Lee Westcott to open French bistro pop-up in Brixton's Bottle & Rye

The chef Lee Westcott will take up residency at Robin Gill’s Bottle + Rye in Brixton from April 5 as he awaits a suitable east London pub for his next permanent project.

Westcott most recently oversaw the food at Birch, the members’ club and hotel in Croydon, which closed due to financial difficulties at the end of last year.

He will be in situ at the Brixton wine bar for “around six weeks”, serving a French bistro-style menu. 

The food appears to be a step away from the fine dining food Westcott usually cooks, and which, some years ago, earned him a Michelin star at Pensons, on the Herefordshire-Worcestershire border.

“I will be cooking in one of my favourite spots in South London,” Westcott told the Standard. “Bottle + Rye is a local gem and I can’t wait to kick off. I’m taking things back to the south coast of France: hearty and bold flavours with a touch of my foraged goods incorporated.” 

On Westcott’s “test menu” will be, among other plates, Carlingford oysters with elderflower and fermented wild garlic; grilled New Forest asparagus with seaweed and sauce vierge; Cornish crab with apple, chicory and herb salad; aged sirloin steak tartare; and Cornish bouillabaisse with a grilled baguette.

Robin Gill, who opened Bottle + Rye in 2022, said: “Lee will be doing a series of fun residencies and pop-ups while he is on the hunt for a pub site in East London for his new concept. 

“We’re absolutely delighted that he’s kicking it off at Bottle + Rye.” 

Gill added that elements of the menu will change, with regular specials, and said the team is working on more collaborations with other friends in the industry.

Ground Floor, 404-406 Market Row, SW9 8LD, bottleandrye.com