I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover (or a bottle of wine by its label), but there’s something in the name Naughty Piglets that automatically endears me to the place.

It’s cheeky and playful, and while I don’t quite understand what it has to do with wine, there’s no denying that it’s a fantastic name.

B and I don’t often venture to Brixton, but we’d heard good things about this place, and thought we’d kill two birds with one stone and pop there for a late lunch on our way to a friend’s party. Quiet on a Saturday afternoon, but busy of an evening, Naughty Piglets is small with a casual fit-out. You can rest by the bar or on high tables (with beautifully crafted wooden tops) in the front room, or settle at the few tables in the back room. You can book (always handy), but not for groups of more than six (it really is a tiny place). According to the bar staff, when it’s super busy, you can also have drinks and nibbles in the downstairs cellar.

The food and wine lists are kept simple: the former is scrawled on a chalkboard beside the bar, the latter comprises a set of stapled printed pages. It’s modest, but charming and doesn’t detract from the mouth-watering food and wine that ends up arriving at our table.

Wine first - this is a great place if you’re a natural wine lover (unsurprising, given that one of the owners used to manage Terroirs). By the glass, there’s one sparkling, four whites, one oxidative, one orange, one rosé and four reds (the cheapest is priced at £6 for a 125ml serving). They also have a range of apéritifs, alpine beers and fruit Pét-Nats. By the bottle, it’s an intriguing list with all sorts of weird and wonderful options (including Swedish and Swiss sparklings), but it is heavily French-accented. We get a little carried away and order three glasses each over the course of the afternoon:

• NV Domaine Breton, Méthode Traditionelle from Vouvray

• Domaine de Courbissac ‘L’Orange’ 2017 from Languedoc

• JF Chene ‘L’02 Vigne’ 2014 from Anjou

• Andi Knauss Pinot Noir 2017 from Württemberg

• Vignerons d’Estezargues, ‘Cuveé des Galets’ 2017 from the Rhône, and

• Domaine du Pech, ‘Le Pech Abuse’ 2014 from Buzet.

They’re all tasty, but the standouts are definitely ‘L’Orange’ and ‘Le Pech Abuse’ (both available at Buon Vino, if you’re interested in partaking at home).

And on to the food – to be completely honest, it’s rare that we have food this good in London. We start with romana courgettes, black olive and goat feta. Leaning towards the Mediterranean, this comprises beautifully thin and tender courgette shavings, with dehydrated, pounded olives and crumbled feta. Delish. Our favourite is the Devon crab, peanut and pickled cabbage - fresh, tangy and spicy, this reminds us of the spot-on Asian fusion that Melbourne is so famous for. The BBQ pork belly, sesame and Korean spices is also a hit – perfectly tender and covered in cabbage and spring onion, with a sticky and vibrant miso/gochujang sauce.

As loveable and easy-going as the name, the service at Naughty Piglets is really very good. We’re greeted with warmth and smiles, our waitress bounding over to us to assist and take our order. As the eclectic folk music hums in the background, we chat with the bar and kitchen staff, and natter amongst ourselves. We could stay all afternoon, if there was a comfy couch available…

Part of its charm, but perhaps also its downside, is that it is modest and a little poky – the stairs are dark and perilous to walk down, and the bathrooms are humble, but with a pleasing, pungent smell of cellar. While excellent and adaptable to dietary requirements, the food menu is on the smaller side, with 12 savoury options (four for vegetarians). This place is intended for intimate sharing, and that’s not a bad thing, just something to be conscious of.

Recommended for dates and small catch-ups, the food alone is worth the venture. Whether you’re a local or hail from north of the river, do pop in for the small plates and a tipple – it’s well worth it.