The Brigade

Great food and awesome atmosphere. Staff super friendly and very quick service. Place was packed and everyone was having a great time. Very great place to hang with friends and have a night out.

I visited Brigade on a Thursday evening for a family birthday celebration, as its one of my nan’s favourites. I’d been for a work event several years earlier but never for a meal.
I had the gazpacho to start, followed by the aubergine and butter bean pancakes with a side of potato salad. I hate to say it, particularly given the restaurant’s fantastic community work, but I found most of the food very bland and with the small portions that you might expect from a 5* restaurant. In fact, for me this summed up my overall impression of Brigade — it felt to me like it should be a grounded, slightly edgy eatery, but that it was trying too hard to be high-​end.
The waiting staff were kind and attentive, although service overall was perhaps a little too speedy — we had ordered and finished two courses within about an hour. It wasn’t even that we were rushed — but the food came out very, very fast.
Brigade could improve by focusing on these little touches. Would I visit agin? Yes. Would I go out of my way to eat here again? Sadly, probably not.

Cool little joint, seems to get busy with a lot of the local youngins & after work crowd… nice vibe, if u like modern, clean.

Headed to review as it was just over the road from work but I doubt I’ll be back. I’d been in before for drinks and as long as that is all you are after then you should be ok.
I went for the burger which was served on an annoying slate that I found it awkward to eat from and when presentation is what you appear to be going after rather than the actual product then you are in trouble. The burger was overcooked and lacking in flavour and not cheap at £16 (plus 12.5% service) and the portion size on the bangers and mash was distinctly lacking.
I think the ethos behind the restaurant is a good one however not quite enough for me to eat here again

I went to Brigade with a group of friends for a long overdue catchup. I had wanted to dine at brigade for a long time. I love that they work with the Beyond Food Foundation, providing catering apprenticeships for vulnerable people so they have the opportunity of a better future.
We arrived early to have a drink at the bar. It’s quite small but I don’t think that’s an issue for a restaurant. It was annoying that they propped the door open letting in a cold draft, but that’s my only real complaint.
A great atmosphere fills ths venue. There’s the business of the open kitchen, some small rooms come off the side of the main dining areas to provide a more intimate space for larger (noisier) groups and the lighting provides a nice ambiance. The service was very good. One friend was running late and they were happy to bring drinks while waiting for her, and then another friend didn’t turn up and that was not a problem for them.
The food was wonderful. The meat was tender and fell of the bone. The dessert was beautifully presented and looked just as good. There’s a great apprentice set menu. It’s not got much choice but I’d love to try it next time I go
I was particularly impressed that on the final bill they charged me for the out of stock dish that I’d wanted rather than the option I chosen second.

So this place scores well on ambience, they have some truly likeable staff. I had an urge for a white burgundy, there wasn’t really anything nice on the wine list so the waitress had a look through their stockroom and came back with something stunning, not in the least cheap at £65, but a very nice wine indeed, complex, subtle and wonderfully quaffable.
My girlfriend had the French Onion Soup which she thoroughly enjoyed and I had the Scotch Egg as a starter. It was served with a truly amazing beetroot piccalilli which in combination made my whole mouth light up with tiny spicy orgasmettes at every bite. At this point I was quite bowled over by the place.
The other half had sea bass which was cooked in a lovely sauce and I had the ribeye which is where as a restaurant, it started coming off the rails. The steak ordered medium rare turned up medium well. There was no issue changing it, but the over-​cooked steak left my table with half a side order of winter greens and when the medium rare steak arrived it was without a replenished side order. The steak was properly cooked with an interesting glaze that was fine but unnecessary. Steak shouldn’t be fiddly and this steak was thin, small and fiddly. When you look at your plate at the end of your steak and there are more bits of stringy gristly, blood vessely bits than there were juicy yummy steak bits, there’s a problem. It just wasn’t a nice bit of meat. I’d have been massively irked if we hadn’t done a taste card two for one deal, which strangely only applies to two courses here and not three. The aforementioned winter green side was very pleasant and the rustic skin on king Edward sea salted chips were alright, but I they had been twice cooked, needed a few more minutes in the lower temperature first cook to fluffed them up inside a bit more.
Nothing on the dessert menu appealed. So we left, me a little hungry, after tipping generously because of the wonderful waitress and phenomenal manager. This is a great restaurant with some epic wines, fantastic staff, some excellent food and awful steak. I’m going to go again and have the Shepherd’s Pie instead. In all likelihood it will get a 5 star review, but next time I won’t be having the steak.

