For the first time in a while, I've actually had a relatively busy month - what we like to see (some progress). As we enter the season where your social life begins to pick up, I thought I would share some places and things I've been up to recently if you were looking for some inspiration for your future plans. I'm finally at the place where I've got a good balance of going out and doing things but also taking time to rest and recharge. One of the many reasons I like brunch is because you can enjoy a slightly lazier morning in bed, these options offer something for almost every time of the day so no matter what you are looking for I've got you covered.
Brown & Rosie
21 Pembridge Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 3HG
Amongst my friends its also well known how much I love to brunch, to the point it has actually started to rub off on some of my nearest and dearest. One of them being my good friend, Skye. She compiled a list, similarly to me on her phone of places she would like to visit and normally when we have an occasion or due a catch up we will compare lists and visit one of the places we both would like to go. As it was her birthday towards the end of October, I told her to send her list across and I would meet her and take her to one of the places as a surprise.
Turns out, like many of the brunch spots I've visited recently that they are an Australian business. Maybe they just do brunch and coffee extremely well for: 1) me to be a fan of them, 2) for them to be all over London. I was so pleased to see this on her list as the location in Notting Hill made for the perfect day out. I'm also keen to try their other location on Exhibition Road next to some of my favourite museums such as the V&A and Natural History Museum in Kensington. Round the corner from the station this meant we could explore the markets, independent stores and the beautiful side streets this area has to offer.
The main thing that caught my attention about Brown & Rosie was the fact they use fresh produce in a seasonally driven menu. The advantage of frequently changing and refreshing the menu is that you can re-visit and not run out of interesting options but also it ensures you are getting the best of what is available to eat right now. The fact everything is natural and free from preservatives is something I am passionate about when it comes to food, especially now I have to be particularly fussy. I opted for the Gluten Free toast with mashed pumpkin, pureed beetroot, a poached egg and grilled hallomui. I couldn't fault the flavours at all, my only disappointment was that they charged extra for me to swap to gluten free bread and to have soy milk in my tea, especially as they do so much for sustainably and I personally don't think people with intolerances should have to pay more. Although the staff were very friendly I did find the service a little bit slow, not to order but when it came to getting the bill - nice not to be rushed out though which often seems the case in popular cafes. If you want to try but don't fancy the wait on one or their busier days or times then you have the option to take-away. An added bonus is that 100% of the packaging they use is recyclable, helping us to reduce impact on the environment whilst still enjoying a tasty meal (guilt free).
Humble Pizza
342 King's Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 5UR
Newly opened this summer, Humble pizza provides vegan alternatives to the classic Italian style pizza. It mostly caught my eye through press including Vogue and Elle naming it both on their pink places to visit in London. I am always looking for new places to share and visit and with forever changing scene of London, I never run out of places I would like to go.
You may know through me sharing on my Instagram recently, but I’ve had to go through a dramatic dietary change recently, firstly I was on a low FODMAP to figure out what it was that was causing the problem. Then I slowly started adding things back in to find out what my triggers were. Now I’m in a much more stable place and feeling much better I’ve got over the fact that some of my most loved food including pizza are a thing of the past, I have been trying to find places where I can eat something problem free. I think it is great that so many brands and restaurants have come up with so many plant based, or intolerance/allergy friendly foods so we can still enjoy the foods we love.
I was meeting up with a friend of mine who just moved back from Germany to London, who suffