Bars

The 5 Best Bars in Brixton

South London after dark, the market-arcade wine rooms, tropical rooftops and cocktail dens that make Brixton the best night out below the river.

In short: our top picks are Finch Wine Bar, Pergola Brixton and Market House. 5 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.

Brixton drinks harder and stranger than most of London, and it has done for years. The night runs from English wine in a market arcade to overproof rum on a tropical rooftop, then on to a basement where the DJ does not stop until the small hours. This is a neighbourhood built for a crawl, not a single sit-down, and these are the bars worth riding the Victoria line south for.

Place Area Price
Finch Wine Bar Brixton £££
Pergola Brixton Brixton £££
Market House Brixton ££
The Blues Kitchen Brixton Brixton £££
Trinity Arms Brixton ££
  1. Editor’s choice

    Finch Wine Bar

    • Brixton
    • £££

    Why we pick itA jewel-box wine room inside Brixton Village arcade championing English bottles alongside small-batch, low-intervention growers from across Europe.

    natural wine bar

  2. Pergola Brixton

    • Brixton
    • £££

    Why we pick itA heated, retractable-roof terrace above Brixton Village with tropical planting, Latin-leaning cocktails and DJs spinning R&B and Afrobeats at weekends.

    rooftop cocktail bar

  3. Market House

    • Brixton
    • ££

    Why we pick itA laid-back two-floor bar that flips into a proper party at weekends, with funk, soul and disco running through to the early hours.

    party bar

  4. The Blues Kitchen Brixton

    • Brixton
    • £££

    Why we pick itA Deep South room with live blues, soul and funk most nights, a bourbon-heavy cocktail list and barbecue to soak it all up.

    live music cocktail bar

  5. Trinity Arms

    • Brixton
    • ££

    Why we pick itA Young's pub two minutes from the tube, with cask ales, a fine wine list and a back garden warmed by a large fire-pit.

    traditional pub-bar

Before you book

Almost everything sits within five minutes of Brixton tube and rail, so park yourself at the Coldharbour Lane end and walk. Finch is tiny and fills fast, so book ahead. The market bars and Pergola take walk-ins early, but Friday and Saturday after 10pm the queues build, so arrive before then.

Common questions

What are the top picks in this guide?

Finch Wine Bar is our editor's choice: A jewel-box wine room inside Brixton Village arcade championing English bottles alongside small-batch, low-intervention growers from across Europe. Finch Wine Bar, Pergola Brixton and Market House lead the guide, with 5 places in total, all chosen on merit.

How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?

Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.