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

[editor]

I was at the Lexington for a gig a couple of weeks ago. Gig upstairs, huge late bar downstairs with DJ but very much a pub vibe. Lights on. Very busy but not rammed. Don't feel that we have anything like that in Brixton.

There's nowhere left in central Brixton to watch original indie/alternative/rock/leftfield bands.

The Blues Kitchen is all cover bands, the Prince of Wales seems to have stopped live shows, the Effra Hall is splendid but is mainly about jazz-based stuff, and on the rare occasion there's live music at the Albert, it's usually bland covers only.

A bit further afield Hoots and the Windmill are still doing a great job. I miss putting on shows but I am slowly working on A Plan!

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

even further afield there is the cavendish arms in stockwell still putting on indie/alternative/rock every thursday and fridays, but nothing in brixton like the glut of venues there used to be decades ago.

 

[CH1]

Lots of shameless corporate publicity rolling out over the last week for Freight Brixton which is variously described as "London's Largest Rooftop Venue" or more modestly as "South London's Largest Rooftop" reportedly opening in June 2024 (*subject to licence in very small print!).

Licensing application has an address of 24a Popes Road - which seems to suggest it is the roof of what is now Sports Direct/USC, was briefly Flannels, was KwikSave for many years, and which veteran Brixtonians will recall as the "old" Tescos.

Reference	24/00062/PRMNEW
Type	New
Category	Premises Licence (new application)
Status	Pending Decision
Applicant	Field Vision Bars Limited
Trading Name	Freight Brixton - Rooftop
Address	24A Pope's Road London SW9 8JH

There is a mention on their website of Freight Island, the Manchester venue in a railway warehouse.
Branding looks completely different from the sometime Freight Line bar at Pop Brixton?

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A propos the new roof-top venue in Popes Road - we have been down this road before.
I mentioned elsewhere on Urban (possibly up thread) a visit to Brixton Beach by "This Week" on BBC One - ie the programme that went out after "Question Time" with Andrew Neil, M Portillo and (by that time) Liz Kendall.
Can't find a clip from that programme but here are Trip Adviser photos of the venue taken between 2017 and 2020.
From what I can remember the filming on TV was just in the cabin

 

[felonius monk]

Opens July 5th (soft launch for Rishi's leaving do?)

 

[lang rabbie]

Opens July 5th (soft launch for Rishi's leaving do?)

Everyone planning to be at the Lambeth election counts is hoping we will escape in the small hours of Friday morning, but given that Lambeth counts seem to get slower every time and they have to count four constituencies this year, there could be a lot of buzzed politicos who have survived 36 hours on Red Bull emerging on Friday lunchtime ready to drink and party!

 

[editor]

Supercute has taken over the Friendship Adventure premises in Loughborough Junction and Brixton Village.

Supercute Brewhouse & Taproom takes over the Friendship Adventure premises in Loughborough Junction and Brixton Village

The Supercute Brewhouse and Taproom is now operating from the former premises of Friendship Adventure in Loughborough Junction and Brixton Village.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[CH1]

Supercute has taken over the Friendship Adventure premises in Loughborough Junction and Brixton Village.

Supercute Brewhouse & Taproom takes over the Friendship Adventure premises in Loughborough Junction and Brixton Village

The Supercute Brewhouse and Taproom is now operating from the former premises of Friendship Adventure in Loughborough Junction and Brixton Village.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

Who is behind Supercute? The company was called Loretta's Kitchen until 2015. The balance sheet at Companies House shows less assets in Supercute (LDN) than Friendship Adventure OWES!

 

[editor]

Who is behind Supercute? The company was called Loretta's Kitchen until 2015. The balance sheet at Companies House shows less assets in Supercute (LDN) than Friendship Adventure OWES!

It's the Courtesan guys.

 

[bcuster]

Upcoming London restaurants - hot new openings coming soon | Hot Dinners

All about the best new and upcoming London restaurants that are coming soon to London.

www.hot-dinners.com

 

[editor]

Upcoming London restaurants - hot new openings coming soon | Hot Dinners

All about the best new and upcoming London restaurants that are coming soon to London.

www.hot-dinners.com

I can't see anything related to Brixton there?

 

[CH1]

It's the Courtesan guys.

I don't follow these things very closely - but I was wondering if the genesis of the Courtesan was in that old favourite of the 2000s Brixton Bar and Grill?
That was the place that replaced Taco Joe's in the arches opposite Brady's. It was a late night place where people ended up after everywhere else closed.
People I used to get tanked up with would go from the Beehive (closed 11 pm) to the Goose/Rest is Noise (closed midnight) then on to Brixton Bar and Grill - which never seemed to close at all

Brixton Bar and Grill - London, XGL

9 reviews and 5 photos of BRIXTON BAR AND GRILL "BBAG serves organic food from its location in one of the railway arches. Surrounded by the madness of the market, it's a great little getaway from it all. There's great food, laid back tunes, board games, Sunday Papers and a giant screen Wii in...

www.yelp.com

 

[editor]

Tonight at the Dog, 10pm-3am, free entry.

Tonight! Brixton’s biggest free gay party returns to the Dogstar, Saturday 15th June 2024

The massive Queen Bitch LGBTQ+ friendly Brixton club night is finally coming back to the Dogstar tonight (Sat 15th June) to help celebrate Pride Month in style! They’ll be bringing another u…

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I don't follow these things very closely - but I was wondering if the genesis of the Courtesan was in that old favourite of the 2000s Brixton Bar and Grill?
That was the place that replaced Taco Joe's in the arches opposite Brady's. It was a late night place where people ended up after everywhere else closed.
People I used to get tanked up with would go from the Beehive (closed 11 pm) to the Goose/Rest is Noise (closed midnight) then on to Brixton Bar and Grill - which never seemed to close at all

Brixton Bar and Grill - London, XGL

9 reviews and 5 photos of BRIXTON BAR AND GRILL "BBAG serves organic food from its location in one of the railway arches. Surrounded by the madness of the market, it's a great little getaway from it all. There's great food, laid back tunes, board games, Sunday Papers and a giant screen Wii in...

www.yelp.com

thanks for this, never went, loved the reviews.

