Brixton food & drink news: new restaurants, bars, pop ups, cafes and more

[Ms T]

I do think you’re living in the past when it comes to restaurant prices, editor. It’s a very difficult industry to succeed in, even if you’re an established name. And Brexit has increased costs massively as this article explains.

Opening nightmare: launching a restaurant into a world stricken by Covid and Brexit

The long read: The past two years have been the hardest ever for restaurants. Amid critical shortages of staff, food supplies and even customers, can a new venture from the man behind Polpo survive?

www.theguardian.com

 

[editor]

I do think you’re living in the past when it comes to restaurant prices, editor. It’s a very difficult industry to succeed in, even if you’re an established name. And Brexit has increased costs massively as this article explains.

Opening nightmare: launching a restaurant into a world stricken by Covid and Brexit

The long read: The past two years have been the hardest ever for restaurants. Amid critical shortages of staff, food supplies and even customers, can a new venture from the man behind Polpo survive?

www.theguardian.com

I'll be sure to pass on those sentiments to the people on my estate.

 

[Ms T]

Please…I am begging you all… stop talking about the cost of eating out. It never ends well for anybody.

Note to self.

 

[editor]

I do think you’re living in the past when it comes to restaurant prices, editor. It’s a very difficult industry to succeed in, even if you’re an established name. And Brexit has increased costs massively as this article explains.

Opening nightmare: launching a restaurant into a world stricken by Covid and Brexit

The long read: The past two years have been the hardest ever for restaurants. Amid critical shortages of staff, food supplies and even customers, can a new venture from the man behind Polpo survive?

www.theguardian.com

That's hardly your average local restaurateur battling to open up a small restaurant in an London inner city suburb, though is it? It's almost comically over the top, pretentious and elitist.

This was, he calculated, his 31st restaurant opening. Most of the first 15 had come as he worked his way up through the ranks at Caprice Holdings, a hospitality industry behemoth that specialised in central London restaurants in which rich people unthinkingly parted with large sums to enjoy pristine shellfish (Scott’s), haute nursery food (The Ivy), or high-grade protein wrapped in gold leaf and garnished with caviar (Sexy Fish).

Push on the front door with its Italian blue-and-white spingere sign, and inside, everything is as precisely curated as the restaurant’s 18-and-a-half hour Spotify playlist (a mix of Pitchfork-approved rock, lo-fi electronica, and a lot of Everything But the Girl).

Lampshades fashioned from napkins float from the ceiling like tiny ghosts; tables are dressed with red-and-white checked tablecloths and candles wedged into chianti bottles.

One wall is given over to framed portraits, photographs and still lifes, a nod to the decor of Florentine favourite Trattoria Cammillo; another is covered by a cacophonous mural by artist Neil Fox – Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights populated with uncanny-valley celebrity portraits and 20th-century pop culture arcana (is that Christopher Hitchens? Damien Hirst? Chet Baker?; that’s definitely Mickey Mouse, King Kong and Captain Haddock). If the inspiration for Brutto was a traditional Tuscan trattoria, the end result is 90% earnest homage and 10% high-camp pastiche.

But the Brutto Instagram account from the time, with its photos of the bistecca blackboard – its offerings systematically crossed out as customers order steaks costing £62, £70, £75, £80 – demonstrated how readily punters were parting with their money. Lots of people were coming in: local designers, new mothers, camera-happy food dorks – all of them spending more on food and booze than Norman had expected (the figure per head, in fact, was closer to £70). Sierra spoke in awed terms about the gentleman at table 49, a prodigious consumer of negronis, champagne and brandy who would come in for lunch and take down an entire bistecca and bottle of wine by himself.

 

[Ms T]

Of course - but it illustrates some of the challenges in terms of margins, costs, staff shortages. Most restaurants are running on very tight margins. I'm not sure where you get a main course these days in a sit-down restaurant in London (not a cafe) for much under a tenner.

