"Every Londoner claims to have the best corner shop in the world near them. But if you live by Persepolis in Peckham, you are objectively right. This vegetarian Persian deli and cafe is BYOB, and if that means a massive Stanley cup full of ice water, the friendly staff won’t bat an eyelid. This is a judgement-free space where huge meze plates, heaving with pepper tapenade, yoghurt and cucumber dip, and hummus, can be grazed at leisure." - sinead cranna
"Corner shop cum foodie treasure trove Persepolis has been in Peckham for 14 years. The first you notice is the beautiful fragrances coming from the floor to ceiling shelves of herbs and spices and the glass case that houses with an extensive selection of Iranian sweets. Look out for hand-written notices, doodles and dry ‘advice for life’ around the shop and venture into the deli café after dark for the ever changing menu of owner Sally Butcher’s recipes like honey and sesame seed grilled halloumi and menemen. And don’t skip the lovingly made ice cream sundaes for desert." - Studio A4 E+F
"A local’s favourite in Peckham, the Persian deli-cum-restaurant feels like a home away from home, rain or shine. Its mezze platters—where a single Cheetoz (an Iranian Wotsit) stands like a proud monument—are a must. You can choose from three hot or cold dishes, from grilled halloumi slathered in honey to all manner of hummus, and it comes with hot bread straight from the tandoor." - jake missing, rianne shlebak
"Multi-course menu with drinks and dessert: £30 Persepolis tends to have a constant stream of people at lunch and dinner. The Persian vegetarian cafe and deli is an extremely popular spot in Peckham and their £30 tasting menu is one of London’s best group dinner moves. It’s a conveyor belt of food that begins with meze and a soup, before moving on to a couple of mains—that may include an excellent bean stew—and dessert." - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak
"Persepolis isn’t your average London corner shop, although you could be mistaken for thinking so from the outside. This luminous yellow Persian deli will brighten your mood even on the most dire London day. It’s got a BYOB cafe space serving delicious vegetarian mezze at amazingly great-value prices. It’s perfect for a drop-in lunch, but you’ll probably want to book for dinner because this place is no secret." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager, riaz phillips