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

Discussion in 'Brixton' started by Onket, Dec 6, 2011.

  1. BusLanes

    BusLanes Pedestrian

  2. alex_

    alex_ Well-Known Member

    Sure you can.

  3. editor

    editor hiraethified

    Yes. Correct.
    BusLanes likes this.
  4. Gramsci

    Gramsci Well-Known Member

    I agree.

    And this is starting to become to close to Loughborough Junction for my liking.

    I did regard this stretch as one last bit of un gentrified Brixton. Now I walk by glad to cross the road at Gresham road junction to get back to my bit that hasn't had the full on eaterie/ hairdresser remake.
  5. editor

    editor hiraethified

    It'll come your way sooner or later. The strip outside my block has completely changed its character.
    Gramsci likes this.
  6. djdando

    djdando Well-Known Member

    Hopefully it will yes. LJ and its streetscape is sadly depressing and what’s slowly happening on CHL opposite the BB is welcome in my mind.
    alcopop likes this.
  7. editor

    editor hiraethified

    You don't think there's a better and fairer middle ground between 'depressing' shops and the upmarket, unaffordable cocktail bars, wildly expensive hair salons with Berlin-inspired interiors and all the other gentrified, community-dividing stuff that you seem to be welcoming?
  8. Gramsci

    Gramsci Well-Known Member

    I never found the streetscape in shops opposite Barrier block depressing.

    What was it about the streetscape on this stretch of CHL that you objected to?

    I certainly miss the cheap barbers George. Used to have great chats there with George and his regulars.

    I liked that row of shops the way it was.
    editor likes this.
  9. Gramsci

    Gramsci Well-Known Member

    And why do you find the streetscape in LJ depressing?

    I used to live in Brixton. I was somewhat unwillingly pushed up to LJ . I am now glad Im out of Brixton.

    LJ could do with a few more shops like a chemist but apart from that I like it. Its not pretentious.

    The fact that it has big Council estate in it makes a difference. They have made Cllrs aware they don't want anything like Pop Brixton in LJ. I know as I have heard that at meetings. Its all rather refreshing after what's been happening to Brixton. Still pretty well working class in LJ. With a better multicultural mix than Brixton now has. I much prefer it.
    editor likes this.
  10. CH1

    CH1 "Red Guard"(NLYL)

    It's not much different from Acre Lane - except the looming quality of the Barrier Block dwarfs the shops of Gresham Terrace (yes that is it's original name - check the archives).

    I think the proprietor of the Bhan Bhan is to be commended, He's always pottering around, and as far as I know refrains from posting ludicrously pretentious Tweets about the excellence of his cocktails (sorry street snacks).
  11. T & P


    There is no reason why a middle ground cannot be achieved- though of course how to go about achieving it is a different matter altogether.

    Some high streets/ areas can and do have an array of local shops that are soul destroying. Tulse Hill is not the worst I’ve seen but still pretty shit, and I so wish we got a few interesting businesses in even if some might consider them posh or hipsterish (which in many cases when such accusations are made, they’re not).

    And there certainly is room for both ends of the spectrum. Clapham Junction is a good example IMO. You have fast food fried chicken joints, cheesy venues like The Grand and bookies co-existing with the likes of Waitrose and ‘trendy’ bars and eateries. There is no reason why it cannot be the same in CHL, LJH and elsewhere around here.
    Mr Retro and alcopop like this.
  12. Mr Retro

    Mr Retro Beware hedgehogs

    Wrong thread I know but Wood Street in Walthamstow is a bit like you describe but without a trendy bar. Excellent street and area to live.
  13. MissL

    MissL Well-Known Member

    Can someone please explain to me the Think Positive Fashion Cafe - newly opened on Elm Park. What’s a fashion cafe? Is it just a cafe? I’m struggling with the concept.
  14. BusLanes

    BusLanes Pedestrian

    and if someone can explain that, then can they also have a go at the Hygge cafe on Acre Lane
  15. Mrs Miggins

    Mrs Miggins There's been a slight cheese accident

    It's a bit of an odd one eh? I went in the other morning and they are selling things that look like fancy bathrobes and I found out the owner is a "fashion consultant" (whatever that means) who lives on Leander Road.

