Where to eat in The Junction: Northcote Road to St John’s Hill
Dosa on Northcote Road, pizza on Lavender Hill and banh mi up St John’s Hill: a street-by-street guide to eating in The Junction.
By Clapham London Editorial
The Junction is the name for the Clapham Junction town centre, in SW11, and the best eating is spread across a handful of streets: Northcote Road, St John’s Hill, Lavender Hill, Battersea Rise and St John’s Road. Start with the street that suits your mood, then pick a table.
Northcote Road
Tamila, 39 Northcote Road. A south Indian restaurant from the team behind The Tamil Prince in Islington. It is known for dosa, tandoori dishes and curries, and a set lunch at £14.50 appeared in the Junction BID’s current offers, so it is the one to pick on a budget. The Infatuation includes it in its guide to the best restaurants in Clapham. Order the dosa. Check the lunch deal is still running before you go. (The Infatuation, Junction BID)
Osteria Antica Bologna, 23 Northcote Road. Italian, and in the words of the Junction BID a permanent fixture on Northcote Road for 30 years. It is bookable through OpenTable, which makes it a reliable pick for a group. (Junction BID)
Northcote Road is also the heart of what Wikipedia calls Nappy Valley, with a food market that dates back to the 1860s, so it is a good street to wander before you sit down. (Wikipedia)
St John’s Hill
Viet Caphe, 127 St John’s Hill. A pastel-pink Vietnamese café about five minutes up the hill from the station’s St John’s Hill exit. Ideal Magazine says it opened in 2024 and rates the banh mi as one of the best its writers have had outside Vietnam. Bun cha and summer rolls are on the menu too, and the Vietnamese iced coffee can be taken away. It is cheap, dog friendly, has vegetarian options and tables inside and out. Wheelchair access is limited to the outdoor tables. (Ideal Magazine, Battersea Arts Centre)
Spruce, 140 St John’s Hill. A café by day and a wine bar in the evening. The Infatuation scored it 8.2 and singles out the sandwiches. In the evening the food is limited to nuts and a toastie, and drinkers spill onto the pavement with wine. Hours are worth checking before you head over. (The Infatuation)
Folde, 143 St John’s Hill. Vegetarian, serving brunch and dinner dishes according to The Infatuation. (Junction BID)
Lavender Hill
Pizzeria Pellone, 42 Lavender Hill. Neapolitan pizza, with a menu split between a traditional half and a more creative half. TripAdvisor describes it as the first Pizzeria Pellone outside Naples. OpenTable lists wood-fired pizzas at £25 and under, says it is family friendly and recommends booking. Start with the polpette (beef meatballs, £7.90 on Uber Eats), then go for a pizza from the traditional half. Opening hours differ between listings, so check before you set out. (Ideal Magazine, OpenTable)
St John’s Road
Botanica Hall, in the former Arding & Hobbs building, St John’s Road. Hot Dinners describes an all-day restaurant, late-night bar and vodka distillery in the Grade II-listed department store, from the team behind Canova Hall in Brixton. It is known for coal-fired pizza and homemade pasta. The Queen Bee pizza has goat’s cheese, sweet potato and hot honey. (Hot Dinners)
Ploussard, 97 St John’s Road. The Infatuation lists it first in its Clapham guide, and Ideal Magazine includes it as a St John’s Road pick. (The Infatuation)
Battersea Rise
Sinabro, 28 Battersea Rise. The splurge. The Infatuation puts it in its top price band and files it under special occasions and birthdays. Visit London describes refined French cooking with a twist. (The Infatuation)
Which one, when
- Cheap and quick: Viet Caphe, St John’s Hill, for banh mi.
- Lunch deal: Tamila, Northcote Road, set lunch at £14.50.
- Group pizza night: Pizzeria Pellone, Lavender Hill, or Botanica Hall, St John’s Road.
- Vegetarian: Folde, St John’s Hill.
- Birthday dinner: Sinabro, Battersea Rise.
