Blog

Not recommendations, just supporting independent food businesses and sharing thoughts on stuff we care about.

All 127 Discover 72 Seasonal 23 Food Industry 21 Food Trends 6 Shop Local 3 Book Club 2

Hand holding a bowl of Middle Eastern rice with spiced meat, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs at a market food stall.

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Affordable Eats: Spitalfields Market Edition

"London's iconic Spitalfields Market meets budget eating — discover incredible global street food for under £10, from Turkish wraps to Ethiopian vegan bowls."

Frankie Molyneux

Three bowls of ramen with soft-boiled eggs, chashu pork, and scallions served in black bowls with red spoons.

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Cheap Eats In London To Check Out In September 2024

For this month's picks, we have a tiny ramen bar, a NYC-style bagel spot, a Vietnamese hole-in-the-wall, and a vibrant Caribbean kitchen.

Frankie Molyneux

A smiling woman in jeans and a black t-shirt stands in the doorway of a bright, modern restaurant with white storefront windows.

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Discover Ria's: London’s New Hot Spot for Detroit-Style Pizza and Natural Wine

Detroit-style pizza meets natural wines in this cosy, intimate Notting Hill spot.

Laura Potier

Hands holding a loaded burger with beef patty, melted cheese, caramelized onions, and purple cabbage on a sesame seed bun.

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Pop Brixton: A Couple of Great Spots That Won't Break The Bank

This month, we're in the South West London hotspot of Pop Brixton!

Frankie Molyneux

Gourmet sausage sandwiches with golden hash browns and sides spread across a wooden table at Bangers breakfast bar.

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Discover Bangers: A Must-Visit Shoreditch Breakfast Bar Transforming Sausage Sandwiches

Discover the story of Bangers, Shoreditch's newest breakfast sensation. Co-founder Will Rhys shares the journey from festival stalls to a thriving breakfast bar.

Eloise Wright

Two people playfully hold Botivo botanical aperitivo bottles up to their faces, smiling against a bright yellow wall.

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The Rise of Botivo: A Craft Botanical Aperitivo Revolutionising Non-Alcoholic Drinks

An Exclusive Interview with Imme Ermgassen, Co-Founder of Botivo

Laura Potier

Two women in striped aprons smile while preparing food in a modern kitchen, one plating a dish and the other holding a bowl.

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Discover: N5 Kitchen

One of London's best catering company brings their food to North London's streets.

Laura Potier

A bartender pours craft beer from chrome taps into a glass held by a customer at a modern brewery or pub.

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A Spotlight On Brockley, South London's Lesser Known Gem

The best of Brockley's food and drinks scene.

Katie Randall

A gourmet sandwich with sliced roast beef, greens, and pickles on crusty bread, plated with olive oil drizzle.

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Affordable Eats: Sandwich Edition

Sandwiches will always hold a special place in our hearts. Here are some of the best bang for your buck bites

Frankie Molyneux

A white bowl filled with Vietnamese bun thit nuong featuring grilled pork, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and rice noodles in a woven basket.

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Cheap Eats: The Best of January 2024

January is notorious for being a tough month money-wise, here's a few more wallet-friendly spots for some January treats

Frankie Molyneux

A pink elephant statue wearing a white castle tower on its back stands on a platform between modern buildings in an urban setting.

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The Latin Community Shaped Elephant And Castle's Food Scene – Gentrification Threatens To Destroy What They've Built

Elephant and Castle is known for being home to London’s ‘Latin Quarter’, hosting the second largest Latin population in the capital. Around 10% of the population of the Borough of Southwark claim Latin heritage

Katie Randall

A colorful illustrated market building with Latin American shops including El Parador Cafe and Seven Sisters Market, featuring outdoor seating with red umbrellas.

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Tottenham's Latin Village Keepers: A Journey Through Pueblito Paisa

Inside the fight to save London’s Latin Village (Pueblito Paisa), a grassroots campaign against gentrification to protect one of the city’s most important migrant cultural spaces.

