Pull into Deptford station, and you immediately get the sense that this is a fine place to be fed. You’ll get the smell of fresh fish from the string of fishmongers along the High Street, “second only to Billingsgate” in the words of one local blogger. You’ll see the smoke signals wafting from the jerk pans of Deptford Market Yard. You’ll sense the palpable hunger in your fellow passengers who are pitching up in Deptford today for the same reason you are; to eat.
Once a dockyard of significant importance during the reign of Henry VIII, Deptford has long been a place of comings and goings, its identity continuously shaped by the ebb and flow of people and cultures even before the opening of the Deptford Station on the London and Greenwich Railway in 1836, which heralded a new era of connectivity, making it the oldest railway station in London.
This development paved the way for waves of migration that have enriched the area with a kaleidoscope of cultures and cuisines. Today, Deptford’s food scene is a reflection of its ethnic diversity, with its various communities contributing to the local palate in myriad, delicious ways.
The opening of the overground train line in 2009 marked a new chapter in Deptford’s story. This vital link to the rest of London has not only made the area more accessible but has also played a pivotal role in its growth. Regenerated but fortunately perhaps not quite yet gentrified, this modern connectivity has fostered a burgeoning food scene where the area’s historic comings and goings mingle with contemporary gastronomy and budding entrepreneurism.
Not to be overshadowed by neighbour Peckham’s much hyped dining scene, Deptford has been making some serious statements recently, with the area pushing the envelope with a string of delicious restaurant openings. With all that in mind, here are the best places to eat in Deptford.
Jerk Yard
Ideal for jerk chicken in a convivial, communal space…
If you’re the kind of person who needs a bite where they alight, then you’ll be pleased to hear that just seconds from Deptford Station you’ll find Deptford Market Yard, its 14 arches occupied by independent traders selling plenty of delicious bits, and the adjacent yard a buzzing, sociable space to settle into.
Under those arches, Jerk Yard does a range of takeaway boxes and wraps for under a tenner, mainly centred around their properly smoky, damn delicious chicken legs, all blistered and burnished from the grill and finished with a viscous, piquant jerk sauce. Get it over rice and peas, as a wrap, or in a sandwich. A side of sweet fried plantain soothes those spicier notes.
Though there are only a couple of tables belonging to Jerk Yard out front, there are plenty of communal benches in this lively, thriving space.
Jerk Yard is open daily from 11am to 10pm.
Website: jerkyard.uk
Address: Arch 10, 4 Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX
Taca Tacos
Ideal for trying one of the best lamb birria of your life…
Also tucked away in the arches, you can’t miss Taca Tacos, its yellow and purple neon sign illuminating the Market Yard and drawing the punters in. They’re all here for one thing; the signature beef birria.
Here, a quesataco (a folded, grilled taco with melted cheese) is filled with slow-cooked, gently spiced beef, its caramelised edges calling to mind those gorgeous, bubbling parts that your cheese toastie leaves behind in the Breville. Served alongside for dipping is an intensely salty, gelatinous beef broth, spiked with chilli and lime. What a dish this is.
With long communal tables outfront available on a walk-in only basis, you might have to wait a little during peak times, but the food comes out fast, so why not pitch up at one of the adjacent bars and luxuriate in the whole Deptford Market Yard experience?
Tacas Tacos is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, open in the evenings on Wednesdays and Thursdays, open for lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, and open for lunch only on Sundays.
Website: tacatacos.co.uk
Address: Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX
Kekaki Izakaya
Ideal for an alfresco izakaya experience…
It might feel perverse to be enjoying a finely tuned, expertly executed izakaya meal whilst basking in the sunshine and glow of Deptford Market Yard’s alfresco conviviality, but Kekaki is not ordinary izakaya.
The restaurant, run by the talented chef Ping, a Vietnam War refugee who has since set up shop in Deptford, offers a light, bright and breezy Japanese culinary concept far removed from the grungy backstreet dive bars of Tokyo traditionally associated with the izakaya dining experience.
And what a joy it is to be catching some rays in anticipation of a procession of gnarly, blistered bits and deep fried delights. Onwards, then, and into some teeth-shatteringly crisp chicken karaage. And how about a plate of yaki sakana alongside – here, bream that’s just the right side of bitterness from the binchotan, and blessed only with a few flakes of sea salt? Don’t mind if we do. Plenty of yakitori skewers and some ethereally light seasonal vegetable tempura are pretty much obligatory too, regardless of whether you decide to bill them as side dishes or the main event.
None of this gets in the least bit cloying. Indeed, there’s plenty of flair on display on the rectangle plates here, with chef Ping’s stints at globally renowned Nobu and the much-maligned Sexy Fish in Miami and London respectively coming through. He brings a few touches of each to Deptford, whether it’s in the Nobu-inspired jalapeno spiked kewpie mayo that appears dotted across several dishes, or the tight, taut tuna maki rolls that are something of a signature on Berkeley Square.
