Upstairs at the Ritzy

You climb the stairs at the Ritzy and suddenly you're in one of Brixton's best-kept secrets. This is a bar that actually gets it: no neon signs, no velvet ropes, just a proper place where people come to drink something decent before or after catching a film downstairs. The crowd skews local and film-minded, which means you're surrounded by actual humans rather than stag dos. It's the kind of spot where the bartenders remember you're a Negroni person and the playlist doesn't overpower conversation. From the Oval, you can catch the buzz of the neighbourhood without feeling like you're part of some manufactured scene.