If you’re still following a new year’s resolution to eat well or want to make a longer-term switch, these are the must-visit spots for staying healthy while dining out in the capital.
Now we’re nearing the end of January, those new year’s resolutions you made, bright-eyed and optimistically, may already feel like distant memories. Perhaps you opted gallantly for Dry January, Veganuary or played it safe with a general sweeping pledge to be ‘healthier’. Whatever your goal, if your resolve has already waned or you’re feeling the temptation, don’t worry — you can still enjoy dining out while sticking to your resolutions. And while it may seem daunting to stray from your usual spots, discovering new places to eat can be exciting. In London, enticing restaurants abound — many filled with delicious plant-based and health-conscious menus and dishes.
KIN, Fitzrovia
On a quiet street corner in Fitzrovia, recently opened KIN’s cosy dining room, mood lighting and attentive staff make it an ideal spot for a winter evening catch-up with friends. Its plant-based menu features almost all gluten-free dishes made with sustainably sourced ingredients. The sticky cashew tofu with a cashew-carrot dip appetiser is sweet and tangy, contrasting with the charred, ponzu-glazed roasted cabbage on a creamy base — crispy, savoury and smooth in equal parts.
From the large plates, courgette and pistachio spaghetti with vegan burrata and heirloom tomatoes is sophisticated yet unfussy, and the miso-glazed aubergine on cauliflower puree a delight (we also enjoyed mixing these together). Both desserts on the menu are light and rich — a velvety avocado and lime torte (in place of a cheesecake) on rich pistachio butter and a warm chocolate fondant paired with tangy raspberry jam with a hint of chilli.
Mallow, Borough Market and Canary Wharf
From the team behind veggie restaurant chain Mildred’s, Mallow promises the same creativity but with a slightly more high-end in approach. Completely plant-based, the menu changes seasonally to highlight what’s growing now, and despite the luxurious flavours of the dishes, vegetables still take centre-stage.
The mains were a standout. We enjoyed a burst of spice from the mapo tofu — a rich Szechuan stew of minced shiitake mushrooms, tomato, fermented soy and chilli, accompanied by stir-fried greens and crispy shallots. The ohn no khao swe noodles, served in a creamy sauce of caramelised onion, coconut cream, sweet potato, leek and holy basil, delivered a balanced mix of thick textures and sweet and smooth flavours.
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For dessert, the chocolate ganache pudding cake with rosemary creme anglaise was indulgent and rich, while the tarte citron is a zesty alternative. The Canary Wharf location is offering a vegan tasting menu throughout January, blending Japanese and Peruvian flavours for £45 per guest.
Jugad, Camden
Last year the healthy meal-delivery brand Foodhack opened its bricks-and-mortar restaurant, Jugad, in Camden Town. The menu’s designed by executive chef Jose Fernandes (who’s spent the last five years heading up the kitchen at the acclaimed Gunpowder restaurant) and promises to be as nutritious as it is delicious, as well as largely gluten- and dairy-free. The portions are small so you can easily order two or three dishes.
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The standout choices were, for a starter, quail scotch eggs with curried crab and tomato chutney — light and delicately flavoured, with nothing (not the egg, the chutney or the crab) dominating the palette. For a main, the tandoori prawns, drenched in smoked tomatoes and garlic, was the most flavoursome of all the dishes we tried. For dessert, the brownie was as decadent as you’d want it to be, with the promise of less sugar and calories thanks to sweet potato as a natural sweetener.
