- Home
- Restaurants
- London
- Herne Hill restaurants: a local shares her favourite insider spots
Herne Hill restaurants: a local shares her favourite insider spots
- Alexina Anatole
Published: July 9, 2026 at 1:15 PM
loading...
Get 5 months for £5 when you subscribe today
From Carribbean seafood and Sunday markets to £7 house martinis and charming neighbourhood restaurants, read this insider's guide to where to eat in Herne Hill
From Paris-style croissants and classic fish and chips on Half Moon Lane, to the eponymous Sunday market and authentic Caribbean fish dishes, there’s a wealth of good food to sample in Herne Hill, south London. olive talent resident and local insider Alexina Anatole shares the spots you need to know about.
Ad
Alexina Anatole is a chef and food writer, and olive’s talent resident. She was born in Brighton, grew up in Paris and finally settled near Brixton after moving back to the UK – she describes herself as a south Londoner through and through. After leaving her job on the trading floor in the City of London, she became runner-up on MasterChef in 2021 and has since published two cookbooks, including her most recent, Sweet. Follow her on Instagram @alexinaanatole.
For more south London food recommendations, check out our reviews of the best restaurants in Brixton, best restaurants in Peckham and best restaurants in Totting.
Llewelyn’s
In summer, when the courtyard opens, there are few better spots for a long lunch in London. Seasonal plates, a well-chosen list of classic and natural wines, and a beautiful room to retreat to when the weather disappoints make this a reliable favourite. llewelyns-restaurant.co.uk
Herne Hill Market
Sunday is market day, when 50-odd producers set up outside the station. The food is excellent but the real gems are in the vintage stalls, which offer Berber rugs, homewares and the occasional designer find. My bright red Le Creuset? Picked up here for a steal. With Brockwell Park and the lido nearby, you can make a whole morning of it. @hernehillmarket
Christopher’s Bakery
Christopher’s, tucked away on Half Moon Lane, makes some of the best bread in the city without any fanfare. The croissants are comparable to those in Paris, the sourdough is great and they make breads I’ve never come across before – scotch mist rolls are a new favourite. christophers-bakery.com
Sessa
Opened in 2025, Sessa feels like it’s been here a decade – and I mean that as a compliment. It’s chic and cool but warm and lived-in in a way that new restaurants rarely are. The food is excellent any time of day but go for aperitivo hour: £7 house martinis, garibaldis as good as Dante NYC and the greatest bar snack I’ve ever eaten, smoked haddock croquettes. sessa.london
Jarr Market
My pantry would be duller without this zero-waste spot. It’s the narrowest shop you’ve ever seen but very Mary Poppins-esque. Grains, spices, oils, cleaning stuff – they have it all. You can even press your own peanut butter and get fresh oat milk on tap. Buy what you need – the satisfaction of a shop without a recycling bin full of packaging is the cherry on top. jarrmarket.co.uk
Minus 12°
A jewel box of a place with a tight menu of 10 flavours – the Jersey milk and dark chocolate sorbets never disappoint, and the rotating specials always excite (think coffee speculoos, mandarin cheesecake, chocolate smoked salt). Owner Gavin studied ice cream obsessively in Italy and it shows. minus12.co.uk
Wild + Lees
Owner Liam left a media job to open his dream bottle shop, which is one of the most inviting wine spots in London. Elevated and hugely accessible in equal measure – whether you’re looking for a midweek sip or bottle to celebrate, you’ll find it here. It’s my pre-dinner stop for a low-intervention wine that’s interesting without being hard work, and you can even sit and enjoy a glass while you’re there. wildandlees.com
Little Ochi
This is one of the few Caribbean spots in London that doesn’t focus on jerk and deeply savoury dishes but instead on fish and seafood. My go-to is the steamed fish, soup and festivals (sweetened fried dumplings) but the fish can also be fried, served in
brown stew or as escoveitch. @littleochirestaurant
Ken’s Fish Bar
A family chippy on Half Moon Lane since 1984, set up by Ken and now run by his sons – good, proper fish and chips, cooked to order. The chips are hand-cut and both crisp and soggy in all the right places – they’re Jay Rayner’s favourite, too. @thankcodforkens
Herne Hill reviews from the olive team
2210 by NattyCanCook, Herne Hill
2210 by NattyCanCook blends Bajan, Jamaican, and Guyanese influences in inventive, flavour-packed dishes. The menu opens with grilled roti triangles and whipped scotch bonnet butter, followed by standout small plates like ackee and saltfish spring rolls and pork belly with crackling, spiced jus, and scotch bonnet mayo. Hearty mains – designed for sharing – feature a sophisticated jerk chicken with mango and pineapple salsa, a much-talked-about lamb rump with tamarind jus, and pan-seared spiced duck breast with a confit leg croquette. The showstopper is the whole brill, paired with lightly spiced plantain velouté, pickled plantain, and coriander pesto.
Desserts are equally creative, with the deep-fried apple crumble croquette – spiced, pickled apple encased in crisp crumb, served with coffee chantilly and basil oil crème anglaise – demanding attention. Cocktails lean bold, from signature rum punch to scotch bonnet margaritas and sorrel negronis. The welcoming, family-run atmosphere – Natty’s godmother on service, his mum on the books, and an old school friend up front – paired with a lively soundtrack and plush seating, ensures a warm, convivial buzz. 2210bynattycancook.com
Ad
Image credit: Harriet Langford
Check out more London restaurant guides here:
Best restaurants in Crystal Palace
Best restaurants in Shoreditch
Best restaurants in Hackney
Best restaurants in London Bridge
Best restaurants in Notting Hill
Best restaurants in Soho
Best restaurants in Fitzrovia
Best restaurants near Oxford Street
Best restaurants in Covent Garden
Best restaurants in Camden
Authors
Alexina Anatoletalent resident
Comments, questions and tips
Choose the type of message you'd like to post
Choose the type of message you'd like to post
CommentQuestionTip
Ad
Ad
Loading...
Ad
Loading...
Want to see this content?
This page contains olivemagazine content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
Accept and continue