A few steps away from the colourful chaos that is Brixton, diners seeking a haven will find the Laundry. It is – you’ve guessed it – located on the site of a former washing house. Closed after 120 years in service and reopened in 2019 as an all-day dining destination, the Laundry delivers.
The iconic building where the original façade has been loving preserved (check the tiles that say “shirt and collar dressing and dyeing and cleaning works”) opens onto the street. Guests can linger over a latte or sip a cocktail while watching the world go by. Inside, the space is cleverly allocated: a more intimate upstairs area plus a hidden gem of a downstairs room. The latter, where our group of six ate, can be hired for private events too. Elements from the Edwardian heyday of the original laundry can be found in both spaces. Downstairs benefits from some clever natural light too, enabled by the glass paving stones above.
The culinary angle is a simple one: follow the modern mantra of seasonal, local and sustainable. The Laundry is modelled on European all-day bistros, but the New Zealand proprietor throws in a few more modern twists of creativity and flair. At dinner, guests get to choose from around half a dozen snacks, starters, mains and desserts. A blackboard displays the day’s specials. The options available on our visit capture the essence of the Laundry perfectly. Bone marrow with wild garlic pesto, new season asparagus with gribiche, and crab linguine constitute some spot-on choices to accompany warm Spring optimism.
Our sextet broadly roved over all sections of the menu. The dishes were predominant successes with no notable fails. Guests praised both the freshness and the quality of the ingredients. If one were to quibble, some of the dishes were slightly over-engineered or saw accompanying sauces overwhelm the underlying flavour of the protein. The Laundry excelled when it keeps things simple. Asparagus and duck confit options were standouts.
Other reasons to visit comprise service, price and wine. Our host for the evening, Phoenix, was charismatic, on hand to serve all our demands, knowledgeable and unfazed. Dining here won’t break the bank either. Assume three courses will cost around £50. Even better, on a Tuesday – when we visited – there is no corkage on wines. On other occasions the main list offers some interesting options. So, rinse and repeat for the Laundry then.