Andi Oliver, a celebrated TV chef, and presenter, lists her top restaurants in London.
Award-winning TV chef and presenter Andi Oliver have been a familiar face on our radios and televisions for years, whether she's serving as a judge on Great British Menu, a panelist on BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet, or traveling with her daughter Miquita to learn more about her roots in the Caribbean islands.
Her passion for eating began as a social activity, a means of interaction with friends and family. In the late 1970s, when she went to London as a teenager from Suffolk, "we were always cooking and having parties," she recalls. "We used to have large warehouse parties and set up a small kitchen in the rear to prepare Caribbean cuisine and fried chicken for everyone attending the party. The fact that London's culinary culture is sociable is what makes it so fantastic. It links you together with folks who share your interests.
Andi says, "I didn't have any money, so going to nice restaurants wasn't on the menu for me. So we would locate, inexpensive places to visit, where we could get an amazing dinner for five pounds. That's when I think I first fell in love with food since it allowed us to go out with the people we care about. We would all meet at a Malaysian restaurant named Makan Cafe at the top of Portobello since we could all afford to dine there. Places like that meant that individuals who didn't have a lot of money could find ways to interact with one another since food draws people together.
Where the Chefs Eat: Andi Oliver shares her favourite London restaurants https://t.co/6LQ6dnGvj6 pic.twitter.com/nT3yVlAlQs
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Along with portraying them on our screens, Andi is skilled at sharing these experiences with us in person. She managed The Moveable Feast, a pop-up restaurant, for four years before taking the helm as creative director of the Birdcage Pub on London's Columbia Road and opening her kitchen at the Jackdaw and Star, a pub that had recently undergone renovations. She now directs Wadadli, a project that uses food as a lens through which to view cooperative cultural exchange programs and events.
She declares, "Food that is available to anyone and everyone is what I'm most interested in." "We should be celebrating the spots that are open to whoever stumbles upon them, offering food for whatever it is that you've got in your pocket - those are the places that make London as extraordinary, exciting, and brilliant as it is," said one writer. Below, Andi lists her top five restaurants in London.
Shankeys, Hackney
"This is the most fascinatingly intriguing location, and it's so pocket-friendly. Chef Sacha Henry is both Punjabi Indian and English, therefore his cuisine draws influences from all those regions. There are a ton of tiny dishes and the cuisine is exquisite. The world's great front-of-house employee, Eoghan Shankey, also creates amazing beverages. The cuisine is delicious, flavorful, and explosive.
Who is this visitor?
Everyone can get it, whether they want to pay $20 or $200. What I adore about it is that. I believe a restaurant should be a pleasant environment where everyone feels at ease, and this one certainly fits that description.
The restaurant's top table, please?
You can feel comfortable picking a table at random because there are approximately ten of them in there.
The ideal time to visit?
"Most days they open at 6 pm, so I would go for dinner -- hunker down and get Eoghan to make you delicious drinks all night."
What should I order?
"Order the cheese and cauliflower paratha. The paratha is flaky, the cauliflower cheese is buttery, and the chili comes through in what you're eating.
Sunny Side Up Café, Piccadilly Circus
Madame Clicquot is the most incredible woman, but I didn't know her history until I started working with Veuve Clicquot. When women weren't permitted to work for themselves 250 years ago, she was a very early female entrepreneur. After her husband passed away, she took over the company. She is honored in the Veuve Clicquot Sunny Side Up Café because I believe her life's tale to be so motivating.
The restaurant's top table, please?
"At one of the tables by the windows with a clear view of Regent Street, which is the sunniest place you can find."
The ideal time to visit?
"This is a brunch conversation. Since the café was so popular in 2022, we upgraded it this year and added an adjacent art gallery to make it a place of beauty and inspiration.
What should I order?
"We have created the most incredible meal; my personal favorite is the saltfish with callaloo green shakshuka. A twist on an Arnold Bennett omelet, it includes cooked eggs, wonderful silky spinach, a nice creamy sauce, and some saltfish. We're combining my Caribbean and British sides in a tiny iron skillet.
Sabor, Soho
"I visit Sabor [in Soho] whenever I feel like I need a little treat. Nieves Barragan does the most amazingly beautiful job of blending comfort and familiarity with elegance. She modernizes things without making them seem forced. Her cuisine is wonderfully exquisite, flavorful, and full of personality.
The restaurant's top table, please?
"The counter is my favorite area there. I find it really relaxing and quite pleasant to just sit there and observe that kitchen.
The ideal time to visit?
"I enjoy a long lunch. Go for lunch and stay as long as you can—it's a great spot to spend the day.
What should I order?
"I enjoy the tortilla because it is smooth. We sat at the counter and saw them create tortilla after tortilla that was flawless. They do it by eye and have perfect timing while removing it from that little plan, which is quite an accomplishment. It's a beautiful thing to observe.
Noods Sen, Southbank
"This is just another amazing small location that I like. What I admire most about the London food scene is that these two young men, who operate a truck on the Southbank, are enthusiastic about doing one thing very well.
Who is this visitor?
"Anyone looking for an amazing meal at a great price."
The restaurant's top table, please?
"It's a food truck that serves takeout, so there's nowhere to sit."
The ideal time to visit?
"Whenever you require significant comfort. When you need a hug, these noodles are the ideal solution.
What should I order?
They prepare the freshest broths and exclusively specialize in making noodles. There are just four items on the menu for you. I choose the Dan Dan noodles, which are a kind of silky, nutty, sesame, and chili bliss. They are incredibly calming.
Tatale, Southbank
"Akwasi Brenya-Mensa, the chef of Tatale, focuses on the notion that food truly ties you to culture and tales. He is sincere, artistic, and inventive. Intriguingly, he is also an installation artist. Each meal he serves has a personal tale to go with it, and he brings his entire life and background to the table. It's a pretty great method to learn about Ghanaian cuisine.
Who is this visitor?
"Anyone who wants to experience incredibly amazing food is distinctive from anything they have previously eaten. There are many flavors and ingredients that I am familiar with but never consider using in these kinds of recipes.
The restaurant's top table, please?
There is a little balcony and a great bar above, but I like a small corner table so I would sit there. It's wonderful for people-watching since some of the most gorgeous folks you've ever seen enter through the entrance.
The ideal time to visit?
Go out to supper. The Africa Centre is a lovely location to sit; there is incredible art around, and interesting individuals are constantly entering. In contrast to many restaurants where the cuisine is excellent but the music is awful, this one has beautiful music along with nice people, excellent beverages, and appropriate lighting.
What should I order?
"Omotuo is my favorite dish to eat there. It's a classic Ghanaian cuisine that consists of a ball of white mashed rice surrounded by groundnut soup. One of the gentlest, most life-affirming things I've ever attempted is this. Every dish has a backstory, making you feel as though the universe is expanding in front of you.
Read about; The Top 8 Piccadilly Restaurants