If I was to write a piece about the gentrification of Brixton, the article would be 5,000 words long and I’d be expecting a grade and corrections at the end of it.

Suffice to say that Brixton has changed.

People like me who have lived in South London for their whole lives think they know Brixton very well, then they turn some inconspicuous corner and find something as unlikely as Pop Brixton – a trendy shipping container structure which is home to 50 equally on trend businesses.

One such business is Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen.

Effectiveness
No matter how “cool” the restaurant is, if I have to sneak off to McDonald’s for some chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce afterwards, was it really effective?

Luckily I had to make no such trip after visiting Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen, but I did end up in another Shoreditch-esque location EkcoVision for drinks.

Ingredients
On this visit I tried the Red red and plantain sprinkled with gari, Jollof fried chicken with Shito mayo, Goat curry, Jollof rice and fried Okra all washed down with Nigerian Fanta.

Childish side note: I am fully against Okra. Okra gives me nightmares, Caribbean’s call Okra old ladies fingers, Okra is the slimiest thing I have ever met.

Having said all this, after trying Zoe’s Okra my fears were *slightly* appeased – it tasted pretty damn good, and there wasn’t even a hint of slime.

OK, back to being an adult: the food was delicious, it was the first time I had ever tried Ghanian food and I was very impressed – although Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen offers a modern take on traditional dishes so don’t go expecting things to be just as Ghanaians make them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEV6atcpQ1o/

 

Convenience
Pop Brixton is something to visit in itself – there are a number of other places to eat, as well as shops selling T-shirts, bags and homemade goods.

The complex is on Brixton Station Road (number 49 to be exact), about 10 minutes from Brixton Underground station.

Although Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen is small, it’s perfectly comfortable and in direct receipt of some pretty good late afternoon sunshine.

I loved how the interior reflected the traditional Ghanaian roots and suited the young clientele they’re obviously trying to target.

I’ve been taking a look at the story behind the kitchen, just in case you’re as nosy as me, here’s the back story owner Zoe Adjonyoh wrote:

“Born from creating a ‘pop-up’ Ghanaian restaurant in my live/workspace in Hackney Wick in the summer of 2011 as part of Hackney Wicked Arts Festival, Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen has grown with popular demand.”

The R Factor
You can probably guess that I’ll be going back to Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen, (post-church lunch anyone?)

Since visiting I’ve posted a picture of the food on Instagram and Facebook, spoken about it on my radio show and put it on Snapchat – so I’ve pretty much recommended it across the board.

But don’t just take my word for it, here’s what other people thought:

Restaurant Review: Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen – Glamour Magazine

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen: the chef bringing West African food to the masses – The Telegraph

It’s Ghana be tasty: Inside Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen – Deliveroo

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen – Great Little Place