Discovering unusual lunchtime eateries is not difficult in London but finding yourself dining in a prison is usually not done through choice.  HMP Brixton is the third prison in the UK to open its doors to discerning diners, with the success of previous initiatives such as Gordon Ramsay’s Bad Boys Bakery.  Helping prisoners gain skills to find work in their new life outside, The Clink restaurant has opened to rave reviews.  Intrigued, I booked an afternoon off to dine at her Majesty’s Pleasure.

The Clink Prison Restaurant The Clink Restaurant

Arriving to a world of razor wire and clicking surveillance cameras, I report to the security office armed with passport and overflowing handbag.  With security at a premium, everyday items such as mobile phones, emery boards and pocket mirrors are strictly prohibited and if discovered, could result in a two-year prison sentence.   In a state of mortal shame, I end up tipping the entire tawdry contents of my bag into the locker just to be safe.    (Travelling light is highly recommended.)

Once through security, the mammoth brown prison door slowly groans open.   Waiting in the reception area, our bags are searched before we proceed to the restaurant, formerly the Governor’s House.  With a slight shiver, I note the unmistakeable TV prison drama clunk and rattle as the door locks behind us.   Encountering a contemporary palette of muted browns and greys, glass-topped tables and comfortable leather chairs provide a relaxing ambience.    Even the white wrought iron bars on the window have an almost neo-classical twist.

The Clink Restaurant

So have you been to prison before? quips one of my dining companions as we settle down to the inevitable round of prison jokes.   After a quick perusal of the menu, I opt for the fillet of salmon with cauliflower cous cous and baby vegetable and fennel salad.  Beautifully presented, the salmon melts in the mouth while the raw baby vegetables provide a surprisingly crunchy twist and a challenge when using plastic cutlery.   Sipping my elderflower cocktail, I yearn for a crisp Pinot Grigio, but a boozy lunch is definitely not on the cards here.

For dessert, I opt for the bitter chocolate tart with pistachio ice cream and cherry coulis.  The tart is a moment of sheer chocolate bliss and avoids the perilous pitfalls of being either sickly sweet or abrasively bitter.   The ice cream is crammed with chopped pistachios which creates a novel gritty texture and an intense nutty hit which our attentive waiter worries may have been a bit heavy-handed.    After a brief delay waiting for the milk delivery to arrive, a tray of smooth café lattes swiftly appears to polish off an accomplished meal.   At £22.00 the meal proves to be excellent value.

The Clink Restaurant

The Clink Charity, who run training restaurants at HMP Brixton, High Down and Cardiff with training gardens teaching prisoners in horticulture at HMP Send, has had phenomenal success in reducing re-offending rates from 46.9% to 12.5%, in the first year of release.  This compares favourably with re-offending rates of 75% for prisoners who fail to find employment within their first five years of release from prison.

Wandering back to the tube, I reflect on an illuminating lunch break which has not only changed my perceptions of prisoners but has highlighted the transformative impact of work.  Something I will remind myself of during my next nightmare commute.

The Clink Restaurant at Brixton Prison offers breakfast and lunch on weekdays only.

What’s the most unusual venue that you’ve dined in?