A Singular Dining Experience Rooted In Tradition, Seasonality, And Heart
Khamsa offers an unforgettable dining experience where authenticity, warmth, meticulous craftsmanship, and ever-changing seasonal cuisine create something truly exceptional.
O n a sunny Wednesday evening, I walked up to Khamsa in Brixton ready for my reservation, only to find a deserted restaurant. No wait staff, no host stand, and nobody in the kitchen. I was greeted by the chef and owner Djamel himself, and when he asked me if I’d like for him to simply surprise me with what food he brings out, I soon realised—it’s literally just him in here. Chef Djamel does indeed run both front and back of house all on his own on Khamsa’s quieter days, a strategy I’ve never once encountered before.
Chef Djamel, hailing from Algeria and living in London for 35 years, attended culinary school both in Algeria and in the UK. He opened Khamsa 17 years ago out of his passion for promoting Algerian culture and cuisine; he wanted to make people feel as though they were guests in his home. ‘Just as other people say they were born to be doctors or dancers, I was born to be a chef,’ he says. He learned Algerian cuisine from watching his mother as he grew up, and today he enjoys making traditional dishes while putting his own twists on them. Djamel notes that ‘cuisine is an art, and everyone needs their signature.’
Despite Djamel’s success, he has never allowed his restaurant to ‘go corporate.’ He doesn’t have suppliers; in fact, he goes to the market himself and lets the seasonal availability inspire him. His menu is ever-changing, and he likes to ‘go with the flow’ about what he offers on it. Absolutely nothing is pre-cooked and reheated, and everything in the kitchen is homemade. For this reason, Khamsa relies mostly on booked tables so Chef Djamel can know what to expect for any given night. Given that it’s just himself in the kitchen for roughly three nights a week, Djamel warns any walk-ins that their meal will not be quick, as every dish is made to order and he is doing both the serving and the cooking. But if you do choose to stay, you’re in for quite a treat.
- A one-man restaurant unlike any other
- Authentic Algerian cuisine made entirely from scratch
- Seasonal menus inspired by daily market finds
- Chef, host, and storyteller in one
- Traditional recipes elevated with contemporary flair
- An intimate dining experience that feels like home
- Every dish cooked fresh to order
- Outstanding homemade bread, chutneys, and Algerian lemonade
- The Tajine Sfiriya is a must-order signature dish
- Heartfelt hospitality meets exceptional culinary craftsmanship
My first surprise dishes out of the kitchen were a homemade Algerian lemonade, a small ramekin of stewed carrots, an onion-tomato tapenade, and a basket of house-made bread. The lemonade was sweet but with an herbal finish, the perfect refreshing accompaniment to a warm meal on a hot day. The bread was soft, spongey, and had a hint of sweetness, making it difficult for me not to devour all eight pieces before my main arrived. It paired perfectly with the light yet pungent, garlicky onion chutney. After those exciting flavours, a little bowl of sliced carrots may seem underwhelming, but they carry a wallop of flavour. They were cold but cooked and covered in a warming spice mix with an incredible depth of flavour; this bowl truly just surprised me at every turn and wasn’t anything I expected it to be.
But of course, the star was the entrée. A specialty from the capital city and Djamel’s home Algiers, Tajine Sfiriya is a humble dish invented as a way to utilise stale bread, but Chef Djamel elevates it to haute cuisine. The plate consists of small bread croquettes flavoured with orange blossom water and warm spices. On its own, the croquette could almost act as dessert with their delicate sweetness and hint of cinnamon. However, paired with the brown gravy and tender bone-in chicken, it adds a perfect balance of sweet to savoury. The chicken simply falls off the bone and retains its juice from slowly simmering in its superb, thick sauce. This meal was truly unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. Incredibly unique and comforting while also showcasing masterful cooking techniques, I will be craving this dish on every gloomy day to come (which in London is quite a lot).
If you’re fortunate enough to book a table during a slower time period, you may have the privilege of having owner Djamel act as both your chef and server. His knack for creating incredible food alone in the kitchen while also striking up entertaining, funny, and amiable conversation with his guests out front is not a duality of skill that many restaurant staffers possess, and it’s truly a marvel to behold.
