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15 of the best West End restaurants for birthday dinners

OpenTable May 23, 2019 Leave a Comment

Planning a birthday dinner can be tricky. You need great food and the right vibe, all for a decent price, and that’s before you’ve even tried pinning down a date. We’ve done some of the hard work for you, handpicking 15 West End restaurants that are perfect for birthday dinners.

Brasserie Zedel – This grand brasserie has ‘birthday’ written all over it. It’s elegant but unfussy, the service is faultless, and it’s surprisingly affordable. Whether you’re splashing out on oysters and Champagne or sticking to the prix fixe, you’re guaranteed a good time.

Blacklock – Chops, steaks, and cocktails for a fiver – what’s not to love? Take your meat-loving mates for a birthday blow-out and go ‘all in’ – that’s all the chops piled on to flatbread, plus bites and sides, for £20 a head.

Big Easy – This BBQ joint is a top choice for big, boisterous groups looking for beer, meat and music. You can soak up their famous cocktail slushies with slow-smoked brisket, Carolina pulled pork, and lobster rolls.

Ichibuns – This Japanese-American super diner is the ideal place to eat before a wild night out in Soho. Situated in the heart of Chinatown, it serves everything from sushi and udon noodles to Wagyu burgers and dynamite shrimp.

Berners Tavern – If you can’t splash out on your birthday, when can you? At Berners Tavern, you can enjoy modern British dishes in one of London’s most impressive dining rooms. Start with a glass of fizz from the Champagne trolley.

RedFarm – Famous for its dumplings, this New York import has proved an instant hit with locals and critics alike. Take a gang of friends along so you can order plenty – the cheeseburger spring rolls and Pac Man shrimp dumplings are a must.

Fumo – With its marble bar, flattering lighting and glammed-up crowd, dining at Fumo feels like a trip to Milan – only without the price tag. Round up your besties for an evening fuelled by Negronis, burrata, and lobster ravioli.

The Ivy Market Grill – This sophisticated spot ticks all the boxes for a birthday dinner – slick service, killer cocktails, and a menu big enough to please your fussiest friends. Save room for their melting chocolate bombe with salted caramel sauce.

Roti Chai – Roti Chai’s buzzy downstairs dining room is perfect for big groups. The menu focuses on tandoor grills and regional specialities like Koliwada fish curry, Malabar mooli prawns, and a crowd-pleasing Old Delhi style butter chicken.

Señor Ceviche – If you’re tired of your usual haunts, shake things up with a Peruvian feast and plenty of Pisco sours at this gem in Kingly Court. If your mates aren’t into ceviche, don’t worry – they’ll love the Pachamanca pork ribs.

100 Wardour Street – With live music five nights a week, you can go straight from dinner to dancefloor at this glitzy Soho restaurant. For daytime celebrations, their Jukebox Brunch, with a roaming band and bottomless fizz, is a lot of fun.

La Bodega Negra – From the neon peep show frontage to the punchy house Margaritas, this Soho spot is all about debauchery. Assemble your squad, take a tequila flight, and tuck into tacos, ceviche and tostadas.

SUSHISAMBA Covent Garden – Perched atop the Market Building, SUSHISAMBA features a bar and sushi counter, a terrace overlooking the piazza, and a ‘living ceiling’ of leafy plants and foliage. The food – a unique mix of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine – is just as impressive. Don’t miss the robata pork belly with butterscotch miso.

Hawksmoor Seven Dials – This Covent Garden steakhouse has all the right ingredients for a celebratory meal – switched-on staff, great wine, and some of the best beef in town. Pick up some salted caramel Rolos for the journey home.

Opera Tavern – If you want to catch up with friends over some small plates and great wine, this is just the place. The menu has Spanish and Italian influences so expect hand-carved jamon, padron peppers, and meat and fish cooked on their charcoal grill.

Nothing catching your eye? Visit OpenTable to discover more restaurants in the West End or ask us for tips on Twitter.

Living on the veg: Vegan-friendly restaurants in London

OpenTable May 15, 2019 Leave a Comment

Whether you’re a full-time vegan or just trying to eat less meat, there’s never been a better time to go meat-free in London.

Wild Food Café
Sister to the Neal’s Yard original, Islington’s Wild Food Café is a light and airy space with a counter bar that’s perfect for all-day dining. Pop in for mocktails, wood-fired pizzas (with cashew cheese), or a slice of their rainbow cheesecake.

Kalifornia Kitchen
With its neon, foliage, and hot pink staircase, this Fitzrovia restaurant is an Instagrammer’s paradise. Luckily for us, the food tastes as good as it looks. You can swing by for a healthy breakfast or drop in later for jackfruit tacos, rainbow bowls, and matcha cheesecake.

Stem + Glory
Following the success of their Cambridge restaurants, Stem + Glory opened a flagship London restaurant earlier this year. It’s a modern space close to the Barbican, serving small plates, craft beers, and a vegan Full English at weekends.