Second time I’ve been here and much difference in service. First time I came, waitress was attentive in a timely manner and helpful with the ordering pointing out the specials on the board. Meal was tasty and we did not have long waits. Staff were friendly which helped to an enjoyable night.
The restaurant is placed far enough away from the noise of the bar which can get pretty lively. So sat at your table, you are none the wiser. I didn’t think the bar would impact restaurant service but I can only assume it does.
Second visit, my friend was left waiting for s simple glass of wine whilst sat in the restaurant. Whilst they did come and ask us about our order a few times (you know how it is when you get chatting), eventually when we ordered, good came in a reasonable time frame. This time however, there was no intro to specials or talk of the food offered on the menu.
That being said service was friendly although my French beans were forgotten so by the time I realised they were not coming, reminded them and their arrival, my food was cold. No ‘sorry’ or anything.
I like this place and it’s only a short walk from London Bridge so, will be back. Hopefully third time will be more like the first.

I visited Brigade for the first time today after being away from London for 3years.
The food here was delicious, everything was cooked perfectly, it was fresh and the right amount to savour it.
The staff were all incredibly friendly without being in your face too much.
I live in NYC now and eat out a lot I highly recommend this place for the quality and taste of the food as well as the staff.
Loved it!!! Will certainly spread the word.

A solid 4 stars!
I decided to meet a friend here for drinks after sampling their items at a recent Unilocal event. I did not want to dine here just yet but just get the lay of the land.
On arrival, the frontage is a bit deceptive but for me that is a bonus. Why? Because the large glass windows on Tooley St. are a bit tinted and make the venue look like it is closed, when in fact the entrance is just off to the side. I love that little trick because it keeps nosy tourists away.
There are two bar areas, main dining and a few bar stooled tables. This place does not looked cramped at all but it really isn’t that large. Clearly someone knew how to design the seating.
Right, inside and this place has the cosiest, most relaxed and modern vibe I’ve been in for a while. Music was in the background — other London venues, this is how it’s done. Stop blasting out patrons! We were greeted with a sweet smile from the hostess who told us to take a seat anywhere. We opted for the open view kitchen/​bar.
Our view was of the action in the kitchen. I love this kind of seating because not only is it single person friendly (another note for other establishments) but you get to see meals being prepared and I tell you now, I will be back for some because that food looked & smelled gorgeous.
I had a few apéritif’s and my mate had some beers. Service was always prompt, courteous and with a smile.
This place was also spic-​n-​span and that includes the toilets!
This is a winner in my book!

I went to this bar with a mixed group of industry friends midweek.
The bar was quite busy but not to bad that you couldn’t move. We had some sharing platters which were actually quite nice, I find normally sharing platters are nothing to right home about.
The only negative I would really say is the cost of the wine. it was £11.50 for a large glass of house white (sauvignon blanc). This seems a bit much even for London especially as the bar isn’t quite in the center of town, the wine also wasn’t that great.
I would probably return here for a drink but just steer clear of the wine.

I was at the Brigade for a work meeting (20 people) and it was a great experience. The service is fantastic, friendly and quite responsive. Our room was a decent size and had everything we needed. The only fault I really experienced was the wifi kept dropping all throughout the day. This is quite troublesome when trying to work on things.
Typically when you go to these kind of places you think, ‘meh, mediocre food and boring’ but not the Brigade. For 2 days we had amazing lunches that actually had people going back for second helpings. The salmon was very tasty and the lamb stew was lovely. On our second day we had Sticky Toffee Pudding… smack your Momma good. (I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I really don’t recommend smacking one’s Momma. Just an expression so high five her instead.)
Anyway, it was a good experience and there’s a learning kitchen here as well so it seems like a fabulous place to do a team building event. I’ve put it on my list and you should too. This American Southerner in London loves finding ways to bring folks together and the best way is food, y’all so I’ll be back.

