Restaurants in London
IF YOU KNOW | AUG 10, 2020
Camilla Marcus
WHO
Restaurants
WHAT
London
WHERE
About
Camilla Marcus is a chef, entrepreneur and advocate dedicated to rethinking what it means to be a good neighbor through the lens of hospitality. Recently named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business”, she is the Chef/Founder of west~bourne, a zero-waste restaurant in Manhattan. Since closing the restaurant’s doors due to the widespread impact of COVID-19, Camilla has grown the brand to include online retail, packaged provisions and curated culinary experiences.
Camilla has dedicated herself to social innovation across environmental activism and structural reform within the hospitality industry. She is a co-founder of Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR), a group whose mission is to advocate for small restaurant businesses devastated by the effects of COVID-19 in New York. She is also a founding member of The Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), an organization dedicated to advocating for the rights of independent restaurants through national legislative action.
PHOTO BY EMILY SCHNINDLER
One of my dearest friends told me this was her long heralded favorite. Tucked away in a little, lesser known market off the beaten path, it’s most certainly worth the venture out. They make whatever is fresh and in season, with an exciting curated menu prepared right in front of you. The best seats, of course, are at the counter where you can truly appreciate the magic they make in an impossibly small kitchen setup.
I’d never had Sri Lankan food before lunch at Hoppers, and thankfully I was awakened to such an inspiring cuisine. They prepare street food like you’ve never experienced in an appropriately intimate and funky space. Go hungry and ideally with a group. Trust the house recommendations and of course don’t leave without tasting the namesake hopper, a crispy rice and coconut crepe with a perfectly fried egg baked into the center. It’s a time to dig in and experiment, and there’s no place like it.
I can hardly think of another restaurant that I’ve dreamed of returning to with such nostalgia and longing than Brat. I’m not sure I can recall ever eating on the second floor of a building in London, anyway. The hospitality at this nouveau bistro in Shoreditch is no frills and earnest, but every morsel that comes out of the wood burning oven is deceptively simple and addictively delicious. The whole turbot is not to be missed, even if you’re with just two people (or hey, even by yourself). I promise there won’t be a bite left on the plate.
Regardless of its destination location, quite out of the way of much else, no trip to London is complete without a visit to the River Cafe. Pops of bright color throughout the dining room and on the uniforms are playful, retro touches that somehow still make the space feel fresh and unique. The magnetic pink oven is the heart of the restaurant and churns out some of the best, most honest and most elegantly executed Italian food; you’ll be dreaming of it on your journey home. Come for the pasta and langoustines, stay for the chocolate nemesis and anything with fruit that’s in season. I’ve been known to order the whole dessert menu following lunch or dinner, because I just can’t resist. The outdoor rolling patio along the storied Thames river makes it all the more picturesque and romantic. Let your mind, and heart, wander.
Party (bar) in the front, business (restaurant) in the back. This is a well-known restaurant industry hang that is somehow both flawlessly modern and the epitome of a classic British pub. It combines the best of tradition and innovation and, as the name suggests, this place is dignified, charming, and a little bit cheeky. When people are writing about the bread basket, you know you won’t regret any evening spent there, even if you have to queue for an hour.
As if you needed another reason to go to the famed Borough Market. I’ve been a devoted fan of Lyle’s and Chef James Lowe, and this is their follow up. The design, the branding and the beautiful touch points throughout come together in the form of a restaurant that is both casual and an utter showstopper. They put finesse and care into dishes, like the raw ruby prawns, that seem simple at first blush but are in fact anything but. Plus, grabbing freshly baked goods as a parting gift is the very best way to say see you next time, and to bring Flor home with you.
The perfect French wine bar for those missing Provence. Part bottle shop, part artisanal marketplace, part bar, part pub - this effortlessly chic spot has it all. They have wine selections you’ll likely not find anywhere else in the city, and it feels authentic in every way. You just might forget that you’re across the channel.
If you’re not paying attention, you’d just about walk by this little gem, which is tucked away in Soho. Despite its small size, it packs a punch with what is arguably the best Thai food in London. For me, it’s the Uncle Boons of this city - the food is vibrant and spicy, and the space is cramped, raucous and roars with the sounds of an open kitchen. Be sure to try one of each dish and sit upstairs in front of the chefs.
SIMILAR ARTICLES
“My love affair at L’imprimerie began with the vegan chocolate chip cookie, the bread, and the vegan pumpkin spice cake.”