 

[Ms T]

So the lovely chap from Sugarcane (the very affordable restaurant featured in Jay Rayner's review on Sunday) has just posted on Instagram that he is being forced to close temporarily because of a desperate shortage of staff. He tries to employ people who were in care like he was so I think counts as a proper community business. He needs a restaurant manager, two new chefs, a kitchen porter and two new waiters. Operating a food business is always difficult, but particularly in our post-Brexit, post-Covid world.

 

[editor]

I just saw some girl glass a guy in the Albert FFS.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

So the lovely chap from Sugarcane (the very affordable restaurant featured in Jay Rayner's review on Sunday) has just posted on Instagram that he is being forced to close temporarily because of a desperate shortage of staff. He tries to employ people who were in care like he was so I think counts as a proper community business. He needs a restaurant manager, two new chefs, a kitchen porter and two new waiters. Operating a food business is always difficult, but particularly in our post-Brexit, post-Covid world.

Plenty of unemployed youngsters in London who could work as waiters or kitchen staff with a small bit of training and a positive attitude. I can understand getting chef's and restaurant managers would be more tricky.

 

[editor]

You've really got to admire the spin on this

“I’m actually pretty pleased that we maintained a positive relationship with the Nour family throughout their negotiations, which means they’re able to grow their business into a bigger unit in the new year. It’s the balance of long-standing tenants like the Nour family alongside new businesses which maintains and builds the vibrancy we all know and love.”

The woman fighting back against gentrification in Brixton Village

Maintaining a space as culturally significant as Brixton Village is no mean feat, but it’s a challenge Diana Nabagereka is happy to rise to. She speaks to Molly Codyre about her unique path into hospitality, upholding the market’s history and encouraging other black women to break into the industry

www.independent.co.uk

 

[editor]

Vegans and veggies stay away!

Cantonese restaurant Three Uncles to open in Brixton Village

Following three years of trading via two takeaway kiosks London’s popular Hong Kong style Siu Mei masters, Three Uncles, have announced the opening of their first restaurant.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[thebackrow]

You've really got to admire the spin on this

“I’m actually pretty pleased that we maintained a positive relationship with the Nour family throughout their negotiations, which means they’re able to grow their business into a bigger unit in the new year. It’s the balance of long-standing tenants like the Nour family alongside new businesses which maintains and builds the vibrancy we all know and love.”

The woman fighting back against gentrification in Brixton Village

Maintaining a space as culturally significant as Brixton Village is no mean feat, but it’s a challenge Diana Nabagereka is happy to rise to. She speaks to Molly Codyre about her unique path into hospitality, upholding the market’s history and encouraging other black women to break into the industry

www.independent.co.uk

“Hondo’s master plan has always been circumvented around elevating what people know and understand of Brixton Village. So a lot of my role is anchored in truly understanding what the cultural, retail, food and beverage mix is"

word salad

 

[TopCat]

I just saw some girl glass a guy in the Albert FFS.

Its been a bit Wild West lately but that awful. I prefer the Hoot at the mo.

 

[GOP]

Vegans and veggies stay away!

Cantonese restaurant Three Uncles to open in Brixton Village

Following three years of trading via two takeaway kiosks London’s popular Hong Kong style Siu Mei masters, Three Uncles, have announced the opening of their first restaurant.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

This looks incredible

 

[Mr paulee]

Its been a bit Wild West lately but that awful. I prefer the Hoot at the mo.

Just close the Albert, re-design it and open it as another Greene King.

 

[editor]

Just close the Albert, re-design it and open it as another Greene King.

Or try and encourage the new landlords to sort things out and start putting on live music again and return it to being a fine affordable gig venue and not the kind of bland shitty pub that you want.

 

[skyscraper101]

I was in the Albert the other week for the first time in ages, and was disappointed to see them selling Brewdog drinks. They did have some good old school hip hop blaring out though.

