Restaurants

It is Coldharbour Lane’s most inconspicuous establishment, but inside, with its delicate coffee and incense fragrance and mellow decor, Asmara provides an oasis of east African calm. Simple seating and efficient service underpin a solid menu of traditional Eritrean cuisine. The spicy lentil soup looked very tempting, but we started with Eritrean black tea before lunging into main courses of zigni (spicy beef stew) and spinach cooked with chilli and oil, which we shared on a tasty injera platter that proved ample for two. Of all the injera we’ve sampled across London’s Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants, this was the best – moist, delicately tangy and barley-hued. The traditional coffee ceremony was a wonderful pageant; diners are given freshly roasted beans to savour before the coffee is served with warm popcorn. Asmara offers a great alternative to the Japanese, Thai and Caribbean restaurants so loved in this part of Brixton; it’s ideal for a good meal before sampling the area’s nightlife.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009