Sadly Brixton isn’t brimming with restaurants. As a result Brixtonites love to hunt, so it’s no surprise that The Hive, on a hip little street by a bustling Brixton railway, is consistently hot local news.

The Venue
It has always been good source to grumble about the lack of good restaurants in Brixton, where the stereotypical choice wavers between pan-Asian or a Caribbean takeaway. The situation has shown signs of improvement, in no small part thanks to the presence of The Hive, an excellent neighbourhood bistro-cum-bar set on a two-level space opposite a vibrant Brixton market. Although bare at lunch, the wooden tables in the olive green, relatively simple dining room downstairs are beautifully set at dinner time, where the level of lighting doesn’t raise itself higher than dim. Whilst the restaurant conjures up a cosy romantic feel, the upstairs bar is by no means for everyone. A futuristic styled space (think pale blue slim-line sofas and cosmic wallpaper), it’s the sort of place where a stag party might gather to drink deep from a line of Jaagerbombs.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere in the downstairs bistro at The Hive transports you to Greenwich Village, New York. Though elegant in its way, The Hive has a kind of urban grit commonly associated with NYC but with the prevailing fine-dining ethos of a Parisian bistro. The clientele at The Hive is a smorgasbord of Londoners, including hip-looking pre-Academy music fans, eye-gazingly intense couples and groups of friends.

The Food
The Hive’s menu is cleverly conceived and beautifully presented. For starters, the mushroom gratin with cheddar cheese (£5) is the hearty essence of winter. Served with a slice of grilled bread the dish is wonderfully warm and moist. A main course of braised Herdwick lamb shank with English peas and mint stew in red wine gravy (£12.50) practically melts in your mouth. These are highlights, but not the only ones: lentil and ginger soup with cumin (£5) is creamy and powerful yet fragile, whilst the pan fried sea bass with baby gem, green beans and a dill yoghurt dressing (£11) holds a clean sweet taste and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. A dessert of chocolate mousse with almond biscotti (£4) concludes the meal and shows why The Hive is quietly sizzling as one of the most exciting places to eat in Brixton right now.

The Drink
Imbibing is another pleasure of this neighborhood joint, where the wine selection is popularly sourced and reasonably priced when compared to a bistro of its calibre in the City. For dinner, the Chablis (£25) is a good choice with the sea bass, or the Australian Willowglen Shiraz (£18) is an ideal accompaniment to the lamb. A middle of the road selection of beers and ciders, including Peroni (£3.20) and Magners Light (£3.50) round off the list nicely.

The Last Word
A small, friendly and romantic bistro-cum-bar, The Hive is an inviting and undemanding spot which seeks to please its neighbours in Brixton, and largely succeeds.

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