Poppy Pearce meets the brothers behind Camberwell’s oldest restaurant, the much loved Vineyard, and explores some exciting new openings to sample this autumn
As I write this, the hottest days of summer are beginning to soften into autumn. After weeks of iced lattes, enormous salads, evenings in beer gardens watching sport and escaping the city whenever I could, I’ve found myself appreciating Camberwell more than ever – neighbours spilling out of pubs, strangers cheering together at the football, rooftops dotted with sunbathers making the most of every last ray.
If you’re not quite ready to wave goodbye to summer, don’t worry; this issue has just the ticket. I sat down with the wonderful owners of The Vineyard, Camberwell’s beloved Greek restaurant. After one meal there, you’ll swear you’ve been whisked away to a taverna overlooking the Aegean.
Spotlight on The Vineyard
On a quiet weekday afternoon, photographer Ben Rice and I were treated like royalty at The Vineyard – Camberwell’s oldest restaurant, and a family institution since 1974.
Michael Pelou brings out a glass of his favourite wine, Mavrodaphne of Patras, a sweet red I’ve never tried before and instantly love. Then comes the Vineyard Special: fresh, zesty prawns, warm pitta, rice, chicken and lamb kebab, crispy meatballs, and vine leaves. You can taste the pride in every dish.
That pride goes back further than the menu. The Pelou family’s story begins in 1962, when the brothers’ father and mother arrived in England, working for four years before they could afford to bring over their three children. Three more siblings were born once the family was settled in the UK – six in total. “Then as we grew up, my father was
looking for a business for all of us,” Andreas tells me. “So, we thought, let’s either open a fish and chip shop or a Greek restaurant. We chose a Greek restaurant as that is what we knew and loved. We all worked for the restaurant, all six of us.”
One by one, the siblings moved on to other things. “The only ones who kept in the food business are just me and Michael,” Andreas says. “I am completely passionate about food – I get very excited when I cook.”
Andreas now lives back in Cyprus but happened to be in London and stepped in to man the kitchen while their regular chef was away on holiday – a stroke of luck in my timing that meant I got to speak to both brothers together. Day to day, though, it’s Michael who’s here, running The Vineyard on the ground. That passion shows in the menu’s evolution, too.
The Vineyard Special has stayed unchanged since 1984 – a dish so beloved that regulars would notice if it moved an inch. But elsewhere, the brothers have adapted: more vegetable and vegan options, alternative meats, dishes shaped by changing tastes without losing the family’s Cypriot identity.
Cypriot cooking, Michael explains, is its own thing – distinct from mainland Greek food, built around kebab and pitta rather than more European influences. Talking to the brothers, it’s clear why: Cypriot cuisine carries heavy Middle Eastern and Levantine influence, all garlic, chickpeas and slow-cooked meats, while mainland Greek food tends towards the lighter, simpler flavours of the Aegean coast. The hummus, made fresh with chickpeas, tahini, olive oil and garlic, might be the simplest, best thing on the menu.
Longevity, though, is the real headline. Owning the building outright – bought freehold in the 1980s for £90,000 – has spared The Vineyard the rent pressures that have closed newer restaurants nearby. The chef, who has been with The Vineyard for 12 years, previously worked at Michael’s other restaurant before it closed, bringing that experience to help shape the restaurant’s enduring success.
Regulars are the backbone of it all. One customer, the owner of the Nag’s Head, and whom I had the pleasure of meeting while at The Vineyard, has been dining there for over 40 years – these days coming “just” two or three times a week, down from more. “In the winter, they keep us going,” Andreas says. “Regular customers mean so much to us.”
The brothers have also watched Camberwell itself change. “There are more and more people coming to Camberwell just to eat, especially on Fridays and Saturdays – this never happened before,” Michael says. “In the last 10 years,
Camberwell has become very cool.” It’s a tougher climate for anyone starting out, he admits – “quite a few restaurants have closed recently” – but for a family 50 years deep into the neighbourhood, “cool” is just the latest chapter.
New openings
The SE5 food scene isn’t standing still. From a sunshine-filled coffee shop beneath the railway arches to a plant-powered food truck in Ruskin Park, there are plenty of reasons to get exploring. This summer, the Camberwell Arms was named one of the country’s best gastropubs, while Caravaggio was highlighted by Southwark News as one of South London’s best places for ice cream – further proof that Camberwell’s reputation as a food destination continues to grow.
One of the neighbourhood’s newest additions is Blackfinger Coffee Roasters on Camberwell Station Road. It’s hard to miss, thanks to its cheerful butter-yellow frontage and sunny benches. Inside, the space is filled with vintage furniture, communal tables and plenty of room to settle in with a laptop. The coffee is excellent – people are raving about the smooth cold brew and silky flat whites – but the atmosphere steals the show. Warm and welcoming, Blackfinger already feels like one of those cafés that’s belonged here for years. Pair your drink with a vegan pastry (the almond croissant is calling my name) or the sweet potato and chickpea roll and you’ll happily linger awhile.
Another newcomer I’m excited to watch is Half Deaf Chef, a food truck launched in Ruskin Park. Founded by chef Aidan Marsh, the concept is simple: plant-powered food that’s high in protein, high in fibre and packed with flavour.
Following opening day, Aidan shared that it felt daunting launching the business alone and thanked the Camberwell community for turning out in force. It’s exactly the kind of independent venture this neighbourhood champions, with weekly special sandwiches arriving very shortly. I’ll be catching up with Aidan next issue to hear the story behind the truck, the inspiration for the menu and the journey from idea to opening day.