    I have not tried their coffee yet but if it is good, I will be generally in favour. They came round house to house a couple of weeks ago giving samples of baked goods which were very good indeed.
    BusLanes likes this.
  16. MissL

    MissL Well-Known Member

    Yes the verdict is in the coffee. I’d like to see a business do well on that stretch. Rather have stuff open than a row of empty shops. But I worry the name/ concept may put people off. It seems quite niche. More Kings Road than Elm Park.
    madolesance and BusLanes like this.
  17. Winot

    Winot I wholeheartedley agree with your viewpoint

    Some kind of Scandinavian buzzword but apparently raises money for a charity and looks good value (haven’t tried it myself).
  18. Mrs Miggins

    Mrs Miggins There's been a slight cheese accident

    I agree. It is a very odd name for a cafe on Elm Park and I would also like to see it do well. I'm not sure it will though as it is selling expensive pasta and all the things in jars that you get in Italian delis and I'm not sure whether it will survive.
  19. BusLanes

    BusLanes Pedestrian

    Well I'm all for buzz words
  20. Mrs Miggins

    Mrs Miggins There's been a slight cheese accident

    Got a coffee from Think Positive MissL . The coffee was OK. The almond croissant I got was not good. It was dry. I also bought a loaf of bread from there a couple of days ago thinking it was sourdough but it's some kind of polenta bread I think and is also dry with a very grainy texture. I don't like it. This is a shame as I was hoping it would be somewhere to buy good bread from.
  21. MissL

    MissL Well-Known Member

    Oh dear. I won’t be rushing there. Would need to be good for me to get over the offputting name. But, as an unfashionable cynic, I realise I’m probably not their target market Would love a community-minded cafe on that stretch, welcoming to all and serving a decent breakfast. Or a bakery like Old Post Office or something like that.
  22. BusLanes

    BusLanes Pedestrian

    I may walk up the hill to try it out
  23. Mrs Miggins

    Mrs Miggins There's been a slight cheese accident

    I'm very disappointed. But the coffee is worth it if you're passing. It was very nice but not amazing. Would be good if they had more food. Maybe that will come in time but at the moment, it's a bit confused and the french place round the corner is 100% better.
  24. editor

    editor hiraethified

    In the last few years opposite the Barrier Block, we've had a very expensive cocktail bar, two expensive hair 'designers', a pizza mega-chain and a on-trend pizza smaller chain,a trendy restaurant/cocktail bar and an expensive cafe move in. As the older leases run out, I don't anticipate Len's Corner Shop and Betty's cafe moving in. It'll be hipster trendy stuff and more chains.
  25. T & P


    Chains are not necessarily a sign of gentrification though. Indeed, chains have been a staple of deprived/ working class high streets everywhere since time began. So long as low cost barbers/ shops/ pubs remain in the area, it is not much of an issue to have some more upmarket traders move in.

    If every affordable business was replaced by a posh one it would be a major problem of course. But that’s extremely unlikely to happen imo.
    elmpp likes this.
  26. editor

    editor hiraethified

    The majority of the new businesses opposite the Barrier Block are high end though. We lost a barber and got two trendy hair designers, one of which is very expensive indeed.
  27. T & P


    Sure, I get that. But do you think it is a trend that will not stop, and that within x number of years every single affordable barber in Brixton will have been replaced by expensive ones? That would be a massive calamity of course, but I just don’t think it would happen.

    The demographics of Brixton have undoubtedly shifted dramatically in the last couple of decades, and some of the businesses in the area have changed to reflect that. But their emergence is the effect of such swing not the reason for it, and for as long as there is a a working class demographic presence in Brixton there will always be shops around to serve them.
  28. editor

    editor hiraethified

    It's just about happened in Brixton already. There's been countless trendy barbers opening up and I'm struggling to think of any 'normal' affordable ones left in the centre.
    BusLanes likes this.
  29. Ms T

    Ms T Honey-coloured ramparts

    There are quite a few non-trendy barbers that have opened on Atlantic Rd recently. I walk past them every day and there are more new hairdressers than any other business. They mostly service the non-white community, as far as I can see.
    BusLanes likes this.
  30. isvicthere?

    isvicthere? a.k.a. floppybollocks

    Not sure that's correct. I was walking down Lavender Hill towards Clapham Junction on my way to work a couple of years ago, and a couple of builder-looking blokes approached me and asked if there was a working-class caff anywhere close. (Their actual words were, "Somewhere we can get a cup of tea.") I thought I knew the area quite well, but was totally stumped.

    'Up the Junction' seemed very distant indeed!
    oryx, Gramsci and editor like this.

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