 

[Gramsci]

I do think you’re living in the past when it comes to restaurant prices, editor. It’s a very difficult industry to succeed in, even if you’re an established name. And Brexit has increased costs massively as this article explains.

Opening nightmare: launching a restaurant into a world stricken by Covid and Brexit

The long read: The past two years have been the hardest ever for restaurants. Amid critical shortages of staff, food supplies and even customers, can a new venture from the man behind Polpo survive?

www.theguardian.com

From the article.

Brexit has shown how this industry has operated. It no longer has access to cheap pool of Labour from rest of Europe.

If shortage of staff forces the industry to improve wages and conditions that's a good thing.

In an industry notorious for its exploitative and abusive workplace culture, the sudden scarcity of staff placed power in the hands of cooks and waitstaff who had long been treated as fungible.

 

[Mr paulee]

Or try and encourage the new landlords to sort things out and start putting on live music again and return it to being a fine affordable gig venue and not the kind of bland shitty pub that you want.

What mental gymnastics have you gone through to make out that I want a bland pub?
What because I want it to cease being a place with shite music and people getting glassed?

Yeah ok Ed.

If i want bland I'd go to the Effra Social.

 

[Ms T]

From the article.

Brexit has shown how this industry has operated. It no longer has access to cheap pool of Labour from rest of Europe.

If shortage of staff forces the industry to improve wages and conditions that's a good thing.

I don't disagree but that means eating out will be more expensive. It's not just labour though. Ingredients have also gone up a lot and the supply chain is completely fucked. I was reading somewhere though that has led to more sourcing of ingredients from the UK - including hitherto imported stuff like mozzarella.

 

[editor]

If i want bland I'd go to the Effra Social.

Please don't. People have a great time there so it's clearly not your kind of place.

 

[Jimbeau]

View attachment 311290

Please don't. People have a great time there so it's clearly not your kind of place.

I think you’re both right. As was being discussed the other day, the Effra Social manages to be a good venue for Organised Fun - comedy nights, quizzes, live music, DJ nights - while being pretty soulless at all times in between.

I always thought the Albert pulled off a rare trick for a town centre pub - good at the quick daytime drink, good for a quiet evening chat with pals (with the option to include regulars and randoms if one so chose) and good at music nights. Never any good at food - but then not every pub needs to be on the gastro/dirty food circuit.

These days I struggle to think of many ‘public houses’ of the old type, where one can just drop by for a couple of hours to chew the fat with pals.

 

[editor]

I think you’re both right. As was being discussed the other day, the Effra Social manages to be a good venue for Organised Fun - comedy nights, quizzes, live music, DJ nights - while being pretty soulless at all times in between.

I always thought the Albert pulled off a rare trick for a town centre pub - good at the quick daytime drink, good for a quiet evening chat with pals (with the option to include regulars and randoms if one so chose) and good at music nights. Never any good at food - but then not every pub needs to be on the gastro/dirty food circuit.

These days I struggle to think of many ‘public houses’ of the old type, where one can just drop by for a couple of hours to chew the fat with pals.

If you live near Tulse Hill, the Railway has a bit of that vibe although it's not a cheap pub. The Old Dispensary is the nearest thing to the Albert I can think of these days.

I hear what you say about the Effra too, although I'm hoping it will start to get more character when the live music nights start up.

 

[Jimbeau]

If you live near Tulse Hill, the Railway has a bit of that vibe although it's not a cheap pub. The Old Dispensary is the nearest thing to the Albert I can think of these days.

I hear what you say about the Effra too, although I'm hoping it will start to get more character when the live music nights start up.

Yeah - I’m walking distance from The Railway. Still quite narrow in its bandwidth though. No old men on stools reading the Racing Post, etc.

There’s something to be said for an unreconstructed boozer with a swirly carpet and fruit machine. The kind that still has a darts team. Prince of Wales on Lyman Road, Marquis of Lorne and the like. The Elm Park Tavern maintained a good balance of old and new after its first light-touch refurb about a decade ago. It’s become a much slicker animal in recent years though.

