5 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
Another week, means another chance to munch on London’s best bites. From pizzas to doughnuts, cured meats to chocolate beer floats; London’s dining scene has never been better. Forget your standard take away, here’s what you to be eating in London this week:
1. For a New Opening: Panetteria by Fucina
What: Fucina in Marylebone have just opened their all-new organic delicatessen and bakery, Panetteria by Fucina. Headed up by ex-Princi Head Baker Massimiliano Porta, the new Italian store stocks artisanal grocery items, along with freshly made bread, pastries and special blends of coffee.
Why: Massimiliano has developed five different breads, using stoneground, wholemeal naturally slow- fermented dough, to make sandwiches that are filled at lunch with meats taken from Fucina’s wood- fired pit. Artisanal Italian grocery items are ideal for preparing meals at home, and include meats, cheeses, dried pastas, canned good, oils and vinegars.
Where: 22 Paddington Street, Marylebone, London W1U 5QY
What: From crusty sourdough pizzas to Sardinian influenced classics, neighbourhood Italian restaurant Amici Miei has introduced new seasonal dishes to its menu. Taking inspiration from the regions across Italy, the menu features a range of new antipasti dishes and banging pizzas.
Why: Highlights of the new dishes from the antipasti section include the Polenta, Crema di Gorgonzola e Olio al Tartufo – polenta, creamy gorgonzola and truffle oil, and Tartare di Tonno e Avocado – tuna tartare, avocado and dill. New pastas are the veggie friendly Risotto ai Funghi e Olio al Tartufo with chestnut mushrooms, truffle oil and parmesan, and for the fish lovers, Ravioli Ripieni di Burrata e Gamberi – burrata and king prawn ravioli in a cherry tomato bisque with basil and garlic. And the new pizzas are off the charts. The Pugliese pizza is topped with mozzarella, burrata, basil pesto, cherry tomato, and the meaty Supercazzola with mozzarella and prochetta slow roasted pork belly.
3. For a New Soft Launch Offer: Nape
What: Stop the ruddy press. Cured meat connoisseurs, Cannon & Cannon are opening their first site, Nape this week. And to celebrate – the meat men are rolling out a special soft launch deal from 9th-11th February; offering 50% off food.
Why: Expect a simple and meat-focused menu of plates and platters featuring Hackney-made fennel and cubeb pepper salami, and Gloucester Old Spot loin. More adventurous meat eaters can opt for air-dried West Country beef with hazelnuts, rapeseed oil and tarragon; and port and juniper cured smoked mutton with pickled walnuts. Smaller items to pick at include pork and fennel salami from East Sussex; duck, pork and Sichuan pepper sausages; and veal, lemon and thyme sausages, both made in Monmouthshire, along with smoked almonds, pickles and a Bread Ahead bread basket.
Where: 21 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR
4. For Another New Opening: Shake Shack
What: The Nova building in Victoria is welcoming another restaurant to its growing foodie family, with the arrival of Shake Shack opening on Thursday (9th February). To get everyone in the burger mood, the Victoria Shack will offer a complimentary, limited-edition Mast Brothers treat – the Mast Cocoa Beer Float – with the purchase of any burger on opening day, while supplies last.
Why: The Mast Cocoa Beer Float, created by Shake Shack’s Culinary Director Mark Rosati and Mast London’s Head Chocolate Maker Jon Hogan, features Shake Shack’s freshly spun vanilla frozen custard and non-alcoholic Cocoa Beer, topped with Mast Brothers dark chocolate. The Cocoa Beer is brewed in-house and made with chocolate, freshly roasted cacao, cane sugar and water. Mast’s bean-to-bar chocolates will also make an appearance in two Victoria-exclusive concretes, the Union Shack concrete (chocolate frozen custard, St. John Bakery chocolate and hazelnut brownie, fudge sauce, Mast Brothers chocolate chunks and sea salt) and the Peanut Butter Palace concrete (vanilla frozen custard, peanut butter sauce, caramel sauce, Mast Brothers chocolate chunks and salted peanuts).
Where: The Nova Building, 79 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0QU
5. For a New Pop-Up: Kheera Kitchen x Crisis
What: A new Indian pop-up restaurant, Kheera Kitchen has launched in Spitalfields in partnership with Crisis, the national charity for homeless people. Housed in the Café from Crisis on Commercial Street, the restaurant offers healthy, fresh Indian food, whilst supporting Crisis’ work to help homeless people get back into employment.
Why: All food is made with carefully sourced ingredients to deliver lighter tastes that are big on flavour, and not on heat. Small sharing plates include kheera coconut eggs, and a lamb kati roll, flash cooked spice-and lime marinated lamb, served in a flaky, buttery paratha. Big bowls include a keralan pork bowl with fresh pineapple, and the grilled chicken with cardamom bowl, made with gram puree, curd and smoked chilli.
Where: 66 Commercial St, London E1 6LT
One for luck…
6. For a New Branch: The Ivy Soho Brasserie
What: The Ivy Collection’s latest venue, The Ivy Soho Brasserie, situated on Broadwick Street in the heart of London’s Soho will open on Tuesday (7th February). As with its sister sites, The Ivy Soho Brasserie will offer an all-encompassing, contemporary British menu serving breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, light snacks, cocktails and dinner.
Why: Highlights from the breakfast menu will include eggs Benedict and Royale, avocado and spinach Benedict and The Ivy Collection’s well-loved avocado, tomato and sesame on toasted granary. The all-day menu, available from 11.30am until late, will offer a combination of Ivy favourites, such as brioche crumbed chicken Milanese with fried hen’s eggs and black truffle; and for dessert, melting chocolate bombe with milk foam, vanilla ice cream, and honeycomb centre with hot salted caramel sauce.
Where: 26-28 Broadwick Street, London W1F 8JB
We’re feeling pretty lucky…
7. For a New Flavour: Crosstown Doughnuts
What: Crosstown Doughnut fans, you listening? To celebrate Waitangi Day (New Zealand Day) this year, Crosstown Doughnut have teamed up with two New Zealand brands to create an extra special limited edition flavour.
Why: The limited-edition doughnut features Crosstown Doughnuts’ signature sourdough, topped with Lewis Road Creamery’s chocolate butter and filled with a chocolate cream made from Whittaker’s 72% Ghana dark chocolate. Hurry – these doughnuts are only being sold on Monday (6th February). While stocks last.
Where: Locations here
