LDNGuide
The 14 Best Restaurants In Brixton
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
Brixton gets plenty of richly deserved restaurant credit. But it’s also an area of London that needs its heritage and restaurants to be protected and preserved. From brilliant neighbourhood Caribbean and Colombian restaurants, to natural wine hangouts and Japanese hand rolls, Brixton is a mix of the old and new that represents every side of London.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
This unique 17-course sushi omakase experience mixes Japanese cooking with Thai-Colombian heritage, genuine brilliance, and inimitable made-in-Brixton charm. You’ll be amazed at what you’re tasting at Kurisu Omakase, but also what you’re sharing as an experience. There’s 18-times-scored scallop from Hokkaido topped with yuzu juice and there’s theatrically smoked trout finished with lime zest from Sainsbury’s around the corner. It’s around £150 for 17 courses and a handful of the chef's one-liners to retell down the pub. Worth it. Just make sure you turn on reservation notifications—this experience books out quickly.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
On the edge of Brixton Village, Bottle + Rye is a teeny, tiny wine bar where knees touch, hands are held beneath tables, and stories are shared over London’s most sensational anchovy toast. This petite slice of Parisian charm is perfect for sharing secrets between sips of a skin-contact moscato. The dark oak bar that snakes around the open kitchen is somewhere you’ll want to sit for hours, romancing or reminiscing, while picking at terrine and taking on the broody personality traits of a ‘20s Left Bank novelist.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
At Enish, a dressed-up gathering never feels out of place next to a couple on a casual midweek date. In the evenings, loud afrobeats play over the airwaves while plates of Nigerian staples like jollof rice and suya fill tables. It's worth getting specialties like isiewu, a spiced goat's head stew which is traditional to eastern Nigeria, as well as spicy pomo (cow skin). Like you would a sommelier for wine recommendations, ask the staff for their best swallow pairing—be it pounded yam, eba, amala, or a mix.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
El Rancho De Lalo is a buzzing restaurant making delicious home-cooked stews that’s all about wonderful Colombian hospitality. Chicharrón and steak and a lovely, varying selection of meat and carbs are going to arrive at your table and you’re more than likely to be very happy with all of them. Portions are bulging, the room is usually full of family and friends, and its empanadas are one of the best snacks around.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Londoners are so accustomed to queuing that when we see one we think nothing of it. Some queues tell a story though, and the one that snakes out the door of Healthy Eaters every day is one of them. This homely Caribbean restaurant on Electric Avenue is a local favourite for obvious reasons. You can see everyone cooking up huge batches of curried goat or jerk sauce in the back, trays of freshly baked patties come out like clockwork, and generous portions of lunch or dinner are brought to you on a plate for excellent value if you decide to eat in.
Seaweed is the ultimate vehicle for rice. At Temaki it’s also the perfect vehicle for some BBQ eel that we would ghost a BBQ chicken wing for. We truly mean that. And yes, we are as shocked as you. The affordable temaki is so good that we no longer accept handshakes, just otoro handed over from the chef. A sleek, minimalist restaurant hidden in Brixton Market, this is the kind of low-key, counter-only spot that you desperately want to drag that person you’re seeing to just so they know that you’re very, very cool.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
If you’re heading to Brixton specifically to find Caribbean food, Fish, Wings & Tings is a good place to start. The vibes are chill and the food is solid. Jerk chicken, curried goat, and salt fish fritters are all on the menu, all served with deliciously sweet mango sauce. On a warm sunny day, there is nothing better than finding a spot on the outside benches with a few of your mates, ordering some food and cocktails, and just hanging out.
If you like big portions of tasty yakisoba and small prices, you’ll like Okan in Brixton Village. This Osaka-style Japanese spot doesn’t have a lot of seating, but what it lacks in space it makes up for in pork belly okonomiyaki, thick yaki udon, and its excellent signature king prawn and squid yakisoba. Everything here is under £15 and comes with a proper serving of bonito, seaweed flakes, and Japanese mayonnaise, so it’s perfect for a quick sit-down situation or to takeaway. If you’re able to grab a table in the evening, get involved in the sides and the plum wine too, and enjoy the buzz of the open kitchen.
photo credit: Naughty Piglets
Naughty Piglets is a brilliant neighbourhood restaurant that anyone would be chuffed to have down the road from them. It serves little sharing plates of creative French food, paired with natural wines, and it’s the sort of place that will both impress a date and make your mouth happy. We love its intimate atmosphere and genuinely friendly service, and even if you’ve crossed London to get here, they’ll make you feel like you’re part of the neighbourhood. Order the crème caramel for dessert.
Beb’s is a homely Indian restaurant that serves an excellent range of curries, including some Goan specialities, in a caf-like room with red gingham tablecloths. Whether you’re eating in or taking away, friendliness and comfort is the number one priority. Rose tea will be offered as you wait, complimentary cassava cake will come out, and the distinct feeling that maybe, just maybe, you would like to be adopted by this lovely couple will occur. The food will also make you feel all warm and fuzzy: lamb xacuti is rich and spiced, and even if you’re just popping in for some samosas, they too are expertly made. Needless to say the big BYOB sign is also very welcoming.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
We’re entirely on board with the sentiment of this cool coffee spot on Brixton Hill, and pretty much everything else about it. As well as pastries, sandwiches, and bacon baps, this place has excellent coffee and one of the most charming hidden gardens in London. Inside you’ll find a sort of modern lumberjack dream, with lots of oak, plants, and the smell of fresh coffee beans. Just be warned, although it’s a great spot for a catch up or getting some work done, it closes at 4pm in the week.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
You might miss Santafereño if you weren’t looking out for it. But you should look for it, and then stop in for some decent Colombian food. Yes, it is a bit basic inside; yes, the music’s a bit loud; yes, the telenovelas on the TV in the corner are a bit distracting if you’re trying to talk to someone. But it’s also kind of great for all the same reasons. The mains may seem a bit on the pricey side, but good luck getting through an entire plate of meat or rice. Do what the locals do and take home half of the lunch deal in a box and a blue plastic bag. The pastel de yuca (cassava cake stuffed with beef, rice, and peas) or the empanadas are the best-value snack you will get in south London.
photo credit: Rob Greig
We’ll keep this simple. Other Side Fried makes one of the best chicken burgers in town, and you should definitely consider getting one if you’re at Pop Brixton. Even if you’re not in Brixton, you might consider jumping on the tube to get in on some crunchy, juicy chicken action. The buffalo and signature honey butter burgers are both ridiculous.
photo credit: Rob Greig
Kaosarn serves satisfying Thai food from a small cafe in Brixton Arcade. We like to hit it up when we get cravings for comforting South East Asian food, and it’s also good for an afternoon pick-me-up. The moo ping pork skewers are a winner, and make sure the minced chicken larb salad is in your order too.