The Gate
There are lots of vegan options on The Gate’s menu, including one of their signature dishes – a wild mushroom risotto cake served with sautéed mushrooms, rocket, and a creamy cep sauce. They now have restaurants in St John’s Wood, Marylebone, Islington, and Hammersmith, so you’re never far from your next meat-free meal.

Genesis
Forget basic bean burgers, Genesis in Shoreditch dishes up organic comfort food that’s big on flavour and totally meat-free. Alongside the usual suspects – burgers, hot dogs, mac ‘n’ cheese – there are smoked ‘chorizo’ tacos, Korean BBQ seitan wings, and a knock-out salad with hoisin jackfruit and sesame-ginger dressing.

Slaw
After starting out as a pop-up, Slaw has found a permanent home on Upper Street in Islington. The menu has a root-to-stem ethos, aiming to reduce food waste and make plant-based more accessible. Recent hits include spiced cauliflower with a zingy coriander and mint dressing and a flavour-packed squash and kale curry.

by CHLOE
New York’s best-loved vegan restaurant now has two London locations – in Covent Garden and Tower Bridge – with more opening soon. It’s a great choice for brunch, a plant-based burger, or a salad to go. If it’s comfort food you’re after, their mac ‘n’ cheese – made with sweet potato-cashew cheese sauce and shiitake bacon – will definitely hit the spot.

SpiceBox
SpiceBox found a permanent home in Walthamstow earlier this year and their vegan Indian food was an instant hit with the locals. Give their fiery jackfruit jalfrezi a try the next time you’re craving something spicy.

Farmacy
Popular with health-conscious locals, this Notting Hill restaurant serves syringe shots, earth bowls, and plant-based brunch dishes. You won’t find any dairy, refined sugars or other nasties on the menu. Don’t miss their CBD-infused ‘high tea’.

Wulf & Lamb
For vegan comfort food in Chelsea, this laid-back eatery just off Sloane Square is the place to go. Choose from sourdough pizzas, chilli ‘non’ carne, or their seitan Wulf burger with cashew aioli.

These are just a few of London’s vegan-friendly dining options – you’re probably already familiar with places like Mildreds, Deliciously Ella, and The Spread Eagle. For a more upscale experience, there’s Vanilla Black or Gauthier Soho, where the vegan tasting menu never fails to impress.

Visit OpenTable to discover more vegan and vegetarian restaurants in London.

Malt-teasers: London’s best bars and restaurants for whisky lovers

OpenTable May 15, 2019 Leave a Comment

Down and dirty or smart and sophisticated, whisky holds no prejudices to where it’s drunk. These London bars, restaurants, and pubs are a case in point.

Milroy’s
Soho whisky specialist Milroy’s also has a cellar bar – The Vault – where Scottish whiskies are especially well represented. Those keen to explore other terroirs, like those of Sweden or Australia, are also in good hands.

Mac & Wild
At a Scottish restaurant, where the majority of produce is from Scotland, chances are there’s going to be scotch involved. Mac & Wild’s City restaurant holds whisky tastings every Friday and Saturday with author Blair Bowman, while the bar’s cocktails are also whisky-forward. Try the Foraged Old Fashioned – Monkey Shoulder with pine needle tincture, heather honey, and barrel aged bitters.

The Blues Kitchen
Similarly, The Blues Kitchen hosts live music on the regular. It is, however, a much more casual affair, with deep dirty south vibes where bourbon and rye are the drinks du jour. All three locations – Camden, Brixton and Shoreditch – have a selection of 80+ whiskeys, alongside wings, burgers and the like.

Boisdale Canary Wharf
There’s live jazz and blues every night at Boisdale, though many come here for something else – Boisdale’s whisky collection is among London’s most impressive, with 1,000 bottles on last count.

Coq d’Argent
A French restaurant isn’t the first place the whisky-curious might look to, but Coq d’Argent is far from the usual. The bar stocks 70-odd whiskies, from Jonnie Walker Gold Reserve all the way up to a 30-year-old Auchroisk, of which only 3,000 bottles were made.

Lord Wargrave
Asking for an Old Fashioned in a pub can be a bit hit and miss, but not at the Wargrave. They have a bible of 250 whiskies, each with accompanying tasting notes, which makes things a lot easier if you’re not sure what to choose. The food’s a far cry from standard pub grub, too. They smoke all their own meat on site so you enjoy ribs or a pulled pork bun with your whisky.

Black Rock
The bar without a bar from experienced mixologist Tristan Stephenson, Black Rock’s defining aesthetic is a whisky river running across its middle. The bar’s ethos is to make whisky more accessible, with drams generally available for £6 – £11.

Bull in a China Shop
Among Shoreditch’s coolest hangouts, Bull in a China Shop is half East Asian restaurant, half whisky bar. Given its food influence, and that whiskies from the region are well in attendance, Japanophiles are well looked after here.

