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Go green at these vegan-friendly restaurants in Manchester

OpenTable November 1, 2019

Looking for somewhere to celebrate National Vegan Month in Manchester? Whether you’re a full time vegan or just giving it a try, you’re going to love the plant-based plates at these Manchester restaurants.

Vertigo
A meal at Vertigo will sweep you off your feet – in a good way! Choose from their restaurant in the Royal Exchange Building or the new-ish sister site opposite HOME, which is handy for a pre-cinema feast. They’re open from breakfast through to dinner serving dishes like oyster mushroom bao buns, beetroot bourguignon, and jackfruit chilli.

Albert’s Shed
Albert’s Shed benefits from its picturesque location at the centre of the Castlefield canal basin – the ideal spot to escape the hustle and bustle of Manchester’s city centre. The restaurant serves modern British cuisine and there’s a separate vegan menu for lovers of plant-based food. Save room for the dark chocolate and fig torte with vegan vanilla ice-cream.

Bundobust
Spice things up with Indian street food and craft beers at Bundobust, where the largely vegan menu shows just how delicious a plant-based meal can be. The long communal tables and funky orange booths are perfect for groups, so bring your friends and come hungry. Those okra fries aren’t going to eat themselves…

GLOBE
GLOBE’s motto is that variety is the spice of life, and that’s why you’ll find delicacies from all over the world on their menu. It’s a true feast for your taste buds, with dishes inspired by the team’s travels to Mexico, Japan and beyond. Vegans will love their zucchini fritters with beetroot hummus and the fragrant Sri Lankan veg curry.

FoodWell
FoodWell in Salford is based on the California eateries that are popular with health-conscious foodies in LA. In fact, FoodWell is more than a restaurant – they also host yoga classes and have a deli counter so you can grab healthy food on the go. We recommend heading there at the weekend for brunch so you can catch up with friends over Mimosas and a full vegan breakfast. You’ll soon feel as fit and fancy as those LA types across the pond!

The Allotment
If you’re heading to Manchester’s city centre, then look no further than The Allotment to satisfy your vegan food cravings. This popular eatery is an entirely plant-based, gluten-free fine-dining space right next to Albert Square and its relaxed atmosphere will make you feel right at home. Go a la carte or treat yourself to one of their five or ten-course taster menus.

V-Rev
This vegan diner has become a hot spot for vegans in Manchester. Proving vegan food is more than just salad, their menu is a celebration of plant-based comfort food. Round up some mates and tuck into (meat-free) burgers, mac ‘n’ cheez, seitan hot dogs, and loaded fries.

Greens
Acclaimed TV chef Simon Rimmer showcases fresh, inventive vegetarian (and vegan) dishes at his restaurant in Didsbury. You’ll find plenty of vegan options on the menu and the long list of awards the restaurant has won proves that this is a gem to be treasured. We advise booking a table in advance to avoid disappointment!

The Remedy Kitchen
A visit to The Remedy Kitchen will make you feel better in every way. The restaurant’s motto is to support its guests in their quest for health and wellbeing by catering to their nutritional needs. At The Remedy Kitchen, you’ll enjoy naturally nourishing food that’s free from gluten, dairy, wheat and refined sugar. Start your day with a healthy breakfast or pop in at lunch for an avocado and black rice bowl or spiced super salad.

The Deaf Institute
The Deaf Institute is a community space for like-minded people and its basement bar and upstairs music venue makes it’s the perfect weekend hangout. Their plant-powered kitchen serves an 80% vegan menu of classic crowd-pleasers like jackfruit wings, mac ‘n’ cheeze, and vegan burgers.

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.

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10 of west London’s favourite neighbourhood restaurants

OpenTable October 31, 2019

Welcome to west London. If it’s hospitable, reasonably priced restaurants you’re looking for, then you’ll like it here. These in particular are as much a reason for visiting as they are favourite hidey-holes among the locals.

San Pietro
Situated in a quieter part of Kensington, San Pietro is a seafood-focused Italian restaurant that’s very popular with its neighbours. Expect classic dishes like zuppa di pesce, spaghetti alle vongole, and simply grilled sea bass.

Hereford Road
The nose-to-tail movement has serious wind under its sails right now, but Hereford Road have been flying the whole animal flag since 2007. Whether you’re a St. John devotee or simply have a taste for robust British cooking, there’s much to set you up here – calf’s liver with sage and bacon, herring roe on toast, treacle tart, and more.

