Brixton traditional cafes and greasy spoons

[editor]

Let's slap up a compilation of the best (and worst) greasy spoons and cafes in Brixton.

I'll start with the mighty Phoenix on Coldharbour Lane, for my money the finest greasy spoon/traditional cafe in the heart of Brixton.

http://www.urban75.org/brixton/cafes/phoenix.html

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Cafe on the Hill. Not the greatest of food but fine if you're too hungover to eat and still popular, and unfortunately, may not be there for too long. A Brixton Hill institution whether you love it or hate it!

 

[ajdown]

There's the one on New Park Road - was called The Doorstop but not sure if it still is.

If you don't mind travelling a little further afield, you've also got the "Joel's Barney's Cafe" at Loughborough Junction (that's an area in motion, you know), Johnnys Cafe on the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Kenbury Street, and at the Camberwell end of Coldharbour Lane don't forget Rock Steady Eddie's cafe.

 

[Badgers]

What is that one at 439 Brixton Rd?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

What is that one at 439 Brixton Rd?

Near Kennington Park? Police frequently use it?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Pete's Cafe, Brixton Hill

Used to be great and served massive portions. Not been in there for a couple of years but the few times I went in there before that, standards had dropped drastically

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Johnnies Cafe, Coldharbour Lane. Use it every time I go to King's and I quite like it.

Incidentally, there's a new late night (or is it 24hr) chemist almost next door.

Where to the staff in Johnny's come from anyway?

 

[clandestino]

Lou's at the top of Brixton Hill - very small, smaller than the Phoenix, but good, no nonsense food.
Apollo on Brixton Road, up near the Oval. Used to be an amazing place, with old crumbling booths, but was refurbished about eight or so years ago, to be more of a regular cafe.
There's the Portuguese cafe near the Fridge. That's OK-ish
The cafe by Haircut Sir at the bottom of Tulse Hill. Plastic seats, huge portions and plates, but the food was only so-so when I went.

Now I'm on the other side...of the south circular...I go to Troy and Life Cafe by the cinema. Life Cafe is the best. Good food and suitably bonkers clientele.

 

[RaverDrew]

Cafe on the Hill. Not the greatest of food but fine if you're too hungover to eat and still popular, and unfortunately, may not be there for too long. A Brixton Hill institution whether you love it or hate it!

Do they still do the Thai dishes too ?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Lou's at the top of Brixton Hill - very small, smaller than the Phoenix, but good, no nonsense food.
Apollo on Brixton Road, up near the Oval. Used to be an amazing place, with old crumbling booths, but was refurbished about eight or so years ago, to be more of a regular cafe.
There's the Portuguese cafe near the Fridge. That's OK-ish
The cafe by Haircut Sir at the bottom of Tulse Hill. Plastic seats, huge portions and plates, but the food was only so-so when I went.

Now I'm on the other side...of the south circular...I go to Troy and Life Cafe by the cinema. Life Cafe is the best. Good food and suitably bonkers clientele.

Lou's? Wonder if that's what used to be Pete's?

Yeah, Apollo is the one before Kennington Park I think that can often be seen with police sitting inside.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Do they still do the Thai dishes too ?

Yeah, but to be honest, I think they don't even seem to be as good as they used to be. I had a beef dish recently and had to leave most of the meat as it was so chewy. Last few times I've had chicken dishes they've often been very dry. Does seem to be very hit and miss though. Maybe it depends what time of the week you're going in and whether they're getting rid of stuff cooked the previous day

I remember when they tried opening as a restaurant in the evenings when you could bring your own booze in. Didn't really work unfortunately

 

[Kanda]

The Gallery (now Lisboa Grill) has opened a Cafe next door, excellent breakfasts.

 

[Kanda]

There's the one on New Park Road - was called The Doorstop but not sure if it still is.

Now Angela's Cafe. Decent cheap food.

 

[Kanda]

Pauloz also do a good breakfast apparently. I'm too loyal to Gallery to try it

 

[shakespearegirl]

Barneys in LJ is very good. Lots of choice, really fresh food, friendly staff, cheap.

 

[editor]

Barneys in LJ is very good. Lots of choice, really fresh food, friendly staff, cheap.

I did a little feature on that place:
http://www.urban75.org/blog/barneys-cafe-loughborough-junction-sw9/

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Pauloz also do a good breakfast apparently. I'm too loyal to Gallery to try it

Sad to say, I'm starting to go right off them. When they started, you got proper chips with your full English breakfast. The chips have got thinner and thinner. Last time we went in, they were almost skinnier than fries you'd get in McShitey's and crinkly and horrible. Not impressed at all.

