Making yourself known in London’s thriving kebab scene isn’t easy, but the Le Bab team have done it and then some. The fourth site finds itself in Brixton, the first move south of the river for these kebab connoisseurs. Brixton market has always been an explosive melting pot of exciting food, so it’s no surprise that Le Bab has found a place here. The restaurant itself is about as cosy as it gets with only 20 covers, but it makes up for it with opening hours that push into the early morning. It’s here that diners can enjoy affordable wines and cocktails, a great range of mezze dishes and pillowy flatbreads piled high with tasty fillings. What’s not to like?
The mezze selection at Le Bab is often updated, but you’ll find permanent staples on the list too. Try the deep-fried Padron peppers with sexy salt (ideal with a cocktail), the house hummus topped with peanut curry pesto and a flatbread for dipping, or the chipotle tahini broccoli. Meatier mezze dishes, meanwhile, include the likes of Turkish/Korean fried chicken, dirty shawarma fries and rarebreed beef brisket with pork jus, garlic mayo and house chilli sauce. For those who can’t decide, choose the mezze mix for two.
The kebabs here are the main event, with a good selection of meaty, veggie and vegan options to boot. The dirty bab is the true house signature, featuring pork shawarma slow-cooked for 15 hours with chilli pork jus, pickled cucumber, fries and signature fondue sauce. Veggies should try the legendary paneer, served on a bed of fresh beetroot and coconut puree with pickled cucumber, crispy onions, curry mayo and coriander. Finally, the Impossibly dirty bab employs Impossible Sausage shawarma (plant-based) alongside sweet chilli relish, house pickles, double-cooked fries and vegan mayo with organic microgreens.