Brixton: cafes
You can't beat a good old fashioned cafe in our book, and Brixton's packed full of 'em. We'll be adding more shortly, but here's a few of our favourites. We try and keep these listings up to date, but cafes but it's a tough challenge, so give them a call before setting out.!

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ATLANTIC CAFE 62 Granville Arcade SW9
Extremely cheap and without a frill in sight, this greasy spoon eatery inside the covered market serves up Pie & Mash for under two quid with tea a mere 30p. Definitely not the place for trendy new media types to discuss their latest start-up over a cappucinno, but great value nonetheless. Crap veggie choice, though.

BONNINGTON CENTRE CAFÉ 11 Vauxhall Grove, SW8
Not even remotely in Brixton, but this mighty fine café is well worth mentioning. Originally run by squatters, this no-nonsense eaterie serves up exceptionally cheap vegetarian food (a three course meal is around a tenner). Bring along your own booze and join in with the singalongs at the piano afterwards.
Mon - Sun 7pm -11pm, nearest tube: Vauxhall
020 7735 3807

BROCKWELL PARK CAFE Brockwell Park SE24

Perched atop the hill in beautiful surroundings, this is a great place to sup a refreshing cup of tea or chow down on some lovely home made cakes and sandwiches. Cheap and tasty, with no complaints from us.



CAFE SINTRA Stockwell Rd, SW9
Good, cheap Portuguese food with a great deli in this small licensed cafe.

BRUNO'S 424 Coldharbour La SW9
Right in the heart of Coldharbour Lane, this vegetarian, vegan and organic licensed cafe was previously known as Cafe Pushkar. Urban75 readers have described enjoying an 'excellent panini of veggie sausage and sweet red onions with a side salad' with 'really good coffee too.' It's open late on Thurs-Sat. Recommended.
020 7738 6161

BRIXTON SPACE 30, Brixton Water Lane SW2
Now a Fusion Tapas Bar serving coffee all day - and with an alcohol licence too!
020 7642 0380



ERGENS Market Row, Granville Arcade SW9
A meat-tastic, no-frills cheap and cheerful cafe.

FEDERATION COFFEE 41-42 Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PR

Small, modern cafe in the rejuvenated Brixton Village selling fantastic coffee - the best in Brixton by miles - and delicious home made cakes. Check out our photo feature.

FRANCO MANCA 4 Market Row SW9

King of Pizzas and the Don of the Sourdough!
This small, authentic pizza restaurant set inside Brixton's covered market serves up the best value and tastiest pizzas around. Highly recommended, although you may have to queue to get a seat at lunchtimes.
Metro review 020 7738 3021

GOODBENCH COFFEE Market Row, Coldharbour Lane, SW9
Another great independent coffee shop hits Brixton! It's small, there's not many seats, but the coffee's great and there's some lovely cakes on offer. Check out our photo feature.

Hive 11-13, Brixton Station Road
Formerly the long serving Jacaranda Gardens restaurant, this two story corner shop has been swished up and serves pancakes, waffles and sandwiches in the day and cocktails and meals in the evening.
020 274 8383

HONEST FOODS 424 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LF

Fully licensed deli/cafe serving really delicious toasties on tasty bread, home made cakes and pies and salads. There's not much seating inside, but it's a lovely little cafe.
020 7738 6161

ICHIBAN SUSHI58, Atlantic Road SW9
Cheap, cheerful and friendly Japanese eat-in/takeaway just round the corner from the Dogstar.
020 7738 7006


JUICE BAR 407 Coldharbour Lane SW9
Opened, closed and reopened more times than we can remember, it's now combining a second hand clothes store with a cafe and bar. Or it may have changed by the time we wrote this.
0207 737 5528

THE LOUNGE 56-58, Atlantic Rd SW9
Our favourite Brixton cafe! This fine, friendly cafe has now shuffled a hundred yards up the road to a new location, right by the Dogstar. As ever, this laid back licensed cafe is a great place to pass away a few chilled-out hours, with big windows affording a grandstand view of Brixton street life. The breakfasts are pretty good, although a bit miserly on the veggie front, but the coffee and shakes are spot on. Open 11am-11pm weekdays, 11am-midnight weekends. disabled access.
020 7733 5229

