Levan is a cosy, neighbourhood restaurant in South London's Peckham, serving up an inventive menu in a relaxed setting. Generally speaking, the cuisine is earmarked as European, but is inspired by a diverse range of cities across the continent. Restaurants in Paris, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Stockholm and Berlin have all contributed to this eatery's vibe, which might explain why it feels so effortlessly cosmopolitan.
Day drinkers will love Levan which laments itself as an all-day bar with a strong focus on natural wine. The restaurant works with small artisanal producers, based across France, Germany, Italy and Spain, to curate a selection of quality, low-intervention, organic and biodynamic wines. By the glass, you can try the house Pet Nat, a healthy selection of whites and reds, and a skin contact rose. When buying by the bottle, the offering ups significantly and includes skin contact orange wine, too. We also like that each bottle comes with a mini description, which is often quite humourous, as a cute touch.
The menu is a la carte and designed not to overwhelm, presenting a neat selection of snacks and sharing dishes. Nibbles for the table consist of comte fries with saffron aioli, sardines with lemon and olive oil and sourdough with whipped butter. Move on to the sharing plates and there's something for everyone. Carnivores will be pleased to see ham hock terrine with celeriac and Hokkaido milk bread, as well as lamb, carrot and morel. There's also sea bream, ceviche, rhubarb and coriander, alongside trout, sesame and little gem. Veggie plates are furnished with the likes of burrata, pine nuts and puntarelle, as well as tortellini, ricotta and lemon. There's also the chance to try the chef's favourite dishes by opting in for a surprise set tasting menu.
The space itself is stylish but understated, characterised by colbalt-blue walls, warm-toned wooden furniture and accessories such as vinyl records and wine bottles displayed on shelves.