Hausu is a new restaurant and listening bar in South London – and it doesn’t just play bangers, it is one.
It’s part of the new wave of places like Bambi & Goodbye Horses that have mastered the listening bar trifecta – food, wine, and vinyl – really, really well. This one’s right in the beating heart of Peckham (it’s almost inside the station), and the team behind it have been road-testing their ideas for years now at sell-out pop-ups and residencies, so it’s no real surprise that they’ve nailed it right out of the gate.
That team is comprised of native South London siblings Tom and Holly, and their close mate Chris. They’ve named the place after a psychedelic cult Japanese horror movie from the late ’70s that involves possessed mattresses and pianos that eat people. Thankfully, they didn’t include any of those features in the actual place – it’s more of a laid-back, mid-century style spot with soft green banquettes, herringbone floors, and retro lighting that glows softly on the panelled walls.
The menu is taken care of by Holly, whose CV includes places like The Camberwell Arms and The Waterman Arms. Her background in Italian cooking (as well as a love of Asian food generally) has led to some outstanding dishes, like scallop and prawn toast flecked with black sesame seeds and partnered by gochujang ketchup; a creamy, elegant black and white mix of squid ink noodles with agretti and white crab; and a flavour-packed, coriander-heavy chicken soup called ‘Dad’s Broth’, which Tom and Holly used to eat growing up. It has a chicken skewer for dipping, and it’s lovely.
Tom is on cocktail duty, shaking up bergamot negronis, coconut daiquiris, and plum and rhubarb sours. And his partner Rose (former somm at Brat) has put together a female-forward wine list to go with it. The final piece of the puzzle is the music, and Chris is pouring his extensive music knowledge into the turntable here. But despite how many genres, styles, and eras he tries to balance…
…it’s all Hausu music.
NOTE: Hausu is open now, Tuesday to Sunday. You can find out more, and make a booking at the Hausu website.
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Hausu | 11a Station Way, SE15 4RX
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