Lily Wakeley

Hands holding an overstuffed deli sandwich with thick-cut pastrami and yellow mustard dripping from a crusty roll.

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Affordable Eats: Borough Market Edition

A special Borough-Market edition of our monthly cheap eats column.

Frankie Molyneux

Korean seafood pancakes and fried chicken served in golden metal bowls with chopsticks and dipping sauces on a wooden table.

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Affordable Eats – Part XII

From Jamaican and Korean fusion to classic Italian, here's this month's round-up of London cheap eats!

Frankie Molyneux

A table spread of Asian dishes including pho, grilled meat skewers, stir-fried vegetables, rice, and drinks with fresh mint garnish.

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Affordable Eats - Part XI

The latest entry in our ongoing series on the best, most affordable places to eat in London – where you can get your fill for £10 or less.

Frankie Molyneux

A bearded man in a gray t-shirt takes a bite of pizza with a Coca-Cola bottle on a wooden table beside sunglasses and phone.

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Affordable Eats – Part X

Our tenth entry into this cheap eats series, this month with a focus on South London.

Frankie Molyneux

A gourmet burger with onion rings on top, served with french fries and a colorful salad bowl on a dark wooden platter.

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Discover: Super Natural Cafe

Super Natural Café: The Vegan Restaurant That's Bringing Plant-Based Food to the Mainstream

Annie Dabb

A person holds a wooden bowl filled with colorful grains, roasted vegetables, pomegranate seeds, and fresh herbs.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part IX

The end of March 2023 brings you Part 9 of our ongoing series, where we uncover the best, most affordable restaurants in London.

Frankie Molyneux

Grilled whole fish with herbs, charred lettuce salad, and glazed meat on lettuce leaves arranged on dark plates with green sauce.

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Here's where to find authentic Burmese food in London

Burmese cuisine might be hard to find, but it's worth the search.

Katie Randall

A charming cobblestone street in Norwich lined with colorful historic buildings and small shops, with people walking along the pedestrian pathway.

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An Unmissable Food Trail Through Norwich

Embark on a delicious journey through a historic city.

Angela Youngman

A pizza chef in black gloves places a slice into a takeaway box, with freshly baked pizzas topped with vegetables and cheese displayed on the counter.

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Discover: Breadstall

From Market Stall to Pizza Institution: Breadstall and the Craft of Biga Dough

Rebecca Lillywhite

A bowl of spicy soup with soft-boiled eggs and cilantro, served alongside a michelada cocktail and burrito bowl on branded paper.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part VIII

We continue our series on cheap eats with some Ethiopian, Thai, and Mexican offerings.

Frankie Molyneux

A chef's hands grate fresh cheese over a plate of pasta with herbs in a restaurant kitchen.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part VII

A series exploring the best affordable eats in London, highlighting independent cafés, street-food stalls, and hidden gems where you can eat well without spending much.

Frankie Molyneux

Grilled lobster tails with yellow sauce drizzle and herbs, served on a metal platter with dipping sauce.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part VI

Cheap and delicious is what we search for.

Frankie Molyneux

Black and white artistic illustration of a pizza slice with "VAMPIRE PIZZA BAR" text inside on a white poster.

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Discover: Lost Boys Pizza

Camden's world-first vampire pizzeria serves black charcoal pizza, killer cocktails, and a warm welcome for the weird and wonderful. 🧛

Laura Potier

Everything bagels topped with mustard, bacon, and sesame seeds stacked on a wooden cutting board.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part V

We're back with another instalment of our popular series, Affordable Eats!

Eloise Wright

Four colorful Middle Eastern dishes in ceramic bowls on green tiles: roasted carrots with herbs, beetroot dip with rosemary, grilled eggplant with green sauce, and charred flatbread.

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Discover: Bubala

Mediterranean. Vegetable-forward. Utterly delicious. We sat down with Bubala co-founder Marc Summers on the restaurant rewriting veggie dining.

Eloise Wright

A rich orange curry with meat and cream garnish served in a traditional copper-handled pan with ornate silverware on a wooden table.

