Peckham's 139Fika Brings African, Caribbean and British Flavours Together with a New Evening Menu

Dinner at 139Fika on Peckham’s Bellenden Road (credit Milly KR)

Peckham's 139Fika Brings African, Caribbean and British Flavours Together with a New Evening Menu

Images can be downloaded here credited to Milly KR.

Having established itself as a much-loved neighbourhood destination on Peckham's Bellenden Road, independent restaurant 139Fika is putting its evening dining experience firmly in the spotlight. Bringing together African, Caribbean and British culinary influences, the restaurant's new autumn and winter menu offers a distinctive take on neighbourhood dining, combining bold flavours, carefully sourced ingredients and warm hospitality. The new evening menu reflects a kitchen confident in combining culinary traditions without losing their individual character.

Serving dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, 139Fika offers a truly unique and unforgettable dining experience where African, Caribbean, and British cuisines come together. The new menu is a celebration of diverse and vibrant culinary traditions, featuring the warmth of Caribbean spices and the soulful flavours of African heritage to the timeless classics of British comfort food.

By day, the cozy cafe serves carefully sourced matcha, speciality coffee from Square Mile Coffee Roasters and pastries from St John Bakery, and a creative daytime menu. By night, 139Fika transforms into a sophisticated but relaxed restaurant serving dishes such as braised oxtail black pot with butter beans, pan-fried sea bass fillet with ground egusi seeds, and the restaurant’s signature 30-day aged suya-spiced sirloin steak and Niger pepper sauce. The drinks menu includes a brilliant selection of handcrafted tropical cocktails such as the Fika Fruit Punch and Peck Peck, made with dark rum, honey and pineapple, alongside a short and interesting wine list.

139Fika’s kitchen, led by Jamaican head chef Richard Clarke, is a hub of creativity and authenticity. Every dish tells a unique story with high-quality ingredients sourced from Peckham and South London independent suppliers including William Rose Butchers, Moxons Fishmongers and Brothers Fruit and Vegetables, all on Lordship Lane in nearby Dulwich.

In Sweden, the word ‘fika’ is about slowing down, taking a break and enjoying the moment. Yet for Ugandan owner operator, Saulo Paul, fika also has an African meaning: in Zulu and Swahili, it means ‘to arrive’ or ‘to reach.’ Saulo comments: “I grew up just down the road, so Bellenden Road has always been part of my life. When I discovered the word ‘fika', I loved how it brought two ideas together: slowing down and enjoying the moment but also arriving. For me, 139Fika represents both. We've arrived on Bellenden Road, and we want people to come in, slow down and feel at home.”

Boasting over 700 google reviews maintaining a strong 4.9 rating, guests praise 139Fika’s community spirit and warm hospitality. Saulo comments: “For me, 139Fika has never just been about serving good food. It's about the whole experience: from the moment someone walks through the door to the moment they leave. The service, the atmosphere, making people feel welcome and giving them a reason to come back.”

Open days and hours:
Dinner is served Thursday – Saturday 17:30 – 20:00
Reservations can be made at 139fika.com

Sample dishes from the new Autumn / Winter menu

Starters

Charred tiger prawns £13
sweet scotch bonnet pepper jam, shredded green mango

Superfood salad £12
multigrains, roasted beetroot, citrus & pomegranate dressing, curly kale, golden raisin

Mains

Pan fried seabass fillet £27
with egusi, catfish, smoked shrimp, wilted greens & palm nut

Braised oxtail black pot £32
with rich brown stew sauce, pimento, butter beans & carrots & hard food bowl

Chargrilled 30-day aged suya spiced sirloin steak £35
with pickled red onion, shaved radish, smoked garlic aubergine & Niger pepper sauce

Desserts

Steamed dark chocolate pudding £9
orange marmalade & spiced custard

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About Saulo Paul

Born in Uganda and raised in Peckham, 37-year-old Saulo Paul has witnessed the neighbourhood’s transformation first-hand. Today, as the founder of 139Fika, he brings his African heritage and South London upbringing together in an independent restaurant on Bellenden Road. As the road's only Black-owned sit-down restaurant, 139Fika represents another chapter in the area's evolving independent dining scene, with a focus on bringing people together through food, hospitality and shared experiences.

Having never worked in hospitality before, Saulo funded the venture himself, making significant personal sacrifices along the way. After acquiring the premises on Bellenden Road, he embarked on an extensive seven-month renovation, transforming the space into what would become 139Fika.

Operating now for over two years, 139Fika has quicky established itself in the Peckham community and is highly praised for its warmth, high levels of service and quality food.

Peckham's 139Fika Brings African, Caribbean and British Flavours Together with a New Evening Menu