It’s light, glorious stuff that feels just right in the summer sun. A chilled glass of sake or a refreshing highball seals the deal.
Instagram: @kekaki.eats
Website: Arch 9, Deptford Market Yard, London SE8 4BX
Klose & Soan
Matt Klose and Sam Soan have been feeding South East London through their catering company for years, but since taking over the kitchen at 209 Deptford High Street (formerly Winemakers) in 2019, they’ve given the area’s residents a permanent space to experience their cooking. The restaurant, split between a zinc-topped bar area up front and a dining room painted in deep teal at the back, feels like the kind of place locals come to multiple times a week, and there’s a convivial atmosphere bouncing around the room as a result.
The weekly-changing menu leans Mediterranean, with small plates and larger sharing dishes built around what’s good right now. Their chickpea panisse has become something of a calling card since the Winemakers days – bronzed, crunchy cubes of chickpea paste with a blizzard of grated Grana Padano and fermented chilli sauce that disappears from plates faster than seems physically possible. Cantabrian anchovies come glistening and salty, the kind that need nothing but good bread and a glass of something cold.
Not perhaps; they definitely benefit from something cold, and the largely low-intervention, biodynamic wine list delivers. The Muscadet cuts through the richer dishes beautifully, whilst the Gruner Veltliner brings some Austrian crispness to proceedings (both are available by the glass for under a tenner). The latter paired beautifully with a recent autumn menu addition of burrata with shaved fennel, fragola grapes and crisp, pleasingly bitter raddicchio.
It’s not all dainty and delicate. When it comes to the bigger plates, the onglet with homemade chimichurri, frites and salad (the most expensive single plate on the menu at £26.50) keeps things simple and does it with a breezy confidence that’s endearing. The steak gets a robust char that suits this gnarlier cut so well, and the chimichurri is a well made, not-too-vinegary version of the now ubiquitous, oft-murdered sauce. There’s usually a vegetarian main too – fried polenta with Taleggio, pumpkin, chestnut and sage wowed a plant-leaning dining companion on a recent visit. All in all, it’s all good at this Deptford High Street favourite.
Klose & Soan opens Wednesday through Saturday for dinner, though it’s worth checking their website for any changes or special opening times.
Website: kloseandsoan.co.uk
Address: 209 Deptford High St, London SE8 3NT
Cafe Mama Pho
Ideal for an elegant, silky bowl of pho…
Cafe Mama Pho is a beacon of warmth on a dreary London day. Or, it’s a revitalising place to rehydrate on a bowl of electrolyte-filled soup on a particularly balmy day in the capital. Choose your poison…
…not that we’re saying the pho here is virulent. Anything but; the chicken pho here, in particular, is a vital, restorative bowl that will transport you right to the ngõs of Hanoi, minus the soundtrack of incessant motorbike beeping. All gentle aniseed notes and a graceful silkiness from the poached, skin-on chicken thighs, it’s one of our favourite bowls of pho in London. The pho tai (a version using raw slices of beef that cook gently in the broth) is excellent too. So much so, in fact, that we’ve written all about it here.
Website: cafemamapho.co.uk
Address: 24 Evelyn St, London SE8 5DG
Eat Vietnam Bar-B-Grill
Ideal for a flavour of crowdpleasing Vietnamese classics…
Deptford is arguably the epicentre of some of the most downright delicious Vietnamese food in the country, with historic migration from Vietnam to this corner of south east London beginning in the early 1980s and continuing to this day.
Perhaps our favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Deptford is Eat Vietnam, a family run joint with a keen sense of community, a killer menu of crowdpleasers, and a thriving, throbbing atmosphere every night of the week (11:30am to 3pm, and 5pm to 11pm, every day).
Whilst the beef pho here is some of the best we’ve had in the city, the national dish certainly isn’t the only showstopper on this extensive, country-spanning menu. Perhaps even better is the bun bo hue – a spicy rice noodle soup from Vietnam’s imperial city and former capital. Inside that gorgeous chilli-spiked broth, you’ll find various pork and beef bones and bits bobbing about. Raise one to your mouth as elegantly as possible and have a gnaw. As with all the best versions of this cracking dish, the unmistakable thrum of shrimp paste is ever present. It’s fortifying stuff.
For something lighter, Eat Vietnam does a fine selection of banh mi, too. And if you need any further reason to visit, the restaurant donates 10% of its tips to charities in Vietnam.
Website: eat-vietnam.co.uk
Address: 234 Evelyn St, London SE8 5BZ
Chaconia
Ideal for vegetarians seeking spice…
Another gem on Deptford High Street, Chaconia is just the ticket if you’re looking for freshly slapped Trini roti, richly spiced curry goat, and a warm welcome from the owner and chef. It’s a no-frills spot that delivers big on flavour and hospitality.
It’s also a superb place for vegetarians to eat really well in Deptford, with the roti flakey and moreish, and the spinach and pumpkin chana gorgeously spiced. Do not miss out on a side order of the bracing kuchela, a spicy pickle-cum-relish that is a fantastic foil to the heady, rich dry-spicing on that chana.
