Once a byword for crummy council estates and three wheeled trading vans, Peckham and Camberwell are nowadays dining destinations for those in the know with their own flourishing food culture. We shine the spotlight sarf of the river and discover the hidden gems of SE15 and SE5…
LOOK OUT FOR
Under the rumbling tracks of Peckham Rye station sits this buzzing diner, whose food Jay Rayner describes as ‘upper-class British holiday home chic’. Opened last year, it’s already garnered a strong local following – a small space with all countertop seating, it’s often teeming late into the night.
A few doors down from the recently opened Camberwell Arms, this Chinese restaurant is hailed by locals as something of a food mecca. So don’t expect your bog-standard spring rolls and crispy duck; Silk Road serves up cuisine from the northwest Xinjiang region (hint: get the homestyle Aubergine) at insanely cheap prices that’ll put your local takeaway to shame. Just don’t let the spartan decor put you off – this place is full pretty much every night, so make sure you book ahead.
A short walk from the hustle and bustle of Peckham’s Rye Lane, this place is slightly off the beaten track – but rest assured, there’s nothing off about the place itself. It’s a tastefully converted townhouse-turned-taverna with a sizzling outdoors grill, serving up much-praised dishes of Greek, Turkish and Iranian cuisine. Currently closed for refurbishment, but they hope be back open by the start of May.
And a new Italian restaurant from the people behind the Eat Peckham supper clubs, hosted at Frank’s Café last summer, has just opened up in Bellenden Road. Named after the renowned Victorian banker, businessman and food writer Pellegrino Artusi, this Peckham dining spot offers small plates of rustic cuisine. We hear Artusi’s head chef hails from the much-loved Peckham Bazaar, so this should be one to watch.
REVIEW OF THE REVIEWS
Fay Maschler was left ‘happy as a clam’ by her recent visit to this gastroboozer, which boasts involvement from the talented team who brought you the Anchor & Hope and The Canton Arms…
The Metro said this café, with its beautiful stonewalled garden, is one of the reasons why Peckham may just be the best place to live in London…
The Londonist recently rounded-up what they reckon are the best Thai restaurants in the capital. This Peckham hotspot, a favourite with Harden’s reporters, took top billing…
FM Mangal
It’s not just the restaurants in Peckham & Camberwell that create buzz. Local foodies love their takeaways too, as this humble kebab shop (loved by Jay Rayner and the Evening Standard) shows…
HARDEN’S
Our 2015 survey will be starting very soon and we hope to hear from you, our reporters on the ground, about even more great places to eat in Peckham and Camberwell. Here are some of the hottest restaurants in the area according to our 2014 guide…
Ganapati SE15
£43
“Consistently superior to flashy Indians you find in the West End!” – with its “divine” Keralan cooking, this “unassuming” diner is held out as “Peckham’s claim to being a dining destination”; it’s a “fun” and “chilled” experience too.
Angels & Gypsies SE5
£41
“Very cool”, “hip” and “buzzing”, a Camberwell bar which offers “a welcome taste of Spain” with its “cleverly worked” tapas – “not the standard stuff” at all.
The Crooked Well SE5
£47
“A neighbourhood joint that’s a real favourite”; this “large” but “friendly” Camberwell two-year-old is an all-round hit, thanks not least to its “succulent” British fare.
And we’ll be hoping to up the content even further, when we publish the 2015 edition later this year. If you know anyone who should be taking part in our annual survey, and who’d value a free copy of next year’s guide, please make sure they’ve registered here.
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