Best restaurants in Peckham
When I tell you that more foodies need to come to Peckham, it’s straight facts. Jump on the newly named Windrush overground line and come south of the river to revel in tasty delights.
There are long-standing loves with the bubble-gum pink stairs of Frank’s Cafe, rooftop location Forza Wine or Mr Bao by the Rye – but you’ll also find fun pop-ups, experimental dining experiences and the best shish for miles (shout out to Zaytoon Grill).
These are the best restaurants in Peckham, from a fellow SE15er.
Hausu
New to Peckham is Hausu – with big flavours and low-key vibes, the restaurant combines the pleasures of food and music in one venue.
As a backing track to your dinner, DJs take to the vintage hi-fi sound system while you snack on small plates and sharers that will have you sitting in silence as you devour forkfuls of food. The kind of silence that settles only when something is truly tasty.
The menu, created by head chef Holly-Dawn Middleton-Joseph, brings a modern spin to favourites – the scallop and prawn toast is like no prawn toast you’ve tasted before and the Dad’s broth starter packs a punch that will warm you from the inside. There is always a special board of fish, served with seaweed and roe, or steaks, which come topped with crispy garlic, chilli and lemon. Choose your special and your size, and make sure to add the green beans dripping in miso butter as a side dish.
At Hausu, the juice from homemade pickles is even used in the martini recipe – served in a glass straight from the freezer, it’s a divine way to end a meal.
The Begging Bowl
An original Thai concept restaurant, the story of The Begging Bowl relates to the name given to the alms pots carried by monks of Chiang Mai who would carry the “begging bowl” around street markets, connected to a Buddhist tradition of making merit.
That community spirit is at the heart of this Peckham location, inviting you in for a warming meal, you’ll leave feeling comforted – either from the welcoming setting or from the limitless jasmine and sticky rice served. Menu highlights include the Gaeng Om – a fragrant herb broth with charred leeks, apple aubergines, dill and enoki mushrooms – and the Gaeng gate kamin, which is a coconut and turmeric curry with grey mullet, king prawns and white turmeric. Slurp it up.
In drinks, the Thai lemonade – made with lime, lemon, palm sugar and ginger beer – brings a refreshing zing to the meal and ties in with the citrusy flavours of the dishes, too.
naïfs
Friends are the family you choose, and what better way to celebrate that friendship than sharing a family-style dinner where you can fight over who gets the last mouthful of the best dish, just as you would with your younger brother.
Peckham’s Naïfs is all about bonding over dishes, bringing people together and welcoming you into its family restaurant for the evening. Run by three brothers and one of their wives, it really is a family affair.
It serves a set menu – with starters and desserts that can be added on as extras – and it is completely plant-based, with a produce-driven approach. The plates served are designed to work in harmony on the palette as you eat, using ingredients that are thriving that season.
One menu-safe item is the lentil pâté, served with bread from local bakery TOAD and fig jam, you’ll be spreading it thick.
I also discovered a largerita here – Naïfs’ creation of a watermelon largerita has tequila, lime, agave, and fresh watermelon topped with a pilsner. It’s long and refreshing, and you’ll probably drink at least four.
Levan
Seasonal, inventive, relaxed. Those are adjectives I like. And at Levan, I particularly enjoy grabbing a seat at the kitchen counter to see the chefs at work.
Levan is inspired by eateries in Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Stockholm and Berlin, bringing the best of Europe to this little corner of London.
On the a la carte menu, you’ll find delicious plates of wild mushroom and black garlic gnocchi, potato flatbreads topped with lardo and fermented chilli, and delights like monkfish en croute. Or you can take the decision-making away and try the six-course chef’s tasting menu, which includes all their favourite dishes, with wine pairings.
The Levan team has picked plates such as the heritage cabbage with hazelnut and smoked hollandaise paired with a glass of Domaine Lissner, Pinot Blanc 2023, or duck with Alsace bacon and chestnut, with a tipple of Franck Balthazar, Côtes du Rhône 2023 for sipping.
If you’re looking for a cosier setting, or don’t want the night to end just yet, then Bar Levan sits right next door. A sister site that serves natural wines and offers a range of organic and biodynamic glasses and bottles from across Europe and a small, select food menu.
Clock House Tavern
I’m a sucker for a smash burger, and the kitchen at Clock House Tavern – run by Gengelly’s – is one of the best I’ve ever had. The bun glistened like it had just been oiled up ready to sit in the sun, and it had the perfect amount of sauciness:meat ratio.
Pub grub is one of my favourite cuisines and always features at least six different types of carbohydrates. Clock House Tavern’s menu is no different and I invite you to try it all.
But first up, the deconstructed gildas. A recent discovery of mine, the harmonious mix of anchovies, olives and spicy pepper makes me ask, “Where have you been all my life?” We’re here for the carbs, though, and there are flatbreads topped with delicious things for you to enjoy – like the potato and taleggio or crab butter with preserved lemon and chilli.
A carb-y pub menu with an innovative approach to flavour, that’s what Peckham is all about.
Cöödie
Because you always have to finish on something sweet. Cöödie is a cöökie bar serving the unexpected, with flavour combinations like chocolate and basil or pear, brie and pecan. Be ready to ditch plain old choc chip for something more tantalising.
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