MAM
Vietnamese food comes in all sorts of guises. For MAM, it’s (mostly) about barbecued skewers cooked on a robata grill and served with fresh herbs, pickles, and rice paper wrappers. The dipping sauce – made in-house with shrimp paste and pineapple – is pungent, spicy, and totally addictive.

Charlotte’s Bistro
Part of the Charlotte’s Group, this Chiswick bistro has a Brit-ish approach to its food. Bread, cordials, ice-creams and everything in between, where practical and possible, are made in-house. Lunch is a steal at £16.95 for two courses.

Patri Northfields
Indian cuisine is in fine form in west London. And if you’re ever in any doubt as to why, book a table at Patri. The restaurant evokes facets of the curry house model that has dominated Britain for decades, only grabbed by the scruff of the neck and hauled into 2019. If you fancy trying a bit of everything, share their Railway Mix Grill or order the thali of the day.

Il Portico
Ok, this is Kensington High Street – known to some as Tourist Central – but having been up and running for more than 50 years, Il Portico has a community of regulars looking for no-nonsense Italian fare at its family-run trattoria. Some of the makings of, in other words, a stellar neighbourhood restaurant.

Maggie Jones’s
Maggie’s is every bit as homely as it sounds. Indeed, for a moment the rocking horses, enamelled buckets, and wicker baskets will have you wondering – is this Kensington or rural Yorkshire? Served off Wedgwood-like plates, expect the sort of living room comforts restaurants often overlook – fish pie, apple crumble, and so on.

Six Portland Road
With just 36 covers, Six Portland Road is certainly one of the more intimate places to eat out. The £21 three-course lunch is screamingly good value, while those pining for continental cuisines such as those of Catalonia and Tuscany will find solace here.

Orasay
Featuring the best of British seas (brill, monkfish, sea bass, bream), Orasay takes its cues from the Hebridean coast. Only several months young, this place is already a hit with Notting Hill locals.

The Walpole
With a menu including tomato soup, Welsh rarebit, and, simply, ‘lasagne’, The Walpole dishes up what could be construed as school dinners. If, that is, school dinners were done with quality ingredients and panache. Service on Friday and Saturdays only.

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.

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Terrifying taverns: 6 haunted pubs to visit in London

OpenTable October 30, 2019

These London drinking dens have something sinister in common. With haunting histories guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine, here are six of the spookiest haunted pubs in London.

The Spaniards Inn, Hampstead

Perched on the edge of Hampstead Heath, The Spaniards Inn dates back to 1585 and still retains much of its old-world charm. It gets its name from two former Spanish landlords, brothers Francesco and Juan Porero, who fell in love with the same woman and fought a duel. Juan was killed and his ghost wanders the pub to this day. Legendary highwayman Dick Turpin is said to haunt the upstairs rooms, while ‘Black Dick’, a moneylender who was killed by a passing coach, likes to tug on the sleeves of drinkers in the bar.

The Grenadier, Belgravia

The upper floors of this historic pub were once used as an officers’ mess frequented by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. The cellar was a gambling den for soldiers, and this is where a young man named Cedric was apparently killed for cheating at cards. Cedric now haunts the pub, rattling the tables, moving things during the night, and moaning from the cellar. Visitors hang money from the ceiling to pay his debt, but poor Cedric seems unable to leave. You may find yourself keen to linger, too. Despite its resident ghost, the pub is famous for its warm welcome and menu of English pub classics.

The Old Bull & Bush, Hampstead

This parkside pub is no stranger to paranormal activity. There are have been unexplained bangs and footsteps for many years, plus sightings of a shrouded Victorian figure at the bar. Creepier still, renovations in the 80s uncovered a skeleton surrounded by surgical equipment behind one of the cellar walls. It has since been buried, but the haunting has continued. Locals appear undeterred by these spooky occurrences – it’s a popular spot for after-work drinks and you’ll need to book ahead if you want to sample their superb Sunday roasts.

The Ten Bells, Spitalfields

This east London pub is best known for its association with Jack the Ripper, as several of his victims were seen drinking here before meeting their untimely end. The pub is believed to be haunted by Annie Chapman, who was murdered by Jack just a few hours after leaving the pub, and an old man in Victorian clothing who used to terrify staff living above the pub in the 90s. These days, the only spirits you’re likely to encounter are the ones in bottles. The Ten Bells has a serious gin menu, some excellent cocktails, and a bourbon den upstairs.