East London Liquor Company
Production of whisky within London was, until recently, dormant for over a century. Then along came ELLC, distilling London’s first whisky to be drunk in 114 years. Or did they? The London Distillery Company lays down a similar same claim, but if there’s anything to be learned, it’s that London’s home-grown whisky credentials are up and running again. Keep ELLC’s bar in mind for your next east London cocktail crawl.

Salt Whisky Bar
While the rather sleek Salt bar is more trained on Scottish malts, its menu often travels off to lesser known producing regions such as India, Canada, and Taiwan. Tipples range from the very accessible £5 up to £30, and if you’re visiting during an off-peak time, guided tastings are available.

This is a guest post from freelance food journalist Hugh Thomas. He’s contributed to Foodism, Time Out, Great British Chefs, and is part of British Street Food’s small team of vigilant writers. Find him on twitter @hughwrites.

10 of the best vegetarian restaurants in Berlin

OpenTable May 14, 2019 Leave a Comment

Vegetarians, rejoice: Berlin’s young, innovative dining scene is huge, so it comes as no surprise that the German capital offers plenty of meat-free dining options. In fact, there are few restaurants left that don’t cater to the health-conscious vegetarian lifestyle. Here’s our insider’s guide to some of the best vegetarian restaurants in Berlin.

Chay Long
The restaurant’s motto is simple: eat chay and live long (chay meaning vegetarian in Vietnamese). The fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients speak for themselves in their meat-free version of classic dishes like pho and bun bo hue. Vietnamese star chef Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van lent a helping hand with the menu, so you know you’re in for a treat.

Tianfuzius
The name might be a tongue-twister, but don’t let that hold you back from reserving a table at Berlin’s one and only vegetarian Chinese restaurant. This bright and spacious joint combines Chinese flavours and plant-based goodness perfectly. Must-try: the spicy and sour cucumber salad followed by smoked Wuxian tofu with coriander. Welcome to modern Chinese eating in the heart of Berlin!

kopps
kopps combines high-quality ingredients, craftmanship and creativity to achieve extraordinary compositions. We promise you’ll never have tasted vegetables like this before. Take some friends for dinner or try their weekend brunch, but make sure to reserve a table first. The New York Times is a fan and CNN has reported about this vegan hot spot, so it tends to get a little busy…

Cookies Cream
Cookies Cream is a well-established vegan and vegetarian restaurant that serves traditional German food with a focus on health and wellbeing. It is a favourite amongst the odd catwalk model and German celeb, too. So, book a table and enjoy a bit of celeb-spotting while you tuck into dishes like leeks with black sesame or Parmesan dumplings with truffle stock.

Daluma
Up for some people watching? Daluma is a hipsters’ paradise. We promise you won’t get bored sitting in this über-stylish café decked out with herringbone flooring and whitewashed brickwork, sipping on the latest raw juice and tucking into your vegan bowl. Located in Berlin Mitte, where you’ll find plenty of cool boutiques and galleries, Daluma is the place where the it-crowd gets their vegan and raw food fix. Healthy, stylish and super cool – a must-visit if you want to hang with the locals.

Vaust
Interested in eating out at a typical German brewery? Vegetarians can have a blast at Vaust, Berlin’s only vegan brewery located in the heart of Charlottenburg. The beer available at Vaust is brewed by the owner himself and you even try a seitan version of the famous Berlin currywurst.

SOY
This vegan Vietnamese restaurant proves that vegan food can be full of flavour and exotic spices and far from boring. SOY, located in the heart of hip district Mitte, has perfected the art of Asian tapas and the team’s outstanding customer service will make you feel super comfortable. Win win!

Chipps
Chipps offers a vast range of vegetarian dishes which you can choose according to your mood. Are you up for a fresh salad, huevos rancheros, or a ‘dancing queen’ breakfast of eggs Florentine? There’s even a ‘walk of shame’ option with tomatoes, feta, and chilli. The good news is that Chipps’ food always hits the spot and this fuss-free restaurant offers one of the best breakfasts in town.

Momos
If you’re looking for a quick veggie bite on the go, then Momos is the restaurant for you. This organic self-service joint specialises in homemade vegetarian dumplings that come with a choice of vegan or vegetarian fillings. Their dumplings paired with a fruity smoothie will give you enough energy to walk along the entire stretch of the Berlin Wall for sure. We recommend their ‘Mean Green’ drink made with spinach, lemon and cucumber.

Lucky Leek
Lucky Leek is a must-visit for serious food lovers. The restaurant gets rave reviews and anyone who has tried chef Josita Hartanto’s ambitious cooking will understand why. Expect inventive dishes like potato-ricotta crespelle with turnip schnitzel or braised aubergine with hazelnut and olive salsa. If you are up for treating yourself, then head to Lucky Leek in trendy Prenzlauer Berg where you will find an array of fairtrade shopping options, too.

This is a guest post from freelance journalist Beatrice Clark. She has written for Vogue, Glamour and Vanity Fair, among others, and has spent the past 15 years living in France, England and Scotland. She is currently based in Berlin and is always on the hunt for the perfect Eggs Benedict.