Jay Patel ran front of house at both Barrafina and Koya before opening his first Bermondsey business, Legare, on Shad Thames in 2019. "It's unlike most of the Italians across town," said Standard critic David Ellis in a glowing review of the modern Italian. In 2025, he opened a new wine bar, Luna, just across the street in Shad Thames with co-founder and chef Matt Beardmore as executive chef, a neighbourhood wine bar, bottle shop & restaurant.
40 Maltby Street
40 Maltby Street, London SE1 3PA
If I’m not at Luna (my own wine bar and restaurant), 40 Maltby Street is arguably my favourite restaurant and wine bar in London, and one of the very few places that I drink natural wine. The menu is always perfectly pitched, as are their wines. So many great evenings there with my wife and our friends over the years.
Bermondsey Corner
142 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TX
Great cosy wine shop. Laura and her partner run a brilliant shop that sells incredible charcuterie and cheese alongside fantastic wines. As much as I love wine, I don’t drink that much and I’m very selective about what I drink - for me, Bermondsey Corner has a beautiful selection from some of the best suppliers in London. In the summer, it’s also a great place to people-watch.
Lebo Lebanese Grill
173 New Kent Rd, London SE1 4AG
Down the New Kent Road on the way to Elephant & Castle is arguably the best shawarma and kebab in London. It is literally a hole in the wall, and in my opinion, THE best cheap, quick and delicious wraps in South London. I don’t know how the servers memorise everyone’s order and never get it wrong, but on a busy lunch or late night, you can expect to see upwards of 30-40 people crowded around it, shouting orders and collecting their food. I’ve been going since university and it’s still just as good as it ever was.
Watchhouse
199 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UW
For a great coffee - WatchHouse all day long. We moved to Bermondsey from Shoreditch when WatchHouse was a single small shop on the end of Bermondsey street - an old 'watch house' no less. As the brand has grown, so too has the quality and attention to detail, which goes against the norm for most hospitality businesses. For me, it's their oat flat white every time.
El Marsem
223 Old Kent Rd, London SE1 5LU
On the Old Kent Road is an Algerian bakery called El Marsem. Nondescript, simple… often with groups of Algerian men having their morning or afternoon coffees.. but inside, there are tonnes of freshly baked pastries and pies at incredibly affordable prices. When my wife and I are working from home, if it’s not the Lebo grill, it’s here for lunch for us!
See also
For more of these local area guides, visit the My Manor page.
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