They also have a habit of getting orders wrong (or rather, there's one particular lad that seems to get the orders a bit wrong). Not too bothered about that, but it would be nice not to have to wait 'til your tea's cold before getting the milk for your tea you requested a few times in the space of 15 minutes. We still go in there though in the hope that there's a different cook on the day. Think we'll try Lisboa/Gallery soon

 

[peterkro]

The Little Kitchen not exactly Brixton (Clapham North) best builders cafe in at least South London.

(incidentally the Phoenix has been on the slide since Rosa retired which must be at least twenty years ago)

 

[Janh]

Cafe Max is a Portuguese place – on Station Road opposite/near Brixton Rec – offers standard English breakfast too and therefore would qualify as a trad cafe. But does the best bacalao a bras I've had (even better than the Gallery). Excellent espresso and nata.

Licensed, good food, busy with a good vibe. Two TVs could be showing nuts stuff like NFL gridiron and Portuguese day-time chat show at same time. More of a Euro football focused crowd in the evening.

 

[northsouthfood]

Don't know if it counts as a trad cafe, but I'm liking The Duck Egg on Coldharbour Lane. Good for a slightly posh Saturday breakfast when you want to be leisurely rather then the eat and go of the Phoenix. It's seem pretty popular as we get tonnes of hits on our blog post about the place and it's hard to get a table!

 

[twistedAM]

I did a little feature on that place:
http://www.urban75.org/blog/barneys-cafe-loughborough-junction-sw9/

That place looks well proper

 

[tarannau]

Sema's down Tulse Hill (the real hill rather than the suburb, you know by Water Lane and Effra Road) does a decent enough greasy traditional fry up. On a par with the Cafe on The Hill really, although no Thai or the inimitable service of M, H and Co. Some decent spiced rice and grilled things as some compensation.

The Phoenix is a price step up and benefits from better quality ingredients. Not convinced that I always enjoy eating there as much, but it's a decent contender.

Like Cafe Max too, but I've never gone for the fry up option there, same with Vera Cruz really.

 

[Rushy]

Like Cafe Max too, but I've never gone for the fry up option there, same with Vera Cruz really.

VC does a great egg and bacon in a crusty roll for about £2.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Don't know if it counts as a trad cafe, but I'm liking The Duck Egg on Coldharbour Lane. Good for a slightly posh Saturday breakfast when you want to be leisurely rather then the eat and go of the Phoenix. It's seem pretty popular as we get tonnes of hits on our blog post about the place and it's hard to get a table!

What blog post?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

VC does a great egg and bacon in a crusty roll for about £2.

I'm embarrassed to say that in all the years I've lived here, I've still not been in there. I keep meaning to but forget, probably because I never really walk past there but am passing on the bus

 

[itsbruce]

Another vote for Rock Steady Eddie's. Shame the original elvis-clone owner doesn't seem to be around any more.

 

[Ms Ordinary]

I like the SEM Cafe up by the garages at the Loughborough Junction end of Herne Hill Road, with its tweety birds & big comfy chairs to accommodate broad beamed cabbies. Very clean loos as well .

 

[twistedAM]

Sema's down Tulse Hill (the real hill rather than the suburb, you know by Water Lane and Effra Road) does a decent enough greasy traditional fry up. On a par with the Cafe on The Hill really, although no Thai or the inimitable service of M, H and Co. Some decent spiced rice and grilled things as some compensation.

The Phoenix is a price step up and benefits from better quality ingredients. Not convinced that I always enjoy eating there as much, but it's a decent contender.

Like Cafe Max too, but I've never gone for the fry up option there, same with Vera Cruz really.

I keep forgetting about Vera Cruz but remember they do coffee with a good punch that is probably well cheaper than a flat white in the bourgeois part of town.
Haven't been in Max's for ages but again serve coffee which me and a mate used to refer to as black speed.

I feel disloyal though if I don't go into Cafe On The Hill if only to find out which weird and wonderful bets Michael has put on. His Arsenal 3 Barcelona 1 tip was worth the price of a meal itself for the lol value.

 

[Janh]

... Haven't been in Max's for ages but again serve coffee which me and a mate used to refer to as black speed...

indeed

 

[Nanker Phelge]

My find of the year. Top of Tulse Hill next to the White Hart. Excellent and eclectic....feels like being on holiday inside.