Courtesan restaurant review: a modern dim sum diner with an all-female drinks list
The UK’s first restaurant to feature drinks exclusively produced or grown by women
![courtesan-restaurant.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Wvq74bs5CLE98rcxCBtWeK-415-80.jpg)
Take a short walk down Atlantic Road and you will find Courtesan, a modern dim sum restaurant, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Brixton Market.
Step into the red painted former shop and you are instantly greeted with antique bird cages and an interior of dark wood and dim lighting, which feels like being transported directly into Hong Kong’s famously vibrant Bird Market.
At the bar, the staff greet guests with a friendly smile and a drink recommendation. Our Elderflower and Cucumber Collins goes down rather too easily and before we know it, we are on our second.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Between shaking up cocktails, the barman will explain how Courtesan became the UK’s first restaurant to feature drinks exclusively produced or grown by women. This unique selling point, as well as the venue’s feminine aesthetic, support the restaurant’s inspiration, which draws on the courtesans of ancient China.
As well as the exotic cocktail list, the all-female kitchen team has created an innovative dim sum menu, which focuses heavily on pure, MSG and preservative-free ingredients, while providing extensive vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
My friend arrives and we quickly order a mixture of dim sum, noodle dishes, Bao buns and rice dishes.
The plates arrive as they are ready, rather than all at the same time, a laid-back approach common to many UK restaurants these days. Some may disagree with the approach, but here it provides us with room to take our time catching up, and enjoy our food – especially the delicious pumpkin-spiced bao. The creamy verdant mezzelune, king prawn and bean curd Cheung Fun, and the tempura frog legs are other highlights. All three are consumed in near silence – a testament to their near perfection.
When summer arrives, Courtesan will be introducing an entertainment programme in its late-night entertainment space, with a variety of residencies and one-off performances. Expect burlesque and cabaret acts, live jazz music, DJs, and even the odd West End star.
Whether it’s for a quick bite and a post-work cocktail, or feasting with friends and taking in a show, or even dancing the night away, Courtesan is the perfect one-stop shop for Brixton locals and tourists from around the capital alike.
Courtesan, 69-73 Atlantic Road, Brixton, thecourtesan.co.uk, 020 8127 8677
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How Black organizations quickly pivoted and mobilized for Kamala Harris
In the spotlight Harris has a shot at being the first Black woman to lead the Democratic ticket
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Hamas and Fatah sign unity agreement in Beijing
Speed Read China brokered a reconciliation deal between the rival Palestinian factions
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
The Earth just saw its hottest day on record
Speed Read July 21, 2024 was the hottest day in recorded global history
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Douglas Is Cancelled: Hugh Bonneville plays a shamed news presenter
The Week Recommends Cancel culture drama is mostly 'clever and sharp'
By The Week UK Published
-
A Quiet Place: Day One – the 'pleasant surprise of the summer'
The Week Recommends Silence is golden in this prequel to the popular 2018 apocalyptic thriller
By The Week UK Published
-
The Bikeriders: Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy star in high-octane drama
The Week Recommends Film inspired by 1968 book about notorious biker gang in Chicago
By The Week UK Published
-
Raffles London at The OWO review: a quintessentially British stay
The Week Recommends This heritage building has been given a twist as a luxury hotel in the nation's capital
By Leaf Arbuthnot, The Week UK Published
-
The Young Woman and the Sea: Daisy Ridley stars as 'tenacious' heroine
The Week Recommends The film explores the story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim across the Channel
By The Week UK Published
-
Has Bridgerton lost the plot?
Talking Point Return of the hit Regency series has divided both fans and critics
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Michelangelo – the last decades review: an 'absorbing' exploration of art
The Week Recommends New exhibition focuses on works from the final 30 years of the artist's long career
By The Week UK Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published