From Wikitravel

Brixton is an area of South West London, England in the United Kingdom. It sits right at the bottom of the Victoria Line. It has a large Afro-Caribbean population, originating from the 1940s and 50s, when Britain invited large numbers from the West Indies to fill the job gaps. It still has an edgy reputation left over from the race riots in the 80 and 90s, and the easy availability drugs.

Please note: If you happen to to be interested in buying drugs (marijuana, cocaine) you'll likely be approached as soon as you get off the tube at Brixton. These people will very likely be scammers who will sell you fake drugs (for example oregeno instead of pot). It's highly recommended that you don't deal with these individuals.

Brixton is a colourful, unique area that is like nowhere else in London. There are several markets stretching across the town where you can pick up all manner of exotic foods, textiles and jewellery. It also well known for its nightlife, particularly Brixton Academy and the Fridge along with many other interesting bars, pubs and clubs to explore which easily takes you through to dawn.

At night, stick to well-lit, busy areas if possible. Brixton is generally quite safe but wandering down any poorly lit backstreets in London is always a risk.

[edit] Get in

• Brixton is very well connected to the rest of the city. On the tube, Oxford Circus is less than 20 minutes journey and Brixton's rail station lies between Victoria station and Orpington. Frequent buses are a slower, but a more scenic route to central London, but provide more useful for getting round South London, which is poorly served by the Underground.

[edit][add listing] See

• Brockwell Park, (from town walk up Effra Road, take a left into Brixton Water Lane, and look out for entrance on the right). A large hilly green park, 10 minutes walk from the centre of Brixton. Has the following facilities: Brockwell Lido, children's play area, paddling pool, café, flower gardens, sports facilities, toilets and several ponds.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Brixton Tours [1] specialises in one hour tours of Brixton, taking in the history, culture and local attractions of this part of London. £10 for group tours, £20 for one to one tours.
• Brixton Audio Tour, Alex Wheatle, the Brixton Bard, takes you on a personal journey through the vibrant streets of Brixton that have been his inspiration. Download the audio tour from www.soundmap.co.uk
• Stockwell Skate Park, Stockwell Park Walk. Also ironically named 'Brixton Beach', this free skate park was orginally built in 1970s. Both skateboarders and BMXers can regularly be seen riding or simply hanging out on the edges.

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Brixton Markets, Mon-Tue, Thur-Sat 08.00-18.00; Wed 08.00-17.00. Brixton Market consists of several different parts. The main section is Electric Avenue, selling mainly fruit, veg and meat, which also has a very good Chinese supermarket. On Pope's Rd and you'll find clothes and bric-a-brac. You'll find more indoor markets around the area such as: Brixton Village (between Pope's Rd and Coldharbour Lane), Reliance Arcade (between Brixton Rd and Electric Lane) and Granville Arcade (running between Electric Lane and Atlantic Rd). These sell everything from wigs, clothes, pets, exotic foods and coffee.

Nubian Natural Retail Store & Therapy Centre, 1 &3 Vining St, Brixton SW9 8QA, 020 7733 8277. Mon to Sat 11.00-18.30. A stylish boutique store selling natural bodycare, unusual jewellery, books and natural supplements. Offers a great service in a classy environment. Bodycare range has reputation for being effective and good value for money. Recently opened a therapy centre offering beauty treatments and masssage therapies.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are many different types of food available in Brixton, from Caribbean to Eritrean and fish and chips to noodles. You'll find most of the restaurants on Coldharbour Lane and Atlantic Road. Here are few noted establishments.

• Fujiyama, 7 Vining Street, London SW9 8QA, 020 7737 2369 [2]. As a Japanese noodle bar, the food isn't vastly different from somewhere like Wagamama's but this is a much smaller and friendlier place. It's very good value for money, for about £6 you get a plate of noodles that will fill up any big appetite. They have ramen, bento boxes, don buri, miso soups, pan fried noodles and various curry and rice dishes. They also do some freshly squeezed juices along with the usual beers, wines and sake.

• El Panzon, Dog Star, 389 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8QL, 020 7924 9888 [3]. For some of the tastiest Mexican food in London. Specialising in tacos and burritos, they also offer a selection of authentic Mexican dishes. Very cheap eating!

• Asmara, 386 Coldharbour Lane, SW9, 020 7737 4144. Facing the Dogstar this small friendly restaurant serves interesting Eritrean food.

• Bruno's, 424 Coldharbour Lane, SW9, 020 7738 6161. A vegetarian and organic licenced cafe right in the centre of Brixton, used to be called 'Cafe Pushkar'.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Brixton has the advantage that every night you can stay out drinking later than almost anywhere else in London. Even on a Sunday, there are plenty of bars open until 2am, if you really don't want the weekend to end. The more interesting and local bars are dotted down backstreets and are too numerous to list here, but here's some of notable ones.

