Kudu Grill | South African Braai… in South London
Once upon a time, The Kudu Collective had three venues: Kudu (the restaurant), Smokey Kudu (the cocktail bar, now Little Kudu), and Curious Kudu (the private dining room), all of which were within ten yards of each other next to Queens Road Peckham station. So imagine how surprised everyone was to learn that the fourth member of the Kudu clan was to be located a massive one kilometre away in Nunhead.
(Which is also in Peckham).
We know, it might as well be on the other side of the world. But luckily Kudu Grill isn’t a million miles away from the others in style, sharply laid out – as it is – in the classic Kudu style, only this time with an emphasis on open-fire braai cooking. It was an inevitable move, or at least it was according to owners the Patrick Williams and Amy Corbin, who said, “as South Africans we can’t resist a good braai”.
The venue is a large, quite beautiful space decked out with dark green leather chairs and velvet banquettes; dark blinds and soft lighting that provide intimacy throughout the evening; and exposed brickwork, concrete and piping that give it all a bit of an industrial feel.
Kudu Grill’s kitchen, of course, is focused around that gorgeous braii, which is being used to scorch all manner of meat & veg (with a lot of produce coming from their own allotment) including dry aged T-bone with beer pickled onions and onion treacle bordelaise; pork chops with monkey gland sauce (which is, thank god, just a name for South African BBQ sauce); and a whole black bream with zhug butter roti.
The dessert trolley hits the spot too, with the afters menu including items like the MelkTert choux bun pictured above, which is served with candied kumquats and an ever-so-delicate jasmine ice cream.
And finally, the wine. South Africa, you may have heard, produces a lot of it. And here, they’ve curated a tight list of first-class vintages. You could blindfold yourself, and point at a random bottle, and it’s guaranteed to be delicious.
And it’ll probably go well with the food, too.
NOTE: Kudu Grill is open for dinner Wed-Sun, and lunch Fri-Sun. You can find out more and make a reservation right HERE.
Kudu Grill | 57 Nunhead Lane, SE15 3TR
While you’re near Peckham... you might want to check out the best bars in Peckham.