Canova Hall

On the ground floor of a grand pile that was once part of Brixton’s Bon Marché department store, Canova Hall is a prepossessing sister to Hackney’s Martello Hall. Post-industrial decor imaginatively references the building’s Edwardian heritage, with stylish features including wooden booths as found in old-time Montmartre bistros and a goods lift cleverly disguised as a birdcage. Anointed with functioning absinthe fountains, the chunky bar's wine wall hosts a dozen taps that pour everything from an organic Montepulciano and fashionable frizzante to pedestrian house white. Cocktails include a varied range of Martinis, sours, Old Fashioneds, twisted classics and puncheons to share, although we were miffed to be denied a classic Negroni because the barman ‘didn’t believe in Campari’ – especially as prices are more City than old-school SW9. Open for breakfast (beetroot frittata, Italian baked eggs etc), Canova Hall also hawks an appealing all-day Italian menu of pizzas, pastas, meatballs, torti fritti and bombolini (doughnuts). Bottomless bubbles or rum punch lubricate boozy weekend brunch.

Canova Hall is one of OneHall’s five locations across London – with the others including Teatro Hall in Ealing, Serata Hall at Old Street, Martello Hall in Hackney, and Botanica Hall at Clapham Junction. This charming venue has given one of Brixton’s most famous buildings a bit of a makeover, and welcomes guests from morning until late, open seven days a week until 2am on Friday and Saturday.

Neighbourhood locals and visitors alike are often found in this great spot, working their way through the menu of dishes that are made daily in house. The pizzas are delicious, made using a 48 hour fermented dough and cooked in the coal fired pizza oven, which has been imported from Moderna. If you’re visiting for drinks, then you’ll love the cocktail trolleys which give guests gin and all the accompaniments that they need to make their own drinks, but you also have the opportunity to book a bartender. Some of London’s great DJs play tunes late in the evening, whilst earlier in the day you’ll spot quite a few hot deskers in Canova Hall enjoying brunch, coffee and making use of the free Wifi.

For breakfast, you can enjoy a selection of pastries from the local baker or a bag of bombolini with Nutella - yum. Hot dishes on the menu include truffled mushrooms on toast with pecorino and crispy shallots, along with a spicy ragu and eggs on toast. Lunch is served every day, and begins with handmade pasta dishes of burrata and pesto tagliatelle with crispy pancetta, piccante pesto, hazelnuts and lemon zest, before including red, pink and white pizzas, like the truffle hound with truffle pecorino, truffle salami, mozzarella, crispy shallots, watercress, tarragon and lemon zest.

Brunch is served on the weekends, and is spread over two hours with a bunch of dishes and delicious drinks, including a make your own bubble cocktail tray to whip up Strawberry Royales, Bellinis and Empress Cocktails.