[edit] Pubs

• Prince Albert, 416 Coldharbour Lane, SW9. A local favourite that still stubbornly remains a simple pub, without succumbing to standard London bar makeover. Good atmosphere with plenty of places to sit down inside plus a tiny outside 'beer garden', which is nice in the summer. Opens for normal pub hours.

• Duke Of Edinburgh, Ferndale Rd, SW9. Only really worth going if the weather is sunny, as the pub itself is nothing to write home about. Step out through the back and you'll find a massive beer garden, and the only thing waking you to the reality that you are still in Brixton is the trains that clatter by every 15 minutes or so.

• Windmill [4] 22 Blenheim Gardens off Brixton Hill, SW2, 020 8671 0700. A bit of a trek from the Brixton tube (about 15 minutes walk), but it's a gem worth discovering. This small pub regularly hosts live music from up and coming bands, in the past seeing Bloc Party before they hit big time. Sunday nights they have DJs. Usually only about £3 to get in.

• Mango Landin', 40 St Matthews Rd, SW2 1NL, 020 7737 3044. This place is far more successful than its former Russian incarnation, Babushka's. It manages to balance nightlife and families quite well. It's packed out on the weekends, with varied DJs and occasional Tango lessons on a weekdays. There is a organic veg stall on the weekend, and seems to be very family friendly (there's always kids tearing around on the weekend). Overall a nice little pub, no attitude, no bouncers, no charge to get in, and little eccentricity.

[edit] Bars & Clubs

• Tongue and Groove, 50 Atlantic Rd, SW9. 020 7274 8600 Opens Wed-Sun, 7pm-3am. A long slender bar flanked with comfy leather seating, for slumping on after a long day. The cocktail bar is good, but very expensive (including bottled beers). It charges on the weekends, it's best to make the most of the quiter times in the week. Has one of the swankiest toilets in this part of town.

• Babalou (formerly 'Bug Bar'), under St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill, SW9, 020 7738 3184. Open to 2am (3am on Saturdays). Plays a mixture of jazz/hip-hop/funk and house in this cosy underground venue. Has regular guest DJs and special nights. Admission is charged on the weekends, and expect big queues after 9pm. In the summer there is outside seating, but make sure you get a stamp on weekends, so you get back in free.

• Dogstar, 389 Coldharbour Lane, SW9, 020 7733 7515 [5]. Open to 2am Sunday and weekdays, Fri/Sat till 4am. One of Brixton's long time favourites and worth a visit for a night out. It still runs an eclectic mix of dance music, covering hip-hop, reggae, r&b, ska and house. Has dance floor, big old sofas and screen for sports matches. Upstairs there's Moca (Caribbean restaurant) and a third floor to hire out for private parties. Admission free weekdays, charges on weekends.

• Brixtonian Havana, Beehive Place (by the Brixton Recreation Centre), SW9. One of the few late, free bars on the weekend. It's famous for it's bewildering selection of rums, and you'll probably exit with a lighter wallet and head than when you walked in. It can get very busy on the weekends.

• Fridge Bar, 1 Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill (next to the Fridge nightclub), 020 7326 5100. Open until 2am weekdays and until 11am on weekends (phone for info). This has a very stylish bar upstairs, with a chilled out atmosphere, downstairs however is the gloomy, sleazy dancefloor which depending on your mood you may love or hate. Music selection is a mix of r'n'b, soul and hip-hop. Admission is charged on the weekends. Credit cards are not accepted. Security, while friendly, is tight. You will be searched upon entering the bar.

• Living, Suddenly closed down in November 2007. [6]

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Surprisingly, Brixton has very little in the way of accommodation, and you are more likely to be staying in Victoria (10-15 minutes on tube or train).

• No 7 Guesthouse, 7 Josephine Avenue, London, SW2, 0870 741 6740. A bed and breakfast run by a friendly gay couple, a ten minute walk from Brixton tube.

[edit] Contact

• Internet Exchange, Brixton Library, Brixton Oval SW2 1JQ (next to Ritzy Cinema), 020 7926 1056, [7]. Mon 1300-2000, Tues & Thur 1000-2000, Wed & Fri 1000-1800, Fri 1000-1800, Sat 0900-1700, Sunday 1200-1700. Free use of computers for internet and word processing, although you may have to queue. No food or drink.

• Apollo Home Entertainment, 400-402 Brixton Road, SW9 7AW, 020 7733 8330. A video/DVD hire shop which has branched out into providing internet access.