5 Things You Need to Eat in London This WeekBy Alicia Grimshaw
A new month only means one thing – the capital is once again home to new openings, dishes and other foodie delights. Here’s our top picks for this week. Happy eating, London:
1. For a New Opening: Terrazza on the Thames
What: Experience Venice in all its Italian Glory in the heart of Docklands this summer. Decked out with glinting gondolier poles, gondola-style booths and candlelit lanterns, get your carnival masks at the ready for the Terrazza on The Thames – a Venetian-inspired Thames-side pop-up serving up a menu of Prosecco, cicchetti (Venetian tapas) and live music, now open at Columbia Restaurant, Bar and Terrace.
Why: The food menu is shareable and finger-friendly. Get stuck into bruschetta with tomato, truffle, wild mushroom, ricotta and almonds, arancini balls with arrabbiata dipping sauce, and polenta chips with salsa verde and garlic mascarpone dip make up a few of the small plates available. Soak up all those cocktails with the bolla Prosecco pizza: hand-stretched to perfection and layered with Prosecco-marinated buffalo mozzarella, Parma ham, rucola and a spicy tomato sauce before being crisped in a special, outdoor pizza oven. Sip on Venetian Prosecco, Prosecco-based cocktails and wines from premium Italian wine specialist, Bolla.
Where: 265 Rotherhithe Street, London SE16 5HW
2. For a New Residency: The King & Co x Allihopa
What: Smoked fish artisans Allihopa are bringing their Scandinavian-inspired specialities to The King & Co this May, in their first extended kitchen residency. Launching on Tuesday (3rd May) and running daily throughout the month, the pop-up at the popular independent Clapham pub will showcase the talented streetfood trader duo’s sensational hand-smoked fish alongside an alluring array of delightful new dishes.
Why: Feast on their famous fish balls and their Zlatan bun stuffed with home-smoked fish and 48-hour salted pork belly. The daily menu will also feature exciting new Scandi-inspired small plates such as a smoked haddock scotch egg and Janssons Temptation tartiflette with anchovies. Tempting big plates like Pyttipanna hash with mushrooms, parsnips and onions, and Swedish meatballs with mash, pickled cucumber and lingonbelly jam; as well as regularly-changing desserts and specials will also be available.
Where: 100 Clapham Park Road, London, SW4 7BZ
Photo Credit: Johan Backman
3. For a New Breakfast Offering: Bukowski Grill Soho
What: For most of us there is simply nothing better than a good, hot weekday breakfast – we’re never one to turn down a plate of eggs Benedict, and even better when it’s half price. To celebrate the launch of their new early weekday breakfast, Bukowski Grill Soho is offering 50% off for the whole of May.
Why: Early breakfast at Bukowski Grill Soho is available Monday to Friday from 8am to 11.30am and will please even the most pickiest of eaters. For anyone on a health kick, there’s Greek yoghurt, granola and fruit, as well as a good selection of rolls and signature buttermilk waffles for those with more of a morning appetite. Think, Merguez with roast pepper salsa, and fried egg, avocado, chilli and tomato relish. There’s also waffles, fresh fruit, vanilla cream and syrup, or A la Elvis with jam, peanut butter, bacon and banana. Sourdough toast can be taken simply slathered in butter and homemade jam or with avocado, chilli and lime, or for those with a strong case of the morning munchies the BBQ Benedict with smoked pulled pork, poached eggs and hot sauce hollandaise is a must. And yes, it tastes as good as it sounds.
Where: 10 D’Arblay St, London W1F 8DS
4. For a New Escape: Urban Coterie
What: This May, Urban Coterie the sky-high members club in Shoreditch will be hosting a pop-up Urban Garden, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city below. For a limited time only this will be open to non-members, with tickets including entrance to the private club and two cocktails.
Why: The garden will sprawl throughout the 16th floor with a mix of lush green plants throughout, which will include an impressive living wall fashioned from succulents, various mosses and ferns. Cocktails will be the order of the day with Gin Mare’s Perfect Serve G+Ts served Spanish-style, whilst iced water will be served from watering cans. Food will be offered from the Urban Coterie menu, created in collaboration with Michelin starred chef Anthony Demetre. Indulge in potato doughnuts with Gruyère cheese, crisp buttermilk chicken with spiced mayonnaise, and padron pepper beignets. A wine list of boutique growers and biodynamic bottles, along with a range of cocktails will still be available from the club’s usual bar menu.
Tickets available here
Where: 151-157 City Rd, London EC1V 1JH
5. For a New Limited Edition Dish: Bubbledogs x Freddie Janssen
What: This month, Bubbledogs are launching the F.A.T dog in collaboration with Freddie Janssen to coincide with the release of her new book, ‘Pickled’. Available for one month only, the hot dog will include ingredients from the book along with some special creations exclusively for Bubbledogs.
Why: Freddie Janssen moved to London in 2008, and with her love of all things pickled, founded F.A.T a pop-up café, supper club and market stall at Druid Street Market, serving pickles, kimchi and sauces hand made by Freddie. The gourmet hot dog is topped with Bourbon pickled okra; specially made jalapeño crisps made with pickled and dehydrated jalapeño seasoning; and to finish, Umami Ketchup.
Where: 70 Charlotte St, London W1T 4QG
One for luck…
6. For a New Site: Good & Proper Tea
What: Good & Proper Tea are on a mission: to change the way people think about, and drink, the nation’s favourite hot beverage – the humble cup of tea. Their first bricks and mortar Tea Bar opened in Shoreditch in December 2015, with their second, larger, Leather Lane site opened last month. Stop by for a quick pick-me-up on the way into the office, as a spot of elevenses or as a handy nook to nestle in with a laptop and a steaming bowl of soup or a fresh baked madeleine.
Why: For the peckish, Good & Proper Tea have come up the ideal pairing to their teas – a full sweet and savoury crumpet menu, with an inviting selection of toppings from lime curd to marmite and cheese, and smoked salmon and cream cheese. For the early risers, choose from oat bran porridge with nuts, seeds, fruit and compotes, granola pots with homemade coconut oil, yoghurt or milk and maple syrup, along with a selection of cakes including fresh house-made carrot cake topped with walnuts, lemon drizzle with poppy seed and gluten-free options of date and pecan loaf and brownies.
Where: 96A Leather Lane, London EC1N 7TX