The atmosphere's about as buzzy as it gets at Peckham newcomer Levan, from the team behind Brixton’s well-loved Salon. The cosy-cool all-day bar and restaurant has an open kitchen at one end and open shelving in the middle, showcasing a turntable and vinyl – a nod, doubtless, to its namesake DJ Larry Levan.
The walls are a cocooning midnight blue, with tables a tad close, but the menu is a solid mix of snacks, sharing plates, cheeses and desserts. High notes were the Comté fries – not cheesy chips but light as air chickpea fries, dusted with that rich, full-flavoured cheese, and a punchy saffron aioli on the side; a plate of classic duck rillettes and gherkins; and Old Spot chop, cooked to tender perfection and boosted with buttery, mustardy greens.
Don’t swerve dessert: the gooey, crisp tarte tatin is pudding heaven. To drink, there’s a serious wine list majoring in organic and biodynamic to pore over, as well as a few interesting beers.