 

[cuppa tee]

I think you’re both right. As was being discussed the other day, the Effra Social manages to be a good venue for Organised Fun - comedy nights, quizzes, live music, DJ nights - while being pretty soulless at all times in between.

I always thought the Albert pulled off a rare trick for a town centre pub - good at the quick daytime drink, good for a quiet evening chat with pals (with the option to include regulars and randoms if one so chose) and good at music nights. Never any good at food - but then not every pub needs to be on the gastro/dirty food circuit.

These days I struggle to think of many ‘public houses’ of the old type, where one can just drop by for a couple of hours to chew the fat with pals.

i can think of some if you wanna just have a drink, not in central Brixton though....
the Canterbury arms on Brandon Estate, red lion on walworth rd, and a couple on camberwell road whose names escape me...

live music nights

when do these start or is that privileged information...?

 

[Gramsci]

I don't disagree but that means eating out will be more expensive. It's not just labour though. Ingredients have also gone up a lot and the supply chain is completely fucked. I was reading somewhere though that has led to more sourcing of ingredients from the UK - including hitherto imported stuff like mozzarella.

Not necessarily.

Covid and Brexit could lead to shake up of the restaurant trade.

The city has seen places close down for good. As WFH is now permanent fixture.

Places like Brixton have bounced back.

Shortage of staff due to Brexit looks like its going to mean the staff have more ability to move around to get better pay and conditions.

Could mean the start up model which assumes easy access to cheap labour won't work anymore so less start ups. I don't see that as a problem.

I don't eat out much anyway as its costs. If prices go up as they are I will do it less. As will most people.

I remember the same thing when New Labour brought in minimum wage. This was terrible for the restaurant/ hospitality trade. They learnt to live with it. If they don't they go out of business. Tough.

The implication of a lot of this is the workers having ability to move around for better pay and conditions is not how the system should work. That the situation now is abnormal with negative consequences for the economy and consumer.

Several people I know who work in low paid industries see this shortage of labour as positive not negative for them. So it depends where you are coming from.

One was telling me his boss was asking him how to keep people on now post Brexit. He didn't say it to the boss but to me he said "why can't these business just pay people properly". Its not much to ask imo.

From point of view of economy paying people properly is likely to give more people disposable income to spend. They might not spend it on restaurants so some might go under. Maybe a restructuring of the economy post Brexit is not such a bad thing.

 

[editor]

when do these start or is that privileged information...?

Soon, I hope!

 

[Mr paulee]

Effra Social - Nu brixton through and through. It's shit.
But Ed needs to make living hence why he gives it positive support.

 

[editor]

Effra Social - Nu brixton through and through. It's shit.
But Ed needs to make living hence why he gives it positive support.

Ed puts on a fucking great, fun, free night to a sea of happy people. I used to do it at the Albert but that changed so I had to find a new venue. The Effra will never match the Albert in its heyday, but quite a few people I know from Brixton regularly come along. And they enjoy it. At NYE we were probably the busiest free late night venue in Brixton and I pushed to keep it free when everyone else was charging. And with luck we'll start putting on free live music shows soon. So it's getting better and thankfully that has been reflected by busier nights.

What do you do that brings any light or pleasure into the world?

 

[cuppa tee]

Effra Social - Nu brixton through and through. It's shit.

....daughter and her mates don’t rate it, they’re 18 to 21 and say it’s full of boring old yuppies with no clue about music or style, and it’s too expensive for them.

 

[editor]

....daughter and her mates don’t rate it, they’re 18 to 21 and say it’s full of boring old yuppies with no clue about music or style, and it’s too expensive for them.

I wish her the very best finding a cheaper, hipper, late night Brixton bar with cooler, more stylish people.

Have you any suggestions?