Exhibit Balham Celebrates 25 Years: An Enduring Legacy Venue

This month, Exhibit Balham celebrates its 25th birthday, a remarkable milestone in today's challenging hospitality climate. 

Since first opening its doors in 2000 as Balham's “youth club for adults,” Exhibit has grown into a three storey hub for food, drink and culture.

What began as a late night party venue has become a local legacy institution. Known for its restaurant dining, craft drinks, private events, and nightlife, Exhibit is also celebrated as a grassroots cultural hub, supporting emerging talent and giving space to community voices. 

From comedy and poetry nights to art classes and live music, it has been a creative home for South London for a quarter of a century.

Former local councillor Hannah Stanislaus, host of the Lost Souls poetry night, hails Exhibit as “a safe, inclusive leading establishment for the area.” 

Local artist Dan Whiteson, who has run classes at the venue, agrees: “The impact of my work with Exhibit has been wide reaching and wholly positive.”

When local operators Lisa Loebenberg and Emma Willis took over in 2019, they set out to modernise the space without losing its heart. Their vision was clear: elevate the food and drink offering, invest in service, and place community at the centre.

The pandemic could have derailed that ambition, but instead it became the catalyst for growth. Lisa and Emma doubled down, rethinking menus, raising standards, and opening Exhibit's doors to local groups and initiatives. 

That decision helped shape Exhibit into what it is today: an award-winning bar, restaurant, and events space that feels as much a part of Balham as the people who visit it.

“Guests guide us,” Lisa told That's Food and Drink. “When they asked for better food, we delivered. When community groups needed space, we opened our doors. Exhibit has always been about people first, our guests, our team, our neighbours. That's how we've stayed relevant for 25 years.”

That people first focus has paid off. Exhibit was named London's Best Event Venue in 2024, followed by Best Bar in London at the 2025 Muddy Stiletto Awards.

Beyond Exhibit, Lisa and Emma have expanded their impact across South London. In 2020, they opened SW16 Bar & Kitchen in Streatham Hill, and in 2023, they acquired Mamma Dough out of administration, transforming the pizza restaurant group into a thriving, profitable brand with continued growth planned for 2026.

On Thursday 25 September 2025, Exhibit will mark its silver anniversary with a day of community led celebrations, culminating in a late-night party with live music, DJs, complimentary drinks, and support from JUBEL peach beer.

“Exhibit has always been about people first; our guests, our team, and our community,” Lisa reflects. “This milestone belongs to all of them as much as it does to us.”

Event Details:

Date: Thursday 25th September 2025

Venue: Exhibit Balham, 12 Balham Station Road, London SW12 9SG

Tickets: https://www.theexhibit.co.uk/whatson

SW16 Bar & Kitchen Puts English Wine in the Spotlight This English Wine Week

Streatham Hill's favourite neighbourhood restaurant, SW16 Bar & Kitchen, is making some waves this English Wine Week with a bold celebration of British vineyards and seasonal British produce, showcasing how a local restaurant can redefine destination dining.

Once a modest bar on Streatham Hill, SW16 has evolved into one of South London's most exciting culinary spots. 

Led by 25-year-old hospitality rising star Tom Small, the restaurant has built a well-deserved reputation for heartfelt service, sustainability, and honest, flavour driven food that speaks for itself.

Now, with a bespoke tasting menu and curated wine pairings featuring standout producers such as Hundred Hills, Whitewolfe Estate, and Davenport Vineyards, SW16 is bringing English wine to the forefront of the local dining scene.

“We've gone from barely stocking English wines to proudly serving Welsh orange wine and Cornish Pinot Noir,” Small told That's Food and Drink.

“What's exciting now is the story behind each bottle, family businesses, biodynamic pioneers, vineyards thriving thanks to climate change. This is wine worth that's well worth discovering.”

Guests can enjoy a special two or three course tasting menu created by Head Chef Teddy Karkut, paired with Tom's handpicked selection of English wines. The menu, which includes standout dishes including scallop ceviche and british rump steak, captures the essence of SW16's ethos: seasonal, Quality ingredients and always local.

SW16 has recently gained acclaim for its monthly Italian Supper Club:

“SW16 is already a beloved local spot, but this supper club made it feel like a destination.”

“The Supper Club, Offers locals another reason to fall in love with this restaurant”

“SW16 is a dining spot hidden gem”  

This same energy is being poured into English Wine Week, a showcase not just of great bottles, but of a restaurant pushing boundaries in local dining. 

With intelligent, thoughtful pairings, a focus on independent producers, and a commitment to genuine hospitality, SW16 is proving that you don't have to leave your postcode for a world class food and wine experience.

Tom Small is available share his expertise and comment on:

English Red - Is it worth it?

How English farmers are selling livestock and planting vines. Climate change and how it's already begun to change our agriculture.

English wine, is it genuinely accessible for the restaurant trade?

The English obsession with wine. Why do we have more Masters of Wine than anywhere else in the world?

Wine influencers, and why they're important for the new generation of wine rookies, geeks and fledgling sommeliers. 

https://sw16barandkitchen.com