Where To Eat in Brixton

Brixton boasts one of the city’s most diverse and exciting food scenes, with an ever-expanding array of cuisines to choose from. From Indian to Caribbean, street food spots to casual fine dining, Brixton’s restaurants reflect the vibrant energy and buzz of the area. Here we round up some of the best.

Best Restaurants in Brixton

• Le Bab
• Nanban
• Naughty Piglets
• The Laundry
• Kricket
• Boqueria
• Koi Ramen

Le Bab

Tucked away in the corner of Brixton Village you’ll find Middle Eastern favorite Le Bab, where Michelin-trained chefs whizz up some of the best kebabs in town. The restaurant originated in Soho back in 2016, and now there are a few branches dotted around the capital, all serving flavoursome, creative dishes with global influences. Naturally, the kebabs are the standout – chicken sheesh, paneer, lamb or roast aubergine, piled high with toppings aplenty – but don’t forget about the sides: the hummus, made with peanut curry pesto, is some of the best in town. Add a side of loaded fries if you’re feeling naughty (or nursing a hangover).

408 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8LF, eatlebab.com

Nanban

The term ‘nanban’ – meaning ‘southern barbarian’ – was used to describe the first European visitors to visit the Japanese island of Kyushu many years ago. Over the centuries, the province went on to accrue a mish-mash of culinary influences, resulting in a new style of Japanese cooking which uses ingredients and techniques from overseas. This is the inspiration behind Brixton’s Nanban, founded by former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson. Forget raw fish: Nanban is all about comfort food, a celebration of the ‘barbaric’ side of Japanese cuisine. Much of the menu is deep-fried – deep-fried braised pork belly, tempura battered vegetables and crispy fried jackfruit all feature, alongside hearty bowls of ramen, chicken wings and beef patties.

426 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8LF, nanban.co.uk

Naughty Piglets

The founders of Naughty Piglets, Joe and Margaux Sharratt, met while working at Trinity in Clapham. They fell for one another, married, and set up a charcoal grill restaurant in Brixton. Small seasonal plates are the name of the game here, with British dishes given an international twist: there’s BBQ pork belly with Korean spices, for instance, and Devon crab with peanut and pickled cabbage. Intimate and cosy, Naughty Piglets is a great date venue – with a basement bar perfectly suited for post-dinner nightcaps.

28 Brixton Water Ln, London SW2 1PE, naughtypiglets.co.uk

The Laundry

Nic Crilly Hargrave

The Laundry is a neighbourhood bistro and wine shop occupying the striking Edwardian building Walton Lodge on Coldharbour Lane. It’s helmed by New Zealander Melanie Brown, who worked as a chef at Peter Gordon’s The Providores & Tapa Room in Marylebone before founding wine bar and online retailer The New Zealand Cellar. Laundry is a cosy, rustic spot, which retains some of the Edwardian features of the original building alongside trendy new features, like antique mirrors and vintage furniture. Heading up the kitchen is Australian chef Dylan Cashman from Sydney institution Seans Panorama and Pilu at Freshwater, with a menu focused around fine British produce from Natoora, Pesky Fish and The Cornwall Project. Plates include Hereford beef tartare with beef fat potato chips; Croque madame on sourdough with gruyere béchamel; and chicken liver parfait with duck ham and pickled mushrooms. The wine list, meanwhile, showcases a range of different makers, including Melanie’s own collection: New Press.

374 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PL, thelaundrybrixton.co.uk

Kricket

Kricket has come a long way since its humble beginnings. It was born in a 20-seat shipping container in Pop Brixton, but after gaining legions of fans opened its first bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Soho two years later. Founders Will Bowlby and Rik Campbell have since opened two more branches, one in White City, another back in its Brixton hometown. Will – who worked at a restaurant in Mumbai before training under Vivek Singh – describes it as ‘authentic flavours with local ingredients, presented in a new way.’ The menu is all about small sharing plates, and although it changes regularly there are some staples, like the samphire pakoras and the Keralan fried chicken. Their Indian-inspired cocktails are also very popular, particularly the Moondate, made with ginger vodka, date marmalade and date & cinnamon syrup.

41-43 Atlantic Rd, London SW9 8JL, kricket.co.uk

Boqueria

A small, buzzing spot on Acre Lane, Boqueria carries the same vibrance and energy as the famous Barcelona food market it was named after. Think traditional tapas cooked so well you could be in Spain – octopus with paprika, beef meatballs, fried squid with aioli sauce – alongside some contemporary additions: Iberican pork shoulder for instance, and suckling pig tacos. While meat and focus clearly feature heavily, vegetarians aren’t forgotten about: the crispy aubergine is one of the chef’s favourite dishes, and the Padron peppers are endlessly moreish.

192 Acre Ln, London SW2 5UL, boqueriatapas.com

Koi Ramen

Found within the confines of buzzing Pop Brixton, Koi Ramen specialises in tonkotsu ramen. Here this means broths are brewed for over 12 hours to create smooth and creamy texture, then filled with fresh egg noodles and topped with 10-hour slow cooked pork belly marinated in soy sauce. But it’s not all about the pork: you can also order a vegan ramen, with tofu, spring onions and miso.

8 Brixton Station Rd, London SW9 8PD, koiramenbar.co.uk

Main Image: Bellefields Restaurant, Brixton