“Diverse, inclusive and exciting – the London food scene is a huge part of what makes this city great”
– Transatlantic Tables, Grain Store #ConnectedbyOT
Open Table asked us for our thoughts on the London Food scene at a special event held at Grain Store with the trailblazing Bruno Loubet. We feasted on Atlantic Kitchen Seaside Toast (a nod to those across the pond where the New York set were chowing down at Hundred Acres), FIVE types of vegetable ravioli no less, Seared Venison Fillet matched with the most incredible Pinot Noir and Urban Honey with roast peach. Food for thought…
When I first moved to London you might have found me in one of the many Turkish restaurants stretching across East London, sharing creamy bowls of hummus with pillowy soft bread & scorched bbq chicken skewers with my flatmates. After a heavy night or a broken heart you’d maybe find us in a local café, with big mugs of builders tea and rounds of buttery sourdough toast. Many a birthday has been spent making the most of bottomless brunches and friendly pub lunches. And we never could turn down a curry and some lamb chops from East London’s Brick Lane.
After reconnecting with an old friend on Twitter over an exciting new restaurant we were both dying to try, Crummbs was born. A place to document all of the incredible restaurants we were discovering along the way.
Nowadays we have the great privilege to try the very latest, creative, brave new restaurants, opening their doors and welcoming us in. It’s a huge privilege – I really do mean it when I say I feel honoured to live in this incredible city, amongst the most inspiring people from every walk of life, all adding their own bit of flavour to the recipe that makes up London. There’s never a dull day on the London food scene.
For me, it’s the thrill of finding the new, but it’s also the pride in knowing the old.
At a time when the world feels a little unstable, food is the one constant you can rely on to bring us together.
Here’s a few examples of restaurants doing just that…
Diverse
Londoner’s seem to welcome food from all different parts of the world, without which, London just wouldn’t be London.
Wake up with a bacon naan at Dishoom, devour a whole fried sea bass at Som Saa, endure the queue for Hoppers namesake or take in the view with Duck & Waffle on the 42nd floor. It’s all here.
Inclusive
Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen is a non-profit restaurant which gives unemployed young people a chance in the kitchen. Each year a new team are trained up and go on to achieve incredible things, it’s even created Michelin star chefs!
Even if you didn’t know the heart-warming backstory – you’d still be blown away by the food. The Chef’s Choice five course menu is a gorgeous exploration of what can be created with seasonal ingredients in a neighbourhood atmosphere.
Photo: LondOntheInside
Exciting
Forget any preconceived ideas you have of stuffy fine dining & old fashioned British etiquette. London is home to an impressive gang of hot young chefs ripping up the rule book and doing it their way.
It’s difficult to pinpoint London’s MOST exciting restaurants as we’re spoilt with new openings every week BUT these are some of the restaurants that get my pulse racing.
Anglo is a brand new spot in Clerkenwell that’s already won over all of our favourite critics. Serving Modern British cuisine, the tasting menu is a bargain at 45 quid for SEVEN courses (but we’d recommend adding on the wine pairing for an extra £25!)
Sexy Fish – This place has a HUGE celeb following, two of the biggest live coral tanks (in the world!!) and an incredible Japanese inspired menu.
The Manor is another British restaurant offering a banging tasting menu and it also has an open dessert counter where you can watch the magic of quick-freezing liquid nitrogen!
Or take Tom Seller’s Restaurant Story, so popular he’s gone on to open new spots all over town. Expect a work of art as well as a happy tummy.
Closer to home, our beloved Hackney (Brooklyn to you) boasts Modern European from Ellory, Italian Gotto Trattoria by the river and a weekly changing British menu from Pidgin.
As you can see, all mega exciting, all totally different!
We can’t wait to see who steps into their shoes over the next few weeks, months and years.
We have a lot of respect for these guys!
You’ve heard my story – a snapshot of London food today. Over to you New York….
#ConnectedbyOT
Oh and if you were wondering – here are our favourite spots in NYC!
