Sitting at Levan, comté fries on the counter, some soft 2007 indie hit playing in the background, and your best mate gazing up at you like you’re a deity. Well, life doesn’t get much better than that. You might as well lay down on the floor of this achingly cool and charming all-day Peckham wine bar next to Buddy, with a big, excellent glass of pinot noir and kiss the world goodbye.

Peckham's answer to the Parisian wine bar comes in the form of Bar Levan, where bottles line deep red walls, candles flicker alongside vintage Ricard vessels and co-owner Mark curates the list of regularly rotating European natural wines chalked up on the board. Staff wind through the handful of tables to make recommendations - a chilled, crunchy Austrian red perhaps as a progression from a rosé on a warm summer's evening, a honeyed Georgian orange with nutty finish to warm up on a colder night or a fresh, salty, appley Bavarian pinot blanc to accompany the succinct food menu. Smoked sausage embedded into a slice of brown butter brioche is a rich uplift on a hotdog.

If natural wine and moreish small plates are your thing, this is the spot for you. Bar Levan is a buzzing local wine bar which - if you aren’t lucky enough to live in walking distance of it - you will probably consider moving for (or at least, getting on the train to Peckham Rye, which is conveniently 30 seconds walk away). The wine list is extensive and varied, and includes a delightful orange Trebbiano from Veneto which is best enjoyed sitting at one of the street-facing tables in the sun while jazz records play inside.

Levan has long been a mainstay on Peckham’s food scene, specialising in delectable French-inspired dishes. However, its latest chapter arrived just last year, when the restaurant integrated a 34-seater wine bar next door aptly named Bar Levan. Offering a more dynamic and playful menu, the bar focuses on organic and biodynamic wines alongside a selection of older vintages and unique “one-offs” by the glass, soundtracked by music inspired by its namesake Larry Levan played from vinyl on the vintage sound system.

Levan is exactly the kind of restaurant you’d be chuffed to stumble upon – or the one you’d actively want to move close to in order to make it your neighbourhood local. The wine list errs on the natural side, and the menu bats well above its weight. What, at first glance, seems like a succinct and classically European menu, shows itself to be so much more, with impeccable dishes that hold their own among some of the city’s best.

A small space but with a wine list that packs a punch, this pocket-rocket of a restaurant transforms effortlessly between breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their outside seating area has a distinctly French vibe and abuts a characterful Peckham street. The wine list focuses on minimal intervention, organic and biodynamic wines – with a particular proclivity towards wines of the Jura – and a seasonal and sustainable food menu.

An European-style bistro with a relaxed vibe befitting of Peckham, the guide picked this one for solo diners as you can tuck into plates that are suitable for dining all on your own, from your perch near the window as you watch the world go by. The restaurant also has a chef’s menu if you want to leave the decision making to the kitchen. Address: 12-16 Blenheim Grove, Peckham, SE15 4QL

Levan, another dynamic addition to the south-east London restaurant scene, was described to us as the 'naughtier' sister restaurant to Salon in Brixton. Where Salon is led by seasonal produce, Levan is a somewhat more indulgent version. Find modern European bistro-inspired dishes like baked onions with a bleu d’Auvergne sauce & grated walnut or cod crudo with grapefruit & tarragon.

A newer addition to the London restaurant scene, Levan restaurant in Peckham has wasted no time in garnering itself quite the reputation. Of course, it’s willingness to encourage day drinking probably helps as well. There’s a focus here on organic wine paired with cuisine that’s inspired by the great cities of the world – Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and, of course, London itself.

What could excite your date more than taking them somewhere full of vinyl?. Granted, at Levan it’s of the record-shaped kind, rather than anything too risqué – but this Peckham spot ticks all the boxes when it comes to romance. The atmospherically crackling soundtrack and deep teal walls provide a backdrop of relaxed comfort which allows the Modern European dishes to shine.

The vintage stereo pumps funky music (but not too loudly), a Keith Haring stamp is visible, and deep blue walls create an elevated yet casual atmosphere. And now, with its fifth anniversary in sight, the Peckham stronghold welcomes a new head chef, Philip Limpl and the revitalisation of a much-beloved chef’s menu. No surprises here, but the chef’s menu did not disappoint.

Levan is a 24-hour cafe located in Peckham that offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, benefiting a friendly, relaxing environment. You’ll enjoy the midnight blue walls, a delicate open kitchen, records between bottles of natural wine, and European dishes when you need a change. It is the second restaurant belonging to Nicholas Balfe, and it was once a warehouse.

Making waves at a neighbourhood restaurant in South East London too is Pip MacDonald. She spent her formative years at renowned seafood restaurants theatreland’s J.Sheekey and Scott’s of Mayfair before joining Angela Hartnett at her Shoreditch Merchant’s Tavern and rising to head chef. “What better role model and mentor could I have than Angela?

No one likes eating in a restaurant when you can hear a pin drop. There’s no surer way than silence to kill an appetite – except perhaps the soundtrack of the couple next to you macerating their dinner like wild hogs?. – which is why I’m always on the lookout for restaurants that have a perfect level of ambient buzz.

Nicholas Balfe’s Peckham restaurant Levan will let you have dogs anywhere in the main restaurant (except for the kitchen counter) and always appreciate a heads up if you’re bringing a dog. They offer water and doggy treats too.