The best restaurants in Brixton

This small, peach-painted venue brims with so much warmth and hospitality that it feels much like an extension of Nigerian-born chef Adejoké Bakare's own dining room. Go for smart, contemporary takes on West African classics that burst with flavour and spice. 

Lyon-born Margaux Sharratt (née Aubry) oversees the natural and organic tipples at this loveable Brixton wine bar, while husband Joe serves up a brief blackboard menu of pure-bred French dishes and eclectic small plates. Expect anything from boudin noir with cured egg yolk, tarragon and crackling or John Dory with courgettes and sauce vierge to BBQ pork belly with Korean spices. Be aware that the venue is off Brixton’s main drag, heading towards Herne Hill.

KaoSarn has always been one of the crowd-pullers in Brixton Village Market and quite rightly so; their take on Thai food is cheap and the flavours are authentic. The menu is pared down to a handful of classic curries, noodle dishes and stir-fries, but everything is cooked to a decent standard. Soft drinks include fragrant homemade lemongrass or ginger tea, and you can also BYO. Service can be a little matter of fact, but staff are unfailingly friendly.

This engaging Chinese café evolved from a north London supperclub, then crossed the river to become part of the second wave of entrepreneurs who conquered the now buzzing Brixton Village Market. A family affair inspired by the Beijing stall run by owner Ning Ma’s grandparents, it serves hearty northern-Chinese street-food – in particular, dumplings. Opt for brown-bottomed beef and pork pot-stickers, or crowdpleasing spicy chicken wings.

London's burger scene is hotly competitive, but Black Bear stands out for its killer patties. Make for this stripped-back eatery for perfectly charred burgers, and sides that threaten to outshine the main event, including fiendishly succulent chicken nuggets, and a ravishing poutine. 

If you live in or around Brixton, you’ll have heard of this local stalwart, where larger-than-life Trinidadian owner Brian Danclair dishes up all the flavours of the Caribbean. On top of having one of the dreamiest sites in Brixton Village market – a corner spot, with half the ‘outside’ tables under cover and the rest on the patch by Coldharbour Lane – it’s also known for its effervescent service and blaring reggae tunes.

Nanban translates as ‘southern barbarian’, so expect a riotous menu of genre-bending Japanese soul food from US-born MasterChef winner Tim Anderson. Served against an austere backdrop, the food is a succession of palate dazzlers ranging from KFJ (crispy jackfruit with honey-miso mayo) and ‘angry birds’ (chicken wings with Scotch bonnet/ponzu  sauce, seaweed ‘sawdust’ and nori flakes) to ‘lazy goat ragù-men’, a mind-blowing two-bowl take on the ramen theme. Groups should ask for one of the weird-looking arched booths on wheels upstairs.

Curry and beer is a streetwise match made in heaven, and Brixtonites get the best of both worlds under one roof at Booma – a modern eatery that takes its North Indian sharing plates and its bevvies equally seriously. Order spot-on classics such as achari paneer tikka, richly intense black dhal and succulent tandoor-charred lamb chops, then nab yourself a third or two-third measure from the global list of craft ales, ciders and stouts (perhaps a Rodenbach Grand Cru sour/sweet ‘red ale’ from Belgium).

Spawned from an ‘empty shops’ project in 2011, Etta’s is one of Brixton’s less rakish eateries – a welcoming spot with cheery staff and a menu that has no truck with red meat. Instead, fish is the main event, with Caribbean influences showing up in the seafood curry, ackee with saltfish, plantain chips and rice ‘n’ peas. You can also come here for garlicky peppered prawns, scallop salad and good old cod and chips. Etta’s doesn’t sell booze, but their homemade drinks are ace.

It started as a Brixton pop-up before going permanent in Soho, but now Kricket is back in SW9 with a snazzy new site under the railway arches. The food is everything you would expect, and more – a succession of killer Anglo-Indian small plates ranging from the astounding house bhel-puri to samphire pakoras, dinky Goan sausage croquettes, Keralan fried chicken with pickled mooli and gutsy pulled pig’s head with a blast of vindaloo chilli heat. Affable staff and punchy cocktails seal the deal.

Tucked away down a Brixton sidestreet, Maremma is a cute neighbourhood restaurant with a menu that draws inspiration from the coastal area of Maremma in sunny Tuscany. The homemade pasta is a highlight, including delicate pumpkin cappellacci and ribsticking fresh pappardelle with wild boar ragù. Go to carb-load in winningly cosy surroundings.

This low-key, long-established Brixton café serves up delicious platters of Eritrean food, alongside plenty of injera (an enticingly sour, spongy bread): it's wholesome, hearty food that's perfect for sharing. Set menus include a coffee ceremony, which serves up brews of perfect richness and tinged carefully with cardamom and cloves.

Delivering cheap Japanese eats on Brixton Village Market, this fun little canteen specialises in that Osaka street-food staple, okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes with assorted toppings and sesame-spiked Japanese mayo). You could put pretty much anything into your batter mix, but pork, squid and kimchi are top choices. Otherwise, the menu is small but perfectly rounded – think edamame, fried aubergine with miso dressing, tofu miso soup and yaki onigiri (fried rice cakes). A noodle-themed offshoot, Okan Ramen, is now trading on nearby Coldharbour Lane.

Keenly upholding a singular British tradition, this breathtakingly spotless Brixton chippy gets everything right: fish is delicately battered, chips are pleasingly thick and fluffy, tartare sauce is extra zingy, and delightful staff treat everyone like lifelong friends. Eat in or takeaway from a menu packed with the usual suspects – from cod, rock, skate and plaice to pies (including Jamaican patties), battered sausages, burgers and chicken. ‘Gluten-free Mondays’ show they’re in tune with the times too.