‘People who live in Brixton are proud to be here’: A travel guide from Stir Coffee 🇬🇧
Far enough south to be off the tourist trail of London, Brixton remains one of the city’s better-known areas. Here in 2016 opened Stir Coffee by Anton Taratine. Originally from Russia by way of Toronto, Anton settled in Brixton the year he founded Stir and has an insider’s guide to the food & beverage scene of Brixton.
Founded by Anton Taratine in 2016, Stir Coffee is located in Brixton, south of London.
Filter: What do you like to do for fun around Brixton?
Central Brixton is busy—and can be pretty full on if you are just trying to have a chill time—so I usually find myself in Herne Hill instead. It’s a short walk away from Brixton Station and I often cut through Brokwell Park, which happens to be one of the best parks in London. Herne Hill has lovely shops, great spots to grab some food, and is just all around lovely. I find myself around here fairly regularly—and weather permitting you can easily spend all day in Brokwell Park. The winter is rubbish in London, so whenever the sun is out I try to harvest as much vitamin D as possible.
That being said, Central Brixton is amazing if you are in the mood for it. There is so much going on at the same time, it’s quite an adventure for your senses. I like to swing through Brixton Station Road and check out the market stalls, these are often changing around and sometimes you come across absolute gems.
Filter: If a good friend came to visit, where would you be sure to take them?
One place I’ll always take a friend is Umana Yana, a hole-in-the wall Guyanese takeaway that does the best roti. Sometimes if you are lucky the single table outside the shop is free and it’s a great spot to people watch. Otherwise, there are so many things happening around Brixton it’s pretty easy to stumble across something worth checking out—going for a walk is a great way to get the day going. I would also try to swing by The Windmill Pub, an awesome music venue with live music every night of the week.
Katakata: chilled spot to chill in the garden and grab a banging crepe.
Alkaline Juice Factory: the best juice bar in London.
Veg and Tings: awesome Trinidadian spot doing the best doubles.
Umana Yana: my favourite Caribbean spot—the best roti
The Windmill Pub: one of the last grassroots music venues in London—absolute vibe
Temaki: amazing handroll sushi spot
Filter: What do you like to do to escape the city? Are there any tips people should know before trying these?
Paris and Amsterdam are both a relatively short train journey away with regular trains leaving from Kings Cross. It’s a great way to get out of London for a couple of days, and much less faff than flying. Alternatively jumping on a train and heading to the coast is always a great way to clear your head. I really like Whitstable, it’s about an hour and 20 minutes away from Central London, and is a lovely place to spend the day.
Filter: What touristy things in Brixton are worth the hype?
I think if you haven’t been to Brixton before, pretty much everything is worth doing. Brixton is amazing, and different from anywhere else. My suggestion would be to just walk around, and stumble across something that catches your eye—rather than stick to a plan. That’s the best way to enjoy Brixton.
Filter: Where are your favorite hidden gems there?
I think Brixton Windmill is super cool. It’s London's last working windmill and has a lovely bit of green space surrounding it, with really cool architecture everywhere you look. Definitely worth checking out. The Elm Park Tavern is also a lovely hidden gem, a chill neighbourhood pub and probably my favourite in the area, if not all of London. Likewise Tooting Bec Common is a short walk away from Brixton and is a great spot to go for a long walk.
Filter: What's another coffee shop around there that you really admire?
I’m a big fan of Urban Botanica—it’s in Kennington and just a short bus ride away from Brixton. UB is a coffee and plant shop ran by Steve and Jaren, who are both lovely. The coffee is always amazing and being surrounded by so many plants is very soothing. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes this place so special, but that makes it even more special.
Filter: What makes Brixton feel like home to you?
I’ve lived in Brixton for 9 years, longer than I’ve lived anywhere else. I think what makes Brixton special are the people. Brixton has an extremely rich history—it’s one of these places that people probably heard of, even if they have never been. There is a strong sense of community, and I think people who live in Brixton are proud to be here.
Filter: How did you end up in Brixton’s coffee scene?
I was born in Russia, and grew up in Toronto, Canada. I moved to London in 2011 and settled in Brixton in 2016. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how I ended up in coffee, but I’m definitely glad that I did.
The most rewarding thing about having a coffee shop is meeting the most incredible, interesting and kind people that I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to do so otherwise.
Filter: If you could move to any place in the world just for the coffee scene, where would you move, and what shop would be the biggest reason?
I think at the moment Amsterdam has an incredible coffee scene, and is one of the most beautiful cities full stop. Coffee District and Uncommon would both be equally responsible for the move.
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Stir Coffee is located in Brixton, south London.
Food & Beverage
Katakata: chilled spot to chill in the garden and grab a banging crepe.
Alkaline Juice Factory: the best juice bar in London.
Veg and Tings: awesome Trinidadian spot doing the best doubles.
Umana Yana: my favourite Caribbean spot—the best roti
The Windmill Pub: one of the last grassroots music venues in London—absolute vibe
Parks
Neighborhoods & Areas
Out of Town
