From Soho to Shoreditch and up to Angel, the purveyors of all South American sass have come south of the river. Naturally, wherever copious amounts of rum are, DesignMyNight will be. Barrio Brixton welcomes you to the neighbourhood.
The Venue
Probably the smallest of all its city-wide pals, Barrio Brixton comes with just as much punch as the rest of them. A vision of colour on Acre Lane, Barrio is like the Wahaca of drinking. Nowhere puts more Mexico, Latino and Brazilian flavour together than this place. Flowing out onto the street with its perfectly sized courtyard known aptly as ‘El Patio’, Barrio brings a bit of South American heat to Brixton. Street art covers the walls with rainbows of bright colours, foliage hangs from the ceiling and tropical wallpapers go throughout. There’s also the signature caravan inside where you can book private parties for a night of straight up tequila. This Barrio takes on more of the cantina vibe where the venue's street food offering really comes to light; so you’ll find the place packed out with table sittings.
A colourful, vibrant taste of South America comes to Brixton via the newest Barrio opening.
The Food & Drinks
A little bit of Lima-lovin’ never hurt anyone. Barrio’s food offering brings to life the vibrant culinary landscape of Peru with an array of bold and traditional plates. Ideal for picking at and sharing with a few casual bevvies, there’s the Crudo (raw), Botana (snack), Asado (grilled) and Frito (fried) dishes to sink your teeth into. Obviously we had one from each – but here’s a run-down of the best of the bunch.
Numero Uno: PULPO A LA PARRILLA (£7.50) – Grilled octopus, roasted amarillo chilli cream and crispy potatoes. Oh the flavours (and a relatively meaty fish for those shy of seafood).
Dos: PORK SANGUCHE (£7.00) – Pork belly sliders with sweet potato jam & rocoto mayo (aka THE DREAM).
Tres: TEQUENOS (v) (£4.50) – Crispy wonton filled with 3 cheese mix, burnt spring onions & tomato chipotle chili jam. Basically little parcels of molten cheesy joy.
Onto the drinks. Queue George Michael ‘Club Tropicana drinks are freeeeeee’. With Amigo Hour erry day until 9pm, the drinks may as well be free at £5.50 a cocktail. The standout cocktail of the evening was the Che Guava (£8.50) – a heady mix of Santa Teresa Rum, Vida Mezcal, guava, passion fruit and a hint of lime. Tangy and sweet. The Green Grocer (£9) is a fresh dose of Beefeater Gin, kiwi, coriander, lime, cucumber and sesame seeds. And of course, you can never go wrong with a classico Barrio Mojito (£9).
Explosive cocktails that go big on the tequila and pisco are just £5.50 during daily Amigo Hours.
The Atmosphere
Barrio is never short of a buzz, no matter where you are in the city and their Brixton bar doesn’t fall short on this. They play more on the cantina vibes than in any other Barrio, making the best use of their space and leading the movement of casual dining. The music is always turned up and the service is friendly and relaxed.
Expect a buzzing atmosphere made for casual dining, followed by drinks and dancing 'til late.
Summary
Mi amore Barrio. It’s got a bit of everything you’re looking for: authentic bites, danceable beats and cocktails to see you through the late nights. #Epicwinning.
