After having so much fun writing my previous post on my
favourite bars in London, reminiscing about many fabulous nights dancing until
I can hardly walk, I decided I couldn’t possibly write about London without
mentioning the food.
Deciding on my top four restaurants in London to write about
was ridiculously difficult. Firstly, there’s too many to even count (and I love
them all for different reasons), and secondly, I have a list as long as my arm
of restaurants I keep meaning to try but as they’re not tried and tested just
yet, I can’t include them – but I guess that’s another blog post in the making.
For those of you who know me, I’m a big meat eater, so
anywhere I recommend will be very meat orientated. I’m definitely not a food
snob either so all of the below are places to visit if you like simply good
food and a great atmosphere.
Bodean’s
Meat lovers come forward. There’s no BBQ restaurant I’ve
tasted so far in London, as authentic as Bodean’s. Andre Blais wanted to bring
the taste, style and soul of Kansas City barbecue to London, and that he did.
With 8 restaurants in London now, the brand is going from strength to strength,
and for good reason.
Famous for its enormous platters, mouth-watering meat and American
vibe, Bodean’s is the perfect place for a casual, no fuss, just good food kind
of meal. A place where no one judges you for eating with your hands and where
the meat sweats are real, but most importantly a place where the food just
makes you happy.
My top tip: Chance the meat sweats and order a platter to
get a taste of everything
Gilgamesh
You know sometimes after you eat somewhere, you can’t stop
thinking about it after? This is how I felt about Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is a
Pan-Asian restaurant located in Camden Stables Market and as my old office is
round the corner, I had the pleasure of visiting.
As well as the main restaurant, Gilgamesh boasts multiple
bar and lounge areas, private event spaces, a champagne bar and also a private
chef’s table. They also have a fully retractable roof for those days we
actually see some sun (which I know is few and far between), but nevertheless,
a stunning experience to eat al fresco 40ft from the ground.
Their attention to detail of every dish is impeccable and
the décor, theming and atmosphere is so well executed, it really adds something
special to an evening there. This is definitely the most opulent and lavishly
decorated restaurant I’ve been to – every single inch has had so much thought
go into it.
My top tip: The venue is not so much for a casual meal and
more for a treat, I would recommend making a whole night of Gilgamesh and
everything it has to offer from the cocktails to the food.
Street Food from KERB and Street Feast
Okay so not a restaurant exactly, but since moving to London
my love, and appreciation, for Street Food has taken over. Someone once told me
that the best food can be found on the street (not literally, thankfully), and
I laughed… but now I’m fully sold on that idea.
Street Food events such as KERB and Street Feast have
expanded on a colossal level in London in recent years, and I have loved seeing
it come into the mainstream, their events getting bigger and more and more
traders being added to their rosters. The industry is no longer known for just
stand alone street vans, but large scale daily and weekly events, celebrating
the best in street food and making the visit a whole experience in itself.
KERB operates in a couple of areas across London during the
day, whilst Street Feast takes over the City at night with street food, pop up
bars, music and a great atmosphere. I’ve now run several blogger events at
Street Feast and I love it more and more each time I go.
My favourite traders found at KERB and Street Feast events
include:
- Bleecker ST. Burger
- The Grilling Greek
- Dosa Deli
- Mother Clucker
- Kooky Bakes
- Baba G’s
- South East Cakery
- Bad Brownie
- Mother Flipper
- BBQ Lab
- Lickalix
- Rola Wala
- White Men Can’t Jerk
Part of the reason I love these Street Food Markets/events
is that greedy little me and can try food from all the different traders on
offer. I usually tend to visit street feast for a whole evening and try about
4-5 different traders over the night… and that’s how you eliminate food envy!
My Top Tip: Street Feast at Dalston Yard is my favourite by
far. Their variety of traders, unique space with loads of hidden places to sit
and the atmosphere; it’s the perfect place for a night out with friends.
Mint Leaf
I feel like Mint Leaf is a much underrated Indian restaurant
in London which is why I wanted to include it. The menu leans towards more
modern Indian than traditional and the venue is sleek and stylish.
The venue has a really nice cocktail bar and lounge, which
of course is part of the reason I love it, but more importantly, the menu is
well thought out and well presented. It’s one of those restaurants that I
always feel safe going to because the quality and standard is always
consistent.
We use the restaurant a lot with work because they are good
at catering for big groups and private events which is really important for me
as an event manager.
My Top Tip: Arrive early and make use of the bar before
dinner, their cocktails are lovely
I'm pretty sure my list of London restaurants I want to visit is growing by the day. It's my mission of 2017 to tick a few more off the list. Don't forget to leave your favourites in the comments box, and check out my picks of the best bars and best activities (coming soon) in London.
Love Lauren xx
bodeans looks amazing! Might take a look for this weekend!
ReplyDeletePam xo/ Pam Scalfi♥
Gilgamesh and Mintleaf sound amazing, I definitely need to try them! XX
ReplyDelete