Food
ENISH
A branch of the prolific group (they’ve got eight other branches in London, as well as two in Dubai), Enish Brixton is a bustling Nigerian restaurant with an extensive menu of authentic dishes. They’ve got all the classics, including the likes of jollof rice, ogbono soup (with or without swallows), fried plantain, yam porridge, a range of suyas as well as various other meats and fish from the grill. Aside from the food, they’ve got a regular programme of live music and DJs – you’re not gonna be bored with a night out at Enish.
THE DRAPERS ARMS
This Islington pub boasts one of the best Sunday roasts in London but there’s lots to enjoy at The Drapers Arms for the other six days of the week. The bar is stocked with craft ales and lagers, there’s an excellent wine list with a heavy focus on European bottles, and the daily changing menu is filled with great gastropub dishes, such as red prawns, fennel & bisque, Toulouse sausages with lentils & mustard dressing, whole megrim sole with brown butter & brown shrimps, and mixed berry fool with raspberry coulis & shortbread. The smart dining room is the perfect place for a long lunch and if the sun is shining, you can’t beat a pint or two out in the garden.
What was Jim’s Cafe has been transformed into Italian joint Leo’s by the team behind Juliet’s Quality Foods and chef Giuseppe Belvedere (ex-P.Franco and Bright). Jim’s was known for its classic interiors and the Leo’s crew have kept the old-school look with mid-century furniture and retro accents in the front and white tablecloths and dark wood in the back, proper trattoria vibes. You can pop in for an espresso but you’ll want to stay for the rabbit agnolotti, mussel cream & bottarga spaghetti, grilled lamb saddle and walnut ice cream.
107
The Clapton wine bar formerly known as P.Franco had quite the 2023 – in mid-March, the beloved site suddenly closed (as did sibling sites Noble Fine Liquor and Bright due to financial negligence on the part of the parent company). Thankfully manager Will Gee fought the good fight and managed to bring P.Franco back through a crowdfunding campaign, though it’s now trading under the name 107 (hopefully only temporarily). The name may be new but the ethos is very much the same – a stellar wine selection and pop-ups from the hottest chefs and big-name international wine producers.
PLANQUE
Planque is an uber-stylish wine bar and restaurant in Haggerston with an enviable collection of rare bottles. The menu, which is designed to be shared, focuses heavily on French flavours and you can be sure that the FOH team will steer you right on a pairing wine. Aside from the restaurant, Planque has a membership (that’s where their tagline ‘a wine drinker’s clubhouse’ comes in) which is designed to be a community for like-minded winos and entitles you to access to their private lounge and dining room, as well as a bunch of exclusive events.
UMUT 2000
Umut 2000 in Dalston is constantly praised for its authentic and carefully prepared food – it’s a strong contender for the title of best Turkish grill in Dalston, which says a lot. The menu is packed with meat and fish dishes cooked over a charcoal grill, but make sure you don’t miss their wraps (these guys have a rep for killer wraps).
DURAK TANTUNI
Just a little further away from the main thoroughfare of Turkish and Kurdish restaurants that is Green Lanes, Durak Tantuni is a small, late-night spot specialising in the Turkish street food of the same name. Tantuni is the only thing on the menu here, a dürüm bread wrap filled with chopped beef flavoured with parsley, raw onions, and sumac. Durak Tantuni is credited with being the first to bring the wraps to London (if they do say so themselves) and has certainly perfected their recipe, having been operating out of their West Green Road site for more than 20 years. They’re open all day (from 12pm until 2am), so whether you’re after a quick lunch or a post-pub snack, Durak Tantuni has your back.
SAIKEI
If you’re looking for dim sum south of the river, Saikei in Greenwich is the place to go – with room for up to 400 people, you won’t struggle to get a seat in here. It’s all about traditional, authentic food here and the selection is extensive. The dim sum menu includes everything from prawn cheung fun and Shanghai pork buns to rainbow chicken claws and egg tarts, as well rice, noodle and congee dishes. There’s also a large a la carte menu featuring hot pot and BBQ dishes alongside Chinese classics, and if you’re looking to turn your feast into a real occasion, there are karaoke rooms at Saikei too.
Rice paper salad roll biz Kaleido Rolls has a brand new flagship spot in Carnaby featuring an on-site rolling station, so you can see your food made fresh in front of you. The menu includes ten different filling combos, like maple salmon & edamame, chicken caesar, feta & pesto, prawn & crispy onion, and sweet potato & tahini, all wrapped up in rice paper, alongside peanut, tahini, sweet chilli and lemon dipping sauces. As well as different box sizes (a box of four comes in under a tenner), the rolls are healthy and nutritious too, making them ideal for lunch – and if you bring in your own lunch box, you can get a 50p discount on your order.
THE GEORGE
Fitzrovia isn’t short of a few boozers but there’s not many like The George. From looks alone you can tell that The George is a cut above the average pub. The 18th century building is Grade-II listed so lots of period details, including wood panelling, plasterwork, gilded mirrors and enamel paintings have been kept, with a recent refurbishment adding a nice bit of polish. In the downstairs bar you can get a great pint of Guinness as well as Irish whiskeys and Irish coffees, and upstairs, there’s a menu designed by a two Michelin star chef. The George, part of the JKS stable, has culinary director James Knappett (of Kitchen Table) overseeing the food and publican Dom Jacobs running the show. Pub classics are very much the name of the game but with lots of little details pushing things up a gear. There’s bacon jam and jalapeño mascarpone dip for some very good, heavily seasoned buttermilk fried chicken; a tangy Worcestershire sauce ketchup to accompany molten Welsh rarebit croquettes; and red curry seasoning and sriracha & kewpie mayo dip to liven up a pot of pork scratchings. Don’t miss the fish & chips or the sticky toffee pudding either!
Paris is not a city short of boulangeries but another standout option worth seeking out is Mamiche. They have seriously incredible seasonal doughnuts stuffed with the likes of cream and apricot, plus sandwiches, sourdough bread, babka, croissants and a whole lot more. Everything is made 100% in house in small batches so if you’ve got your eye on something in particular, get down there early before it sells out.
This weekday lunchtime-only deli is the place to come for epic-sized hipster sandwiches – because as their Instagram says (perhaps a bit too pleadingly) “COOL KIDS EAT SANDWICHES”. Absolutely anyone can appreciate these beasts however; we’re talking big baguettes like ‘The Notorious Chicken’, stuffed with fried chicken, pickles, coleslaw, pecorino and spicy mayo, and the ‘Bonjour Sarra’ with turkey, figs, mustard and a triple loading of cheddar. Best combined with an afternoon nap.
Our favourite boulangerie in Paris, The French Bastards now has a few locations around town. There’s incredible pastries, bread, hot chocolate, ice cream cookie sandwiches and everything in between. Look out for signatures like the chocolate babka cruffin, and regular special cakes and seasonal goods.
Racines is worth visiting for the setting alone, in the Passage des Panoramas, the oldest covered walkway in Paris. It’s a tiny, ramshackle little place with old wooden furniture and a short daily menu written up on a chalk board. The food is seriously on point, drawing influence from the chef’s native Sardinia as well as France – expect to find fresh pasta, alongside steak tartare and excellent wines. There’s a great set lunch menu too.
We wouldn’t normally recommend you eating at a Spanish restaurant in Paris, but we like the vibe of Amagat a lot, so we’ll make an exception. Located in an old industrial building down a cobbled alley near Père Lachaise cemetery, it feels a bit like the Parisian Hackney Wick on entry; inside, there’s an open kitchen with some counter seating plus tables spread across a smart dining room, which gets regularly packed out with locals (make sure you book ahead). On the menu there’s classic tapas dishes given subtle twists like chorizo croquettes, patatas bravas (made with shredded potatoes), and tortilla with XO sauce, plus larger dishes like grilled octopus with aioli and Iberico presa marinated in gochujang and honey. It’s loud, fun, and great for a late weekend dinner in Paris, especially if there’s a group of you.
Natural wine and ice cream are together at last at Folderol, a brilliantly Parisian creation. Grab a bottle of wine to drink in store or take away or get a freshly churned ice cream, with flavours like fig & hibiscus and peanut choc swirl on offer. Or, do the sensible thing and have some wine and ice cream together. Open until 11pm, Folderol is a brilliant post dinner spot.
Another top Amsterdam bakery, Mater is located in De Pijp, one of Amsterdam’s best neighbourhoods. There’s sourdough bread made from regeneratively produced flour, banging pastries like the brioche filled with rose crème patissière & raspberry rhubarb compote, coffee, sandwiches, and even jams that are all made in house.
Don’t try and book a room here, but do definitely book a table at what is one of the best restaurants in Amsterdam Noord, the hipster district just over the water from central Amsterdam. Hotel de Goudfazant is right on the water in a huge old warehouse and serves up simple seasonal dishes and great wines. There’s also a take away menu if you want to grab a few bits and eat a picnic along the waterfront.