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Curry, Britain's unofficial national dish

From a 1747 recipe to 12,000 curry houses — the fascinating, complicated story of how curry became Britain's unofficial national dish. 🍛

Laura Potier

Three hands holding coffee cups together - two lattes with leaf latte art and one black coffee - viewed from above.

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Coffee & Britain: a brief history of Colonialism, Enlightenment, repression and resurrection

Britain is famous for tea — but coffee got there first. Here's the fascinating story of how coffee rose, fell, and conquered Britain all over again. ☕

Laura Potier

Purple book cover titled "London Feeds Itself" edited by Jonathan Nunn, displayed against a colorful watercolor background with urban sketches.

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Hawkker Book Club: London Feeds Itself

25 essays. 25 writers. One city seen through its food. Our review of Jonathan Nunn's London Feeds Itself — and why every Londoner should read it. 📖

Eloise Wright

A smiling barista in a black Balance Coffee t-shirt stands behind an espresso machine holding a portafilter in a modern coffee shop.

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Discover: Balance Coffee

Top 5% of farms worldwide, fully traceable beans, delivered to your door. Meet Balance Coffee — the subscription built for people who take their cup seriously. ☕

Laura Potier

A hand holds a pink soft serve ice cream in a waffle cone on a sunny street with red and white striped awning.

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Summer Essentials: Your Guide To London's Food & Drinks

Beer gardens, rooftop bars, riverside spots, park picnics & more — your complete guide to eating and drinking well in London this summer. ☀️

Laura Potier

A smiling chef in a white t-shirt holds a freshly baked pizza in a modern kitchen with hexagonal tile backsplash.

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Discover: Tom's Pasta

Tom Haydon taught himself pasta from YouTube videos. Now he runs one of East London's best Italian restaurants. We went to meet him in Hackney. 🍝

Eloise Wright

A bowl of rice noodles topped with charred greens, crushed peanuts, and sliced radishes, served with chopsticks.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part IV

Ethiopian set menus for £8, Michelin-worthy pasta at lunch for £6.50, and Vietnamese sharing plates — London's best eats under £10, Part IV. 🍜

Laura Potier

People enjoying takeaway food from cardboard containers on a striped picnic blanket in a sunny park setting.

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Restaurants & Takeaways Around London's Parks

Sun's out, blanket's down — but what's for lunch? Our park-by-park guide to the best indie takeaways near London's favourite green spaces. 🧺☀️

Laura Potier

A person holding a towering stack of three different burgers wrapped in paper, including what appears to be a beef burger and a fried chicken sandwich.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part III

Pizza from £3.95, a £1.30 burger, South Indian dosas & vegan chick'n wings — five brilliant London independents where you eat well for under £10. 🍕

Laura Potier

A man in a light green shirt tends to grapevines at a sunny vineyard while a woman and child play in the background.

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Discover: Fairmile Vineyard

90 minutes from Paddington, award-winning sparkling wine, and views across the Chilterns. Meet Fairmile Vineyard — English wine at its finest. 🍾

Laura Potier

Three women laughing and enjoying white wine at an outdoor table under grapevines at a vineyard.

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Discover: Terlingham Vineyard

Natural farming, award-winning wines, a badger-approved harvest strategy, and a gin made with their own grapes. Meet Terlingham Vineyard, Kent. 🍷

Laura Potier

Various Davenport wine bottles in different colors and styles arranged on a pink and peach geometric background.

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Discover: Davenport Wines

30 years. 25 acres. Organic since before it was fashionable. We spoke with Will Davenport — one of English wine's true pioneers — on craft and sustainability. 🍷

Laura Potier

Hand holding a loaded fried chicken sandwich with avocado, cheese sauce, and crispy coating on a sesame bun.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part II

Himalayan dumplings, NY pizza by the slice, fresh pasta, vegan tacos & buttermilk chicken — five brilliant London independents, all under £10. Part II. 🍜

Eloise Wright

A plate of spaghetti with rich tomato sauce on a marble surface, photographed from above.

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Affordable Eats In London – Part I

Fish & chips for £7.50. Fresh pasta for £9.50. Japanese donburi for £9.20. Five of London's best affordable independents — where to eat well for less

Eloise Wright

A cyclist with a cargo bike stops outside e5 Bakehouse, located in a brick archway with bicycles parked nearby.

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Discover: e5 Bakehouse

Sourdough classes, a railway arch, and a big idea. Discover e5 Bakehouse — East London's beloved bakery doing extraordinary things with bread and community. 🍞

Hawkker

A golden Yorkshire pudding filled with rich gravy and topped with roasted bone marrow, served on a white plate with a spoon.

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British Pie Week: a guide to London's best pies

Willy's Pies, St. John, The Ginger Pig, Quo Vadis & more — our guide to five of London's most unmissable pies for British Pie Week. 🥧

Eloise Wright

Three jars of Korean condiments by BomBom: Gochujang chilli paste, Ssamjang soybean paste, and Kimchi Mayo, arranged on a pink background.

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Discover: BomBom

Gochujang, Ssamjang, and Kimchi Mayo — Korean fermented condiments made for any cuisine. Meet BomBom Kitchen, the London brand bringing Korea to your table. 🌶️

Eloise Wright

Three stacked copies of the "East London Food" cookbook in pink, white, and mint green covers on a wooden stool.

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East London Food: The People, the Places, the Recipes

Bubala, Dusty Knuckle, Hacha Bar, My Neighbours The Dumplings & more — our highlights from Rosie Birkett's essential East London Food. 📖

Eloise Wright

A cup of amber tea with a biscotti on a white saucer next to an open book and green plant on a turquoise wooden surface.

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Discover: Chai Blue

A family recipe, a friendship, and a shared love of tea. Meet Chai Blue — the London brand bringing traditional, loose-leaf chai back to the kitchen. 🍵

Laura Potier

Two fluffy white bao buns filled with glazed pork belly and fresh cilantro on a white plate.

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Discover Discover: YouBao

From a ceviche stall that didn't work out to one of London's best steamed bun vendors — meet YouBao founder Alejandro Sepulveda. 🥟

Laura Potier

A pizza chef in white uniform and cap works in a kitchen, preparing pizza at the counter with a Coca-Cola cooler nearby.

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Discover: Vincenzo's Pizza

He walked every neighbourhood in New York eating pizza, then built a brick oven in his garden. Meet Tom Vincent, the founder of Vincenzo's Pizza in Watford. 🍕

Laura Potier

A hand holds pita bread dipped in shakshuka with runny eggs in a cast iron skillet, surrounded by Middle Eastern mezze dishes.

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Discover: Honey & Co.

Three restaurants, four cookbooks, a podcast, and a deli stocked with finds from Jordan and Morocco. We sat down with the couple behind Honey & Co. 🍯

Eloise Wright

A plate of golden fried chicken topped with sliced chilies sits beside a bottle of Kold Sauce hot pepper sauce on a bright yellow background.

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Discover: Kold Sauce

A Brooklyn-born creative director, a hundred failed fermentation attempts, and a lockdown epiphany. Meet Drew Wolf, the founder behind Kold Sauce. 🌶️

Eloise Wright

Three corn tortillas topped with red sauce, orange dots, sesame seeds, and green herbs on a wooden cutting board.

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Discover: Truman Markets

250 traders, three food markets, and one of London's most iconic streets. We spoke with Truman Markets about Brick Lane, indie food, and building community. 🍜

Laura Potier

Four friends laughing and enjoying pizza together at a restaurant table with white subway tile walls in the background.

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Discover: Gordo's Pizzeria

From LA to New York to Dalston — Jesse Elias on launching Gordo's Pizzeria in a pandemic, making the best pizza he possibly can, and trap music. 🍕

Eloise Wright

A takeout box filled with falafel balls, fresh greens, and white sauce being held by someone's hand.

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Discover: Lil Watan

Named after the Lebanese national anthem, designed after vintage Beirut lorries, sourced 100% from Lebanese traders. Meet Lil Watan — London's most authentic Lebanese street food truck. 🇱🇧

Laura Potier