Again, whilst primarily a takeaway operation, there are three four-tops in the barebones restaurant if you fancy a sitdown.
Website: chaconia.net
Address: 26 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AF
Buster Mantis
Ideal for Jamaican dining, drinking and dancing…
Buster Mantis is one of Deptford’s most famous hospitality spaces, a bar, restaurant and nightclub that gets busy late with those looking to dine and dance, equally.
Named after Sir Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica’s first prime minister, Buster Mantis is more than just a restaurant; it’s a creative space that reflects McGowan’s own experiences growing up in Mandeville, Jamaica.
Ackee and saltfish, boneless jerk chicken thigh, and fried plantain are among the classic Jamaican staples available, while dishes like red kidney bean and thyme hummus or jerk jackfruit roti wrap cater to those seeking a modern twist on traditional flavours. On that note, the ‘Jamaican Sunday Roast’ here is a real treat. McGowan’s mother, Janet, is credited with the creation of each dish, ensuring that the food served is not only delicious but also steeped in genuine Jamaican culinary tradition.
Buster Mantis is not just about the food; it’s also a place where the drinks menu tells a story. Cocktails inspired by life in Mandeville, such as the Bishop Gibson and the Cecil Charlton, offer patrons a taste of McGowan’s Jamaican childhood in boozy form.
In an ever-evolving Deptford, Buster Mantis bridges the gap between old and new Deptford, attracting a diverse range of customers in love with the place’s faithful approach to Jamaican cuisine and culture.
Website: bustermantis.com
Address: 3-4 Resolution Way, London SE8 4NT
Likkle ‘d’
Ideal for Caribbean takeaway that keeps the locals queuing…
There’s almost always a queue outside Likkle ‘d’ on Deptford High Street, which makes sense once you’ve eaten here. Behind the counter, the open kitchen boxes up orders at speed, turning out jerk chicken, curry goat and fried chicken for a steady stream of regulars who clearly know what they’re coming for.
The jerk chicken doesn’t rely on heavy smoke for flavour. Instead, it’s cooked until beautifully tender whilst staying moist, which is harder to achieve than it sounds. Their fried chicken comes with a thick, well-seasoned crust that suggests care rather than speed. Both are standouts.
Despite the name suggesting otherwise, portions here are generous and the pricing won’t sting. Barbecue chicken, oxtail, curry goat, mac and cheese, and rice and peas are all available, with their house sweet sauce worth adding. Homemade punches – Guinness or Magnum – sits in the fridge alongside the usual Tropical Rhythm and Supermalt – the former pack and punch.
The setup is simple: order at the counter, collect your box, then either head out or grab a seat if you’re staying. Most people seem to be regulars, which speaks to the consistency. Likkle may be in the name, but there’s nothing small about the appeal here.
Likkle ‘d’ is open 11am to 9pm every day except Sunday, when they take a well-earned break.
Instagram: @1likkle.d
Address: 45 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AD
Marcella
Ideal for simple, elegant Italian cooking at an affordable pricepoint…
We end our tour of the best places to eat in Deptford at Marcella, an elegant Italian restaurant on the high street whose approach is all about quality seasonal ingredients cooked with a simple, respectful touch.
Named after the matriarch of modern Italian cuisine, Marcella Hazan, the restaurant is the second act from the guys behind the beloved Artusi in Peckham. Here, the proposition is the same, from the clinical, canteen-like dining room all the way to the laughably good value Sunday set menu, which is just £29 for three courses.
That sense of sparsity extends to the ever changing menu, where you’ll find just three starters, a couple of pasta dishes, three mains, and a couple of desserts. That’s not to say that the plates aren’t generous. On a recent visit, a starter of blushing mutton chop and winter tomato salad was a knockout, as was a pumpkin ravioli with sage butter (available in small or large for £9 or £17, respectively). In early summer, there are few plates better in London than Marcella’s spaghetti alle vongole. Not long now!
For many, that would be a more than satisfying spread, but the bigger plates (only available in the evenings) are hard to resist here. Arriving fully formed and roundly conceived, rather than a single protein in need of several supplementary sides, these are hearty, well-balanced mains. A case in point was a recent plate of cod loin, baked until pearlescent and flaking, and served with a nutty Jerusalem artichoke puree and strident salsa verde. Each component brought the best out of its plate-fellow, which made finishing this one much easier than it should have been after the two pasta courses that preceded it!
Bottles from the all-Italian winelist start at £29, though there are several available by the glass too.
Marcella is closed on Mondays.
Website: marcella.london
Address: 165A Deptford High St, London SE8 3NU
The Bottom Line
Deptford’s dining scene is a testament to London’s and the area’s culinary diversity, offering something for every palate. Whether you’re craving a hearty British classic or a true taste of Jamaica, these spots are sure to satisfy your hunger and leave you planning your next visit.