McDonalds Brixton Rd SW9
Don't go there! Why feed the faceless corporate US giant when there's so many better local cafes and restaurants? Follow the trail of discarded, wasteful packaging if you must eat this shit - but first check out McSpotlight

MINI OPUS Brighton Terrace SW9
Situated inside the posh-sounding Piano Courtyard, this mini-me version of the Opus coffee store serves up a good selection of home made cakes and snacks. Seating takes the form of old railway sleepers although its 'tucked away' location makes you feel like you've walked into a private company cafe. It's open till 4pm.



MY FATHER'S PLACE 336, Coldharbour Lane SW9 Traditional West Indian/Jamaican cafe/bar/club which seems to be more of a club these days.

NEGRIL 132 Brixton Hill, London SW2
This little cafe atop Brixton Hill (formerly Basement Jo's) is well worth the walk, serving a full caribbean menu with a range of good english breakfasts as before. BYOB.
020 8674 8798

OPUS Acre Lane SW2
The newest arrival to an increasingly lively corner of Brixton (a few doors up from Café Goya), this friendly, French-run cafe offers great coffee and Italian Hot Chocolate, plus classy toasted sandwiches with a selection of veggie and non-veggie options. Fantastic selection of cakes and pastries! Open 8am ­ 8pm Mon-Sat/10pm ­5pm(?) Sun

PHOENIX CAFE 441 Coldharbour Lane SW9

Old style, no nonsense cafe serving up great meals, sarnies and beverages in a friendly atmosphere. It's our favourite greasy spoon in Brixton - See our photo feature
020 7733 4430

PIZZA Brixton Village (Granville Arcade), SW9

We're not sure what the place is called, but it's in a great location and we like the the feel of the place - lots of newspapers out and you can watch the market go by. Pizza slices are a snip at £1.50 but the quality can be variable (ours were rather greasy) and the service is hideously erratic. We still like it though.

RITZY Brixton Oval SW2

An integral part of the Windrush Square regeneration, the Ritzy cafe serves cooked breakfasts, lunch and coffee, with a large outdoor seating area outside affording magnificent views of, err, the traffic going past the Town Hall clock. The coffee's good value though and the staff are usually cheery enough. Free wi-fi ensures that you'll be in seventh heaven if you're looking to update your Facebook status but perhaps not so happy if you find yourself sharing the small tables with the back of a giant laptop. Open 6pm-11pm M-F, noon-11pm Sat, 3-10.30 Sun. Free wi-fi.
020 7733 1336

ROSIE'S 14e Market Row SW9
Stylish, small new deli in Brixton Market (formerly Granville Arcade) serving fresh coffee and lunch. Their granary sandwiches are formidable!
0781 5761283

SAN MARINO 401 Brixton Road, SW9 7DG

This isn't a cafe to relax with a book - there's a big TV blaring out the news on the wall and the traffic outside makes a right racket, but it's good value, the coffee's good (although not as good as it was), and there's a great selection of fresh rolls and bagels.
(020) 7978 8417

66 ATLANTIC 66 Atlantic Road SW9 (not yet reviewed)
(Closed as of May 2010).

SW9 BAR CAFE 11 Dorrell Pl, opp Brix tube
Chilled out, busy and buzzy small cafe/bar that's great for a pre-club drink or post pub quaff on weekends. Serves up one of the best veggie breakfasts in Brixton!(Open 9am - 11pm, 9am - 1am Fri/Sat)
0207 738 3116

TOMLINS Acre Lane SW2
Famed for their amazing brunches until 5pm on weekends - really original, delicious and inexpensive brunch fare (especially their short stacks - a must), with relaxed and chatty service. Great chilled vibe as well. Dinner (7 nights) is good but not exceptional. (formerly known as Cafe Goya) (review: Simon Automatic)

VERA CRUZ2 Arlington Parade SW2
Small, friendly and down to earth licensed Portuguese cafe/restaurant on Brixton Hill
0207 733 4810



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