Brixton Village Market By
When the sun goes down, Brixton knows exactly how to start shining. The area boasts such an impressively widespread collection of bars, restaurants, clubs, theatres and music venues that it will always stand out as one of the liveliest night-spots in London. But during the day, long before the DJs and doormen turn up for their shifts, an equally spectacular operation stands up to take centre stage: Brixton Village. Just a short walk from Brixton station down Electric Avenue and through the colourful market stalls, the indoor village has been improving rapidly over the last few years, ushering in a new age of youthful clientele. “We have three types of customers,” explained operations manager, Rachid Ghailane.
“There are people that come in between ten o’clock and five o’clock for the shopping and cafes. We then have people coming in between 6:00pm and midnight to enjoy the restaurants and have dinner, and then there are people who come for drinks and to hear live music. There’s a great combination of older and younger generations. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it.” Brixton Village has come a long way since it was set up in 1937, under its former name, Granville Arcade, and is now firmly cemented in Brixton’s vibrant and multicultural history. Every outlet offers something special, but here’s a few of our favourites…
Market Row Wines
Just as charming as it is unpretentious, Market Row Wines hand-pick their frequently rotating selection from small ‘artisan’ producers with a focus on quality at a reasonable price. The majority of bottles range from £8-£12, although owner, David Simpson, will happily sort you out with a respectable house wine for around £6. Cheers Dave!
French and Grace
After a successful endeavour selling street food at various events across London, Uni friends Rosie French and Ellie Grace have settled down, set up shop, and firmly established themselves as one of the market’s most distinctive cafes. Their Uber Wrap fully lives up to its name, consisting of Lebanese bread, home-made butterbean and rosemary hummous, grated beetroot, grated carrots, grilled halloumi, lamb sausage, yoghurt and mint – pretty serious stuff, indeed. With strong Mediterranean and Lebanese influences, their entire menu is made in-house, by the exceptionally friendly team of staff, and served with an extremely cheeky smile. Even the furniture is home-made, designed and hand-crafted by Rosie’s husband. DIY!
Tique Booty
Specialising in vintage clothing and furniture, Tique Booty might be a fairly new addition to the market but it hasn’t taken them long to fit straight into the community spirit. “You get to know everyone,” says co-owner, Richard Caraffi. “There’s a real good family vibe that goes on here. We wanted to add a different selection to the market, something that isn’t a café or a restaurant and hopefully something that everyone can appreciate.” And if you’re a Brixtonite, it’s worth noting that you get 20% off anything over £20. You can’t argue with that for community spirit.
Seven at Brixton
The first thing I noticed when I walked into Seven at Brixton and spoke with co-owner, Jonny Rushton, was the out-and-out honesty that the place exudes. Jonny is a genuinely nice guy, with genuinely interesting ideas and a clear enthusiasm for the business he runs. Along with a great tapas menu, serving traditional Spanish dishes, they promote up-and-coming artists by holding regular exhibitions and private views. Their basil and ginger beer mojito is a truly innovative take on the classic recipe, and according to Jonny, they’ve been flying off shelves since being introduced to the menu. From our brief chat, I got the feeling this place isn’t run solely for profit. Although the rent obviously needs to be paid each month, there’s definitely something deeper going on here than just figures and spread sheets.
The Breadroom
When it comes to baking bread, passion is one ingredient many bakers forget to include in their recipe. But that is never going to be the case at The Breadroom. All their bread is made using sourdough and organic flour, and only the finest Normandy butter is used in their infamous butter croissants, which are considered by many to be the best in London.
Brickbox
You won’t find many places in the UK that sell both crepes and booze, and although few people order both within the same breath, it’s always nice to know the option is available if the mood calls for it. Somewhere between a café, a creperie, and a bar – Brickbox are evidently not interested in sticking to the conventions of the service industry.
Federation Coffee
One thing I’ve learned in this past year is that people from New Zealand who are into making coffee are REALLY into making coffee, and as well as being obsessive about it – they’re exceptionally good at it. A few friends of mine work in cafes run by Kiwis, and they certainly don’t mess about. And neither do Nick and George, the two Kiwi friends that own Federation Coffee. They roast they’re own beans, the staff are highly skilled and many of their customers go on to become regulars - you can pretty much taste the pride in every cup.
The Agile Rabbit
“I bought a second hand pizza oven,” says owner Victor Greetham. “As soon as I started making pizzas in there I knew I had a great product with a future.” The pizza that Victor and his staff serve-up could easily pass as being made by a genuine Italian granny, but with that said, The Agile Rabbit is by-no-means a traditional pizzeria, with live music a prominent part of the allure. “We have a large variety of stuff going on,” Victor continued, “and we’ve slowly become a platform for local musicians to come down in the evenings and jam.” Pizza and live music = good times.
