Brawn sits on a particularly leafy stretch of Columbia Road on what must be one of the loveliest corners in London. Having long been a sure bet for honest cooking and real wines, since chef Ed Wilson took over earlier in 2015, it has become the spot for visiting winemakers, sommeliers, wine geeks and locals alike.
The menu places an emphasis on great organic produce, and the cooking pays testament to this, whether it is a single Cantabrian anchovy atop a frigatelli pepper, housemade torta fritta draped with most remarkable lardo or a tartare of tuna dressed with little more than colatura di alici and capers from Wilson’s friend, Sicilian winemaker Gabrio Bini.
The wine list is as varied as it is deep. And there is a real focus on unearthing gems from small growers the world over, be it the wonderful Auvergnat gamay of Patrick Bouju, a great selection from the Loire Valley from the likes of the Courtois family and Jean-Pierre Robinot, a gang of underground Italians like Marco Buratti and names like Strohmeier and Pat Sullivan from further afield.
If you love wine, this is the place to be in London right now.
