O Cantina de Portugal is a lively Portuguese tapas place offering a hearty selection of grilled pork and chicken dishes alongside a traditional assortment of seafood. With generous portions and dishes like fragrant octopus salads, garlicky grilled prawns doused in olive oil, and salted dried cod flaked over thick chips — and with and a friendly community atmosphere (it’s a particularly fun place to watch European football) — this is a great restaurant for groups who want an informal and relaxed meal. Keep an eye out for the weekend specials including the whole roasted suckling pig.

One of the longest-established coffee shops in the area, owner Ali’s business has come on leaps and bounds with the establishment of his own coffee roastery, Perception — which now provides the beans for his cafe alongside occasional guests from the likes of nearby Assembly. A neighbourhood fixture evolving at its own speed.

Keshia Sakarah’s Brixton spot offers a range of island cooking rooted in her second-generation perspective: small plates of saltfish accra, fried chicken with molasses, or doubles; a trio of roti; and either curry goat or curry chicken with rice and peas. She’s currently running a monthly supper club, Baruru, while figuring out the future of the restaurant proper: Check the website for dates and menus.

At Eat of Eden, spirulina, hemp, seaweed, and moss drinks pay homage to foodstuffs that Rastas have been championing since time immemorial. The interweaving of ackee, callaloo, and plantain through the menu’s curries and wraps is the hallmark, but for first-timers who aren’t sure where to begin, jump straight into the beloved, awe-inspiring platters.

This casual Trinidadian restaurant excels at Caribbean classics and is the perfect spot to try some of Brixton’s best curried goat, hot-pepper prawns, and jerk chicken; no visit is complete without sampling the cod fritters and spicy chicken wings. Vegetarians are well-catered for with hearty pumpkin and chickpea rotis. Enjoy the Brixton community dining with house-made ginger beer or a glass of rum punch.

This gem of a restaurant has been a Brixton stalwart for decades, serving classic Eritrean dishes. Asmara is a great place for groups thanks to the large mixed platters (meat or vegan) that never fail to impress: Small heaps of fragrant chicken, sour and spicy lentils, and shredded mustard greens are piled onto tangy injera bread. With welcoming staff and an entertaining coffee and popcorn ceremony to end the meal, this easygoing spot makes customers feel at home.

Chris Restrepo’s parents own Ichiban Sushi, serving carefully made sushi since 1999. Restrepo takes that tradition and filters it through the version of Brixton he knows as an omakase, which he has labelled “yoroppa-mae” for its deployment of European ingredients. He might smoke tuna, or cure and dry-age hamachi; or he might put CBD caviar on top of mackerel. One of the most singular sushi experiences in the city.

El Rancho del Lalo was one of the few Colombian restaurants in the arcade predating its regeneration, before a rise in rent forced it to move behind Brixton Town Hall. But its excellence is undimmed: this is a place where empanadas are dense as bricks, stuffed to bursting with strands of spiced pork and fried to order so the casing satisfyingly cracks and spills out its contents. An excellent rendition of the Colombian national dish bandeja paisa comes as an enormous platter of meat and protein, including standout crispy chicharron and kidney bean stew. The gentrification continues apace, but El Rancho still outflanks units in its former home selling food at twice the price.

This buzzy, intimate bistro is tucked away from the frenzy of central Brixton on a quiet residential street. It is perfect for those seeking atmosphere: Naughty Piglets is all about relaxed dining in a beautiful space. The menu is small but eclectic, featuring standout dishes like pork belly with Korean spices, devon crab with pickled cabbage, and tender asparagus with cured egg yolk. The wine list is exceptional, and someone is always on hand to suggest pairings.

Much violence has been done to ingredients in the name of Humble Tuscan Cookery in U.K. restaurants, but this paean to the region’s coastal hinterland and beaches carries off the tribute act with some aplomb. It’s unassuming, unmessed-with cookery — pairing mozzarella with asparagus and serving cured beef next to radish — but has the confidence needed to deliver.