Peckham Cellars

Just a stone’s throw from Queens Road Peckham station, Peckham Cellars is a hip and unassuming neighbourhood restaurant serving a concise seasonal menu of sharing plates alongside an extensive but carefully curated wine list. A perch at the counter is undoubtedly the best spot in the house to watch bar staff conjure up an assortment of cocktails while you wait for your food. We chose a Grapefruit Negroni, perfect if you like an aperitif that's not too sweet.

From the snacks we kicked off with Marmite dauphines coated in shavings of Montgomery cheese and Denver ragout croquettes with aioli, perfectly paired with a glass of crisp, dry Albariño from Spain.

Moving onto the small plates, the farmed eel was the highlight of the evening, accompanied with the smoky rich flavour of nduja and monks beard. We polished it off greedily before tucking into an equally enjoyable guinea fowl dish served with tahini yogurt infused with subtle notes of chilli.

From the larger plates, we resisted the comforting lure of homity pie and opted for the pan-fried gurnard in brown sage butter served with kale and a caper dressing. The fish was perfectly cooked with a crispy skin and the sharpness of the dressing cut through the buttery richness of the flesh. If you’re hungry we recommend ordering a side of the signature smashed potatoes too.

Finally for dessert, a wedge of caramelised brioche, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, comes served with a sour cherry compote and crème fraiche. It’s bread and butter pudding but not as we know it and we’d happily come back for this alone.

All in all Peckham Cellars is the kind of neighbourhood hangout you’d love to be your local. Spend the evening with a small group and order the whole menu, or just pop in for a post-work glass of wine and a quick bite to eat.

Peckham’s reputation as a foodie destination has been bolstered yet again thanks to the addition of this intimate neighbourhood wine bar and kitchen a couple of minutes from Queens Road station. Founded by four friends, all of whom have plenty of experience in the industry, Peckham Cellars is a wine shop by day and a trendy hangout featuring a regularly changing, seasonal menu and wine list come evenings and weekends.

The 80-strong wine list has been curated by sommelier and co-founder Ben McVeigh (former head sommelier at 28-50 Fetter Lane), who has assembled an eclectic yet accessible line-up with a focus on variety and affordability.

Aficionados will be pleased to find labels from small and innovative producers from emerging wine regions such as Greece, Slovenia and Tenerife as well as classics from Bordeaux and Burgundy. There’s also a section entitled ‘Weird and Wonderful’ wines, which aims to surprise and educate even the most experienced connoisseurs. The possibility of sampling from top-end bottles is another plus, as is the opportunity to purchase anything you like the taste of.

The kitchen, headed up by Helen Hall (who previously worked at Ottolenghi's Rovi and Skye Gyngell's Spring) and Jay Claus (ex- Quo Vadis, Morito and Bao) is guided by provenance and flavour, so whether you drop by for a glass of wine and a couple of small plates or a full-on, three-course Sunday lunch, you can expect bold flavours.

Snacks and small plates include combinations such as curried hake croquettes with mango chutney, and eel with nduja and pickled green tomatoes, while large plates might take the form of Cornish brill with fava and salsa verde or onglet with Colston Bassett, smashed potatoes and aioli.

The space, which is completely visible behind the crittall steel windows, is modern but welcoming and soundtracked by a playlist carefully curated to suit the mood on any given night.