ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANCESCO ZORZI
Known as Little Lagos for its high population of Nigerian immigrants, South London’s Peckham district now lures visitors with high-concept bars and independent shops—many of which are black-owned businesses. These savvy entrepreneurs have redefined regeneration by turning disused buildings into multicultural community spaces rather than luxury flats. Here, six locals give us their Peckham picks.
Rye Wax senior staff member Chris Watson recommends:
“Four Quarters arcade bar is the best place to go for a night out. They’ve got around 15 arcade machines, loads of craft beers on tap, and a super-cool basement bar.”
Four Quarters cofounder Tom Humphrey recommends:
“Taco Queen used our kitchen before they got their own place. I order the jackfruit arepa every time—I was a big fan of that even before I became a vegetarian.”
Taco Queen cofounder Ryan McCann recommends:
“There’s a new Afro hair and beauty center called Peckham Palms. When I was in there, an African-American lady from California came in with her daughter. They were doing an Afrocentric tour of Europe and had traveled from the other side of London specifically to visit this new, black-owned spot.”
Peckham Palms business development director Hazel Durrant recommends:
“It’s unusual to have a black-owned vintage clothing store, as a lot of buyers come from a hippie background, but Little Sister’s Nicola Brierley discovered this market a long time ago. She’s very passionate about Peckham and completely invested in change for everybody.”
Little Sister owner Nicola Brierley recommends:
“Wavey Garms founders Andres and Rhiannon are a brother-and-sister team—they’re down-to-earth, proper South Londoners who do ’90s designer clothing based on clubwear and the garage scene.”
Wavey Garms cofounder Andres Branco recommends:
“During the day, Rye Wax sells vinyl records from underground labels, but at night it becomes a club with an old-school rave vibe and some of the best DJs in London. It’s a proper London basement bar with low ceilings and projectors showing trippy videos.”