A Great Experience Benefiting a Great Cause
During our most recent visit to London we had the opportunity to experience Brigade for the first time, and I came away totally impressed. As you entered through the bar area it was bustling with young professionals socializing following a long week at the office. It made me yearn to be working in London just so this could be my new favorite place to network and unwind. Being just around the corner from the Station, it certainly would be a convenient location to meet friends and colleagues for drinks and a catch-​up. It was certainly a short enough stroll along the South Bank from the Grand Residence Marriott, and a central place to dine following a visit to the Borough Market, Tower of London, Tate Modern or the numerous other attractions in the area.
As we did book for an early evening reservation, the hostess took us straight through to our table. Our waitress was at our table in a flash with the menus as well as a thorough explanation of the Apprentice Special Dishes for the Week. Once she took our drinks order, we had an opportunity to peruse the menu offerings, from the highly touted Steak & Oxtail Burger to the more adventurous Pot-​roasted Rabbit, and in between, a little something for everyone.
As we continued to ponder the delightful sounding offerings, our drinks arrived along with wonderful handmade breads and warm spicy olives with Chilli & lemon. These nibbles gave us ample time to watch the chefs doing their magic in the open view kitchen while we made our final selections, which turned out amazing. I started with the best Scotch Egg I have ever experienced, and my wife selected a Goats Cheese Rarebit. Our dinner guests chose the Foraged Wild Mushrooms on Sour Dough Toast and Wood Pigeon & Chicken Liver Terrine, both apparently equally awesome.
For our Mains, I selected a Char-​Grilled Ribeye Steak and my wife chose the Pan-​fried Beef Fillet. I must say Texas steaks are world-​famous, and these ranked right up there with the best. They were both cooked to medium-​rare perfection and the presentation was delightful. Our guests enjoyed traditional Bangers & Mash and the Ale Battered Fish & Chips. You can’t get much more British than that, and they were spot on. We shared sides of Garlic Mash, Crunchy Green Beans and the Salted Russet Chips — all excellent choices. All of this was complimented with a couple of bottles of nice South African wine from the excellent selections on the wine list. The serving portions were all so generous none of us were brave enough to attempt a dessert selection, although they all looked delicious.
The attention we received from the wait staff was superb, and as there was a new waitress in training the night we visited we received double attention! They were both very well versed on the menu offerings and provided encouraging recommendations when we asked about the various dishes.
When I first saw the name Brigade, The Fire Station, I wondered if the interior would look like an old fire station, complete with a brass pole for the firemen to slide down to their truck and fire coats & boots decorating the bar. But we were treated to an ultra-​modern décor which contributed to the overall ambiance of the restaurant, and which provided a very romantic setting that makes for a terrific date night. If you choose to sit closer to the open kitchen area you can get an up-​close and personal experience watching the chefs do their thing. I also saw a very nice private dining room that would be perfect for small dinner party’s or celebrations.
The Brigade’s website indicates that Cooking School packages are available for private groups or corporate team building events. Offerings such as this with top-​ranked chefs are very popular in the States, where individuals can register for classes with others to make up the necessary group size required to make an offering viable. I would be very interested in signing up for one on my next visit to London if they were offered.
I was so impressed with Brigade that I have done a bit more research into its origin, and I find this is more than just a typical British Bistro /​Bar. Through their affiliation with the Beyond Food Foundation, they are providing the opportunity for meaningful apprenticeships and employment that is both fulfilling to the individuals that participate as well as beneficial to society. This is a great cause and a brilliant example of how the private sector can give back to society, helping people pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and make a go at life, without having to rely on the government to take care of them. I applaud their efforts and encourage other business sectors to follow this model to help regenerate the economy and the people necessary to make it successful.
Five Stars to Brigade on all fronts.

Fabulous place for both drinking & nibbles, the full blown gourmet dinner and even has ‘Learn How to Cook’ demonstration kitchen in their specially reserved area for a different type of party! Highly recommended I’ll definity be going back soon.

Awesome food, great friendly service and a social twist? I was dining alone so I chose to sit and the bar where I could see all the cooking action. When all the orders piled up, it was a little like watching my very own personal Top Chef. I actually got to see my orders as they came up! My waiter was really friendly and recommended some delish items to me, I had two starters — the scallops in risotto, and the quail eggs over mushrooms. Both were gorgeous and delicious! The head chef even came over to chat with me, explain his program and meet some of the apprentices going through it. I loved it all around!

I have to admit I think I was initially brain washed into trying this place because there are so many ads promoting this place (plus we get a company discount). It was a very pleasant surprised. It’s a really nice place to have a long leisurely meal/​drinks as you don’t ever feel rushed. We ordered from the Christmas menu and I thought the pork belly was delicious. It’s an interesting type of venture to have a social responsibility twist.
Definitely will go back there again soon.