My Booze Hell

A night out in Camberwell on Saturday; drinks at The Castle (very relaxing, I like it there) and post-drinks curry at Safa (I’d say it’s the best in Camberwell, but since I moved back here I haven’t bothered comparing it with any rivals). On the way home we fancied getting a drink to take with us, but every single off-license was closed. At 11pm. A pre-Christmas booze crackdown?

On Sunday we crossed over into SE15 for brunch at The Peckham Experiment (168 Bellenden Road, SE15 4BW). It’s small and was full, but we got our table. I’d been warned that service was a little slow because of the size of the kitchen, and true it took a little while for our food to arrive, but it was decent-sized, reasonably-priced and tasty. My first choice was unavailable so we both had sausage and mash; it was good. I’d hesitate to recommend it for an important meal (say, an anniversary), but if you’re in the area and you’re hungry it ticks all the right boxes.

Author: Peter

Long-time resident of Camberwell, author of this blog since July 2004.

18 thoughts on “My Booze Hell”

  1. Zest is a good indian to try, but take-away only — terrible service too, but very good food.

    I have also noticed this early closure of off-licences now. There was always a shop near The Castle that opened late and was willing to sell cheap plonk, but this closes on time too now.

    The new licensing laws come into effect next week, it will be interesting to see if this affects Camberwell at all. I have always seen Camberwell as somewhere you can *almost* drink 24 hours a day already.

  2. Safa is very good — although the new Dewaniam on Camberwell New Road is also very nice and good value.

    It looks like most places in Camberwell will be opening an extra couple of hours on Friday and Saturday nights — i see the Funky Munky has applied to be open until 4am at the weekends. I don’t think the new licensing laws will make much of a difference to Camberwell as it is mainly locals that seem to go out around here — we don’t suffer an invasion of provicial boozers at the weekend like the West End and increasingly Shoreditch. Also i think the early closure of off licenses might be an effort to deal with the street drinking problem that Camberwell has — which can only be a good thing.

    I’d recommend going to the Peckham Experiment on a weekday for lunch they have a very reasonable set luch there — i recently enjoyed a very good lunch there at the expense of Southwark Council! On the subject has any one been to that new Southern Indian restaurant on Bellenden Road — i forget the name, it looks very good.

  3. I think your problem was probably going a little too early while people are drifting out at 11sh. Costcutters just passed the Tasty house on Denmark Hill’s normally no problem as is the Pound shop (I think) next to Abbey, Scope. Anyway, bettrer luck next time !

  4. I dread to think what booze you can get in the pound shop.

    Safa rocks. Hannah — so that’s where our Council Tax is going.

  5. I had same problem at pound shop on Friday night at about 1am, probably just as well. True though, Costcutter usually a safe bet.

  6. I think that South Indian restaurant is called ‘Ganapati‘, not tried it, but does look good, albeit a little pricey…

    One other safe booze option a little further out is the 24 hour shop on Southampton Way

  7. The South Indian restaurant is Ganapati. It’s very good; different from ‘traditional’ curry. See here.

    And maybe I’m being naïve, but I think Camberwell’s street drinking problem stems more from people buying booze at 8am and spending the whole day pissed, rather than getting late take-outs.

  8. I would recommend Indiaah on Denmark Hill. Used to be the Joy Bangla; tasty food, attentive service and very cheap.

  9. I just stumbled on this blog as I was doing a search for some info on Willows Restaurant. I work at King’s College Hospital and we are looking for a local venue to host a dinner in April ’06 for about 60 people. Willows was one idea. Any other suggestions?

  10. I’ve been to Ganapati which is indeed the Indian restaurant near the Peckham Experiement. It is very good the food is great as it has more usual choices available than your standard Indian. The service is good so I would recomend giving it a go. However it is a bit pricey.

    Otherwise I would agree with the New Dewanian comments. The food there is very good as is the service. They’re also busy completing a extension which kind of goes round the back of the Miliki Spot. The restaurant they did have downstairs is being converted into a storeroom and the new room at the back looks like it either has or is just about to open.

  11. Mozzarella e Pomodoro is very large and would hold that many people.
    Espana Tapas bar is very good too but maybe a tad squashed with 60?

  12. i agree that new dewaniam does do the best traditional curries in camberwell, they are the oldest curry house in the area and by far one of the best. the guys that run the place are very pleasent and i have known them for a very long time, keep up the good work guys. they are just opening a new 120 seater resturent aswell which i must say looks the business and im sure they will do well good luck guys.james

  13. oh my god!!! went past the new dewaniam the other day. they just opendedup the new resturant at the back which holds up to 100 people apparently! iv been in there a few times but the new resturant they just finished looks so so nice, it must be the best looking resturant in the area by far , well done guys and good luck! ill be in there in the new year see you soon guys!! andy from camberwell grove!!!

  14. Got takeaway from newdarwinium — was uneatable — really awful. I’ve eaten a lot of indians in my time but I’ve never had to throw one away before!especially when I was starving. I never tried the meat dishes but I got 3 vegetarian dishes — one so salty it couldnt be eaten, one mutar paneer which had a sauce of boiled milk and a chick pea dish which seemed to be mixed with scrambled egg — maybe they were trying to experiment but it really didn’t work.

  15. This is my favourite Indian & the service is brilliant!!! When i move abroad again, they promise to western union the curry over!!! hows that for customer service?!!!
    xx

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