 

[editor]

I was really nervous about this show seeing as I had to do all the promotion (the Dogstar had failed to do just about anything) but it went really well.

Next one is on the 29th June - free entry.

In photos: Queen Bitch launch night at the Brixton Dogstar, Sat 15th June 2024

The Queen Bitch gay night returned to the Brixton Dogstar last Saturday after an absence of three years – and once again packed the place out! The free club night will return to the Dog for a…

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[editor]

A sad loss

Café Van Gogh in Brixton has now permanently closed

The highly rated Café Van Gogh by the Oval in Brixton Road has now permanently closed after nine years of trading as a vegan social enterprise. Placing kindness and ethics at the heart of their bus…

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[catriona]

Really sad about Cafe van Gogh, I loved that place. On the subject of vegan eateries, Eat of Eden in the market is now Veg & Tings - presumably linked to Wings & Tings opposite. I've had the veggie roti a couple of times, it's really good.

Veg and Tings

 

[GOP]

Is there anywhere to watch the Euros that does decent food?

 

[editor]

Is there anywhere to watch the Euros that does decent food?

You could order something in the Villaaaage and watch the game on the big screen in the courtyard.

 

[GOP]

You could order something in the Villaaaage and watch the game on the big screen in the courtyard.

Thanks I didn't know they had a screen there. Thought the only option would be Hootenanny.

 

[editor]

Thanks I didn't know they had a screen there. Thought the only option would be Hootenanny.

It's by the entrance on to Coldharbour Lane:

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

Watched the England game at Hootananny yesterday evening. £6.20 a pint of Red Stripe now which was disappointing, I suspect they hiked the prices to maximise the profit for the match. Quite thorough searches upon entry too, looking through wallets, cigarette packets etc and a full pat down. There was good craic inside though, not quite as wild as the England Colombia match a few years back but jubilant scenes when Alexander-Arnold thumped home the final penalty.

 

[GOP]

Thanks I didn't know they had a screen there. Thought the only option would be Hootenanny.

We ended up watching the France game at Chip Shop cos of the rain. Was good fun in the end.

 

[GarveyLives]

"To find out why there is “whitespace in chicken” and how chicken shops colonised our high streets, I spent a couple of days visiting the 29 outlets on that single road in Streatham, speaking to customers and owners and eating a lot of wings and strips ..."

Have inner city high street fried chicken shops become surrogate youth clubs?

How fried chicken took over the British high street

 

[editor]

Watched the England game at Hootananny yesterday evening. £6.20 a pint of Red Stripe now which was disappointing, I suspect they hiked the prices to maximise the profit for the match. Quite thorough searches upon entry too, looking through wallets, cigarette packets etc and a full pat down. There was good craic inside though, not quite as wild as the England Colombia match a few years back but jubilant scenes when Alexander-Arnold thumped home the final penalty.

It's a great outdoor space and AFAIK it's the only 'garden' that stays open till 3am on weekends in central Brixton (maybe JAMM has the same?)

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

It's a great outdoor space and AFAIK it's the only 'garden' that stays open till 3am on weekends in central Brixton (maybe JAMM has the same?)

Not been to JAMM in a long time now, but yeah their garden used to be well and truly open until they closed, as late as 5am at times.

A young colleague at work today said that a mate of his had booked them to go to the Duke of Edinburgh last night for the England game, but they received instruction prior that there would be no commentary and that they were not allowed to make noise during the match, which i thought quite depressing. I hope the moaning neighbour was pleased with himself last night.

 

[editor]

Not been to JAMM in a long time now, but yeah their garden used to be well and truly open until they closed, as late as 5am at times.

A young colleague at work today said that a mate of his had booked them to go to the Duke of Edinburgh last night for the England game, but they received instruction prior that there would be no commentary and that they were not allowed to make noise during the match, which i thought quite depressing. I hope the moaning neighbour was pleased with himself last night.

What? That's insane. How do you not make noise when your team makes it into the final? Could you send me a copy of the email as I'd like to warn people on Buzz.

I've long given up on the Duke after neighbours squeezed all the fun out of the garden and then the pub crammed in rows and rows of benches.

 

[pbsmooth]

Considering I just read a jokey article in the ES protesting about posh restaurants showing the football - which does seem stupid to me - the idea of pubs not showing the football with sound seems even more ridiculous.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

What? That's insane. How do you not make noise when your team makes it into the final? Could you send me a copy of the email as I'd like to warn people on Buzz.

I've long given up on the Duke after neighbours squeezed all the fun out of the garden and then the pub crammed in rows and rows of benches.

Have asked for a copy of the email, in the meantime if you check all the 1 star Google reviews for the pub you can see quite a few recent comments from people disgruntled at being chastised for making noise during matches.

 

[editor]

Have asked for a copy of the email, in the meantime if you check all the 1 star Google reviews for the pub you can see quite a few recent comments from people disgruntled at being chastised for making noise during matches.

I've seen it confirmed on their web site. That's insane!

 

[editor]

Antic has gone into administration. The Dogstar is staying open (for now) but is being run by the administration team until someone buys the place (I imagine there should be no shortage given its size and location).