Where To Eat At Brixton Village

Salon

Salon started life as a pop-up above a cheese shop. Today, clever and creative cooking abounds at Nicholas Balfe’s shabby-chic eatery. In the evenings, the kitchen serves an ever-evolving set menu of four or seven courses – like a tasting menu, but without the fuss and pomp. Expect seasonal, predominantly plant-based dishes arranged in offbeat ways, with contrasting flavours and textures at the heart of every plate. In 2017, the team opened the Wine Store next door, selling 130 lines of low-intervention, organic and biodynamic wine from across the world. 

Market Row, Brixton, SW9 8LD

Visit SalonBrixton.co.uk

Agile Rabbit

Agile Rabbit is loosely based on Parisian cabaret bar Lapin Agile. Since 2010, this laid-back restaurant has served pizzas and small plates against a backdrop of live jazz. The pizzas are made with hand-pulled sourdough bases, homemade tomato sauce, plus a variety of delicious toppings. Weekend evenings are a good time to go – expect cocktails, DJ sets and live music.

Market Row, Brixton, SW9 8PR

Visit TheAgileRabbit.London

Mama Lan

Mama Lan began in 2010 as a small, home-run supper club, where owner Ning Ma showcased the dishes her mother had taught her when she lived in Beijing. When a space came up in Brixton Village market in 2012, she jumped at the opportunity and opened her first restaurant. The site serves some of the best Chinese food in the neighbourhood from a menu full of authentic dishes such as noodle soups, bao, salads and dumplings. There’s also a large selection of vegan and wheat-free dishes.

Brixton Village, Brixton, SW9 8PR

Visit MamaLan.co.uk

Okan

In the middle of Brixton Village, this tiny Japanese eatery specialises 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. Be sure to try the okonomiyaki, served with prawns, squid kimchi and sweetcorn – it’s authentic and delicious.

Brixton Village, Brixton, SW9 8PR

Visit OkanBrixtonVillage.com

Champagne + Fromage

Slightly more rustic than its upscale Covent Garden original, the second branch of Champagne + Fromage occupies what was once a Caribbean grocery. You’ll find organic produce and freshly baked bread scattered around the place and a wine bar serving an inspiring range of small-grower fizz, alongside Gallic cheeses, charcuterie, tartines and seasonal specials. All champagnes and cheeses are available to take out – we suggest grabbing some produce for a posh picnic in one of the nearby parks.

Brixton Village, Brixton, SW9 8PR

Visit ChampagnePlusFromage.co.uk

Lost In Brixton

This ‘hidden’ bar opened in Brixton Village two summers ago. At Lost in Brixton, you’ll find live music, local draft beer, a Latin American-inspired cocktail menu and a delivery service that drops off food from the market into the venue. Against a backdrop of brick railway arches, natural materials and jungle greenery fill the space, plus there’s a retractable roof for sunnier days.

Brixton Village, Brixton, SW9 8PS

Visit LostInBrixton.com

Federation

This speciality coffee shop serves its house espresso blend and rotating guest filter coffees alongside pastries and an ever-changing selection of cakes. The menu is enhanced by wares from some of the area’s best-loved bakeries, such as Brick House Bakery and the Little Bread Pedlar. Best of all, grilled cheese sandwiches come from the team behind just-round-the-corner Salon.

Market Row, Brixton, SW9 8PS

Visit Federation.Coffee

Etta’s Seafood Kitchen

Owner Etta is possibly the only restaurateur in Brixton who can say she has been a local resident 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. This is the place to head to for celebrations and gatherings with a family feel. 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.

Brixton Village, Brixton, SW9 8PS

Visit EttasKitchen.com

Kamome Japanese Kitchen

Established in 2011 as Curry Ono, Kamome Japanese Kitchen has diversified to offer much more than just curry – including a large selection of gluten-free and vegetarian dishes. A traditional, homemade menu showcases pork katsu curry, prawn tempura donburi, pork chashu ramen and sake-steamed clam udon. Those wanting to make a night of it should sample some of the bar’s well-stocked selection of sake and shochu.

Market Row, Brixton, SW9 8LD

Visit Kamome.co.uk

Nanban

Nanban means ‘southern barbarian’, a term once used to describe the first European visitors to Japan centuries ago. Former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson celebrates this ‘barbaric’ side of Japanese cuisine with new takes on traditional dishes that incorporate the international flavours of Brixton Market. Guests can tuck into ramen, gyozas and curries, burgers laced with gochujang and matcha affogatos for dessert. The deep-fried electric eel is a must-order.

426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LF

Visit Nanban.co.uk

Temaki

In July, Temaki launched in Market Row with a menu that focuses on its Japanese namesake – handrolls. The lively handroll bar features pared-back oak interiors and industrial concrete flooring focused on 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 toro sashimi with smoked salt and buckwheat, and salmon skin crisps with chilli and salt. 

Market Row, Brixton Village, SW9 8LB

Visit Temaki.co.uk