The Old Queen’s Head, Islington

With its plush leather sofas, ornate ceiling, and teal tiled bar, this Essex Road pub is a bit of a stunner. It hosts regular quizzes, gigs and club nights, and Lucky Chip are in the kitchen dishing up burgers, roasts, and Saturday brunch. The building itself dates back to 1830, with some features – like the carved stone fireplace – dating back to the 17^th century. It’s said to be haunted by a young girl who follows staff up and down the stairs and can sometimes be heard giggling, crying, and slamming doors. Pop in on the first Sunday of each month and you might witness the ghost of a woman in Tudor clothing who walks around the pub before fading away.

The Flask, Highgate

This Highgate pub is steeped in history, with some parts of the building dating back to 1663. The beer garden is packed through the summer and on colder days you can warm up in cosy corners or beside the fire. Suddenly feeling a bit chilly? You may have just encountered the ghost of a Spanish barmaid who hung herself in the cellar when her love from the landlord went unrequited. Her ghost is rarely seen but locals have spotted a man in Cavalier uniform crossing the room in the main bar and disappearing into a pillar.

Hungry for more ghostly encounters? Head to The Bow Bells, where a mischievous spirit likes to flush the ladies’ toilets, or The Volunteer on Baker Street, where the ghost of Richard Neville is said to haunt the cellars.

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Blokes in the Big Smoke: London’s best restaurants for a boys’ night out

OpenTable October 25, 2019

With its smart sports bars, old pubs reimagined for modern tastes, and enough whisky to float HMS Belfast, lads bound for London have a healthy choice of places to gather. None of which are gender-exclusive, do note – wives, girlfriends, mothers, and daughters are more than welcome too.

Mac & Wild
If ‘modern Scottish’ was an official cuisine, Mac & Wild would be its London poster boy. Especially with a menu that reads like a catalogue of Scotland’s greatest hits: venison, haggis, Loch Duart salmon, whisky cocktails, et al.

The Cinnamon Club
Neighbouring Parliament, this ‘fancy Indian’, as some call it, is also known to have vibes not dissimilar to a traditional gentleman’s club. Upholding a culinary ethos reminiscent of the ‘90s, but still considered innovative, The Cinnamon Club is all about Indian cooking given the white tablecloth treatment.

Brigadiers
Most sports bars aren’t known for their chili pork scratchings, goat tikka bun kebabs, or co-brewing their own lager. But – and you saw this one coming – Brigadiers is not most sports bars. Its impressive Indian barbecue menu is supported by live Champions League and Premier League football, and international cricket and rugby.

Boisdale of Canary Wharf
Unless Prince Charles has an underground collection we don’t know about, Boisdale’s whisky reserves is London’s most extensive, at 1,000 bottles or more. The smart bar and restaurant is a good space to sample it, with live jazz providing the ideal backing track.

The Wigmore
The Wigmore is what happens when Michel Roux Jr gets his hands on a Regent Street pub. Other reputable chefs have tried and failed at such a task, but dedication to high quality pub grub and well-kept beer is what sets this place apart. Oh, and an unwillingness to compromise on showing live sport.

Tayyabs
Tayyabs remains one of London’s foremost venues for large parties (especially those on a budget) with its communal tables and share-worthy Punjabi food. Order in tarka dhal, karahi chicken and some naan – just don’t forget those flame-grilled lamb chops.

Tandoor Chop House
Chop houses, once men-only establishments of 18th century London, have all but disappeared. Tandoor Chop House is a nod to those times, brought up to speed with a north Indian influence and an openness to female guests. If you’re in a group, go for the Big Feast menu and try a bit of everything for £28 per head.

The Marksman
The Marksman’s an old school Hackney boozer given the 21st century treatment. Food is British-inspired and reassuringly rough round the edges (a bit like the furniture) – think rabbit pie, curried lamb buns, and chocolate stout ice-cream.

Greenwood
Showing as many as 12 sporting events in a day, including anything from F1 and European football through to Rugby League and boxing, sports fans have little reason to leave Greenwood save for sleep. Expect crowd-pleasing fan fuel – pizzas, cheeseburgers, wings, and fish and chips.

CRATE
Crate is evidence that yes, when taken in moderation, pizza, beer, and canals do work well together. The indie brewery in Hackney is among London’s must-visits. Just so happens they know how to make a darn good pizza as well.

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