Catherine F.
Yelp
Somewhere along the way, the British hung up their posh overcoat and put on the safari gear to step outside of observed mealtimes, etiquette and culinary expectations and embraced the food informalities often observed by everyone in Europe except us, until now that is.
We've shrugged off the toff handshake and greeted the recent wave of pop-up restaurants with a warming, full body embracing hug! We gave street vendors hi-fives whilst scoffing down a variety of culinary delights and taking in the scents of culture in one quick stroll... Yes street food, the new, improved fast food; doing a wonder for our culture and health alike.
Still wondering what I'm talking about?
If no skip to paragraph four, if yes, what?! My dear, are you still intending on your cucumber sandwiches for tea, where have you been?
Pop ups are the buzzword of the startup industry with rented spaces lending their precious square metres to various budding entrepreneurs for a short lease, think garage workshops turned into a pop-up restaurant, pub storage room turned art installation and basically any bizarre, unused space turned into an innovative, incredible feat of determination and passion by one business or another. Street food, think markets with fresh produce, culinary crafting and fusion and prices barely believable for the quality... Also think perching on a wall, wet wipes and a bit of a messy affair, but if you don't mind we don't mind.. This is a food fest!
So if you're new to this business of scoffing and walking, trust me men this is one thing you can multitask at and women, this is no place for a date, bearing this in mind there's a place to head to that might be a good medium between street food and pop-up.
Head down south to Brixton Village for a break from the normal dinner reservations and enter the belly of the Brixton beast.
By day it hosts the market with fresh fish, fruit and veg stalls set-up next to the restaurants who hold tenancy there. These restaurants vary from the more established restaurateurs such a Honest Burger and Champagne and Fromage, both of which are also situated in other locations around London, to the local guys such as Fish, Wings And Tings and Cornercopia who have held residency there for a while but on occasion let out their space to a pop-up. Conercopia is currently hosting a collaboration between a local supper club and A Grape Night In, which offers a selection of wines specifically paired to Jimmy's Supper Club menu.
The vibe here changes from day to night, as the market traders shut down the Village comes into its own with dim lighting, live music and a vibe one can only attain when sat in a warehouse of food, booze and music; aptly named it does turn into its own little village. The only downside is that it has become far less BYOB friendly since my last trip, making the whole event slightly harsher on the pocket. Though the homemade ginger ale and rum punch served in Fish, Wings and Tings is not to be messed with; when the drinks are as unique as the food I can't complain. A couple if the restaurants do still offer BYOB and hey, there's nothing stopping you walking around with a few drinks until you decide where to eat... This did take us a rather long time, two g&ts twenty laps of the village later we hit the rum and chicken wings (for starts) . Pop along to discover the village life of an evening to get the full effect.
Enjoy! C.x