excellent signature king prawn and squid yakisoba. Both are open until 10pm or you can swing by and pick something up to go instead.
Negril is about a 20-minute walk from Brixton Academy and an entirely worthwhile wander if you want to beat the crowds and eat something hearty. The relaxed Caribbean restaurant has got everything you might want: comfort food classics like saltfish fritters, jerk chicken with rice and peas, and curry goat. There’s a nice terrace if there are a few of you and you’re especially organised. Or, if you’re the opposite, they do takeaway as well.
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If ensuring you get a good and proper meal before sweating it all out is your main priority, head to El Rancho De Lalo. The homely Colombian restaurant simply does not know how to feed you other than in the way we hope your grandmother does. A piping hot grilled chorizo with a plate of hand-cut chips will cost you just £4. Or, if time is on your side, sit down for a plate of bandeja paisa: grilled steak, Colombian sausage, crispy pork belly, rice, a fried egg, beans, plantain, and avocado. Might be best to avoid the mosh pit, mind.
Eat of Eden has one of the largest patio areas at Brixton Village, makes purely vegan food, and serves one of the largest single person combo platters we’ve ever seen. Seriously, this thing is huge. It is over £15, but it’s really good and easily enough for two. You can choose eight items from an extensive list—the pumpkin and sweet potato curry, the fried dumplings, and the seaweed fritters are favourites. It’s not a light dinner if you shovel it all yourself, but between a few of you it’s perfect. Not too heavy and full of nutrients, unlike those £10 lagers later on.
Fried chicken is an easy option if you’re looking for something casual, filling, and good when travelling in numbers. Other Side Fried is a cut above your average hot wings in a chicken shop, though. The buffalo and signature honey butter burgers are both ridiculously good and dirty fries with bacon and ranch are also great, but we recommend getting them to share if you want to avoid needing nap time in the stalls.
