Peckham may not be the first place you expect to find the spirit of Italian cooking alive and well, but there's no denying the straightforward joys to be found at this enthusiastically run neighbourhood bistro – which is named after Pellegrino Artusi, who wrote ‘The Science of Cooking and the Art of Fine Dining’ back in 1891. It's a small, sweet restaurant where the cooking is simple, honest and downright delicious, with the homemade pasta a definite highlight. The prices are fair, the portions are generous and the flavours are abundant – what more could you ask for?

4.9km

Lai Rai

Vietnamese · Bib

££

Tiny and tucked-away on Peckham’s bustling Rye Lane, Lai Rai is a hidden gem of a restaurant. Friendly, affordable and with knockout Vietnamese cooking, it’s the kind of place you leave with a spring in your step. The food is packed with bold flavours and executed with real skill, moving from bánh mì and coffee in the day to a more elaborate menu in the evening. Make sure you start with the brilliant prawn lollies, as no matter how many you order, you’ll still be wanting more. The genial, enthusiastic team just want you to have a good time – and you will!

4.9km

Heritage Dulwich

Indian

££

‘Heritage’ is key to the cooking at this Indian restaurant in a smart suburban shopping parade, where skilfully prepared dishes are knowledgably balanced, well-spiced and packed with authentic flavours. Dayashankar Sharma – who has led many of London’s best Indian kitchens – cooks alongside his son Anmol.

3.4km

2210 by NattyCanCook

Caribbean

£££

Better known to his thousands of Instagram followers as NattyCanCook, Chef Nathaniel Mortley is behind this well-run Caribbean restaurant, where the buzz of the many delighted diners hits you the second you walk in. Start off with a cocktail – perhaps the signature rum punch – before choosing from a menu of colourful dishes with warming spices and gentle sweeter notes. All of the mains come with rice and peas or jollof rice, but it’s well worth adding a side of caramelised plantain too. To finish, go for Mortley’s deliciously different take on sticky toffee pudding.

4.5km

Llewelyn's

Traditional British

£££

Sitting just outside Herne Hill station, with its large windows letting diners look out and passers-by to look in, Llewellyn’s feels like a proper neighbourhood restaurant at the heart of the local community. The menu offers an appealing mix of dishes with a Mediterranean accent which focus on the freshness of the ingredients, and service is young and endearing.

4.8km

McDonald's

Restaurant

Fast food

1.2km

Caffè Nero

coffee_shop

Café

2.5km

ASK Italian - Beckenham

italian

Italian

2.5km

Click a row to locate it · distances are approximate. Data from Overture / Michelin / Wikidata.

Sleep 4 Serviced Ensuite Room Sydenham London Se26

Facilities · 1

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