How to Eat Healthyish in London
In the last few years, London has seen an amazing array of healthier options arriving across the city. Avocado toast has snuck onto almost every menu, cold-pressed juices are readily available, and sweet potatoes are never in short supply. And, in this city, eating well is never boring. The incredible variety of international cuisine here has had a huge impact on our cuisine. Japanese, Peruvian, Indian, and Mexican influences are giving our traditional fish and chips a bit of a makeover and pushing vegetables towards the center of the plate. The list below are my favorite places to be healthyish in London when I'm not cooking from my forthcoming book, Natural Feasts, but there are a lot more gems to discover and always more to explore.
Courtesy of @chicamalondon1/12Chicama
This place does vegetables right. The Peruvian-inspired menu celebrates inventive uses of seasonal British produce. Everything’s designed to share, so order lots of little plates and try a bit of everything. I love dishes like the sprouting broccoli, coffee and smoked chile dip, crispy eggplant with plantain miso and pecans, and the veggie ceviche.
Photo by Helen Cathcart2/12The Palomar
The best thing about this restaurant is sitting at the bar and watching the chefs prepare everything in the open kitchen in front of you. The food here is “modern-day Jerusalem,” and it’s pretty special—the Yemeni-pot baked bread served with tahini and velvet tomatoes, beetroot carpaccio with pomegranate molasses, and fattoush salad are favorites at the moment. I love that they love tahini as much as I do and serve it in abundance.
Courtesy of @26grains3/1226 Grains
If you like porridge, then you’ve got to stop in here. Based in Neals Yard, this beautiful little café is an oasis from the business of Covent Garden. Alex Hely Hutchinson, the owner, is really inspiring, and she’s always got interesting seasonal toppings like apricot cardamom compote and roasted tarragon tomatoes, all served over comforting porridge in a really friendly atmosphere.
Courtesy of @marie.jonsson.5244/12Borough Market
This is a must for anyone visiting London. I grew up at the end of the street and watched the market expand to become what it is now. It’s packed on weekends and has a real buzz. You’ll find just about everything here from beautifully fresh produce stalls to artisan bread, stacks of brownies, and London’s best coffee (Monmouth Coffee), not to mention noodle bars, busy pubs, fresh juice bars, and the most phenomenal selection of food stands serving up imaginative dishes.
Photo by John Carey5/12Nopi
Matt (my husband) and I had our first date at this Yotam Ottolenghi destination, and it’s still a real favorite. Every dish here is delicious. I love the chickpea pancake with spiced peas, tomato, pickled chilli, and yuzu, and the place is known for classics like the roasted eggplant with tamarind yogurt, pistachio, and pickled lemon.
Photo by Sophia Spring6/12The Kitchen Counter
I have to be a little biased and include one of our cafes on the list! They’re a celebration of natural, plant-based food, and we have three across London. Our customer favorites are the cauliflower and lentil dahl with cucumber raita and brown rice, five-bean chili with homemade corn bread and slaw, and our smashed avocado toast, as well as the fudgy brownies and peanut cookies. Currently I’m obsessed with our sweetcorn fritters with smashed avocado and smoky baked beans. We always have organic, cold pressed juices, too, freshly made smoothies, matcha, and turmeric lattes too.
Courtesy of @pachamamalondon7/12Pachama
This is another Peruvian spot with great cocktails and a fantastic atmosphere. The miso-cured carrots with red quinoa and Peruvian kimchi are a must for me, as is the smoked mushroom ceviche and the plantains with yacón syrup. Matt loves the sea bass ceviche and the yellowfin tuna, and for dessert try the Peruvian chocolate with toasted quinoa.
8/12Daylesford
This café has a few locations around London, all using their own local, seasonal produce. It’s a great brunch destination—they’ve got delicious muesli bowls topped with goji berries, as well as porridge, organic eggs, juices, and, of course, avocado toast.
Courtesy of @amaya.ldn9/12Amaya
This is the fanciest restaurant on the list. It’s one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to, and if you’re looking for a special spot to celebrate, I couldn’t recommend it more. It’s a Michelin-starred take on Indian food, served as small plates and absolutely bursting with flavor. We always over-order here, and I’m yet to eat something that isn’t incredible. The tandoori broccoli with tamarind and yogurt, the griddled white sweet potato, and the vegetable biryani with garlic naan are my go-tos.
Courtesy of @rabbit_resto10/12Rabbit
The concept of this place is British “Wild Food” with an emphasis on seasonal, wild, and foraged. The menu changes all the time as a result— last time I was there, the broad bean hummus with sourdough was at the top of my list, alongside the kohlrabi carpaccio and seasonal risotto.
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Courtesy of @nextstop42st11/12The Can't Miss Shop: Portobello Market
One of many great markets in the city, this one in the heart of Notting Hill is crammed on weekends with people looking for treasures. Go on a Friday or Saturday when the market stretches all the way down Portobello road. It’s the world’s biggest antiques market, with clothes, food, crafts, tableware, jewelry, and furniture, plus a ton of food stalls and an incredible selection of restauarnts nearby.
Courtesy of @jacko_2612/12The Activity: Hyde Park
Matt and I walk through the park to work every day with our dog, Austin, and it’s probably my favorite place in London. It feels like a real oasis within the city’s hustle and bustle. Walk around the Serpentine, rent a little pedal boat, or take a picnic to one of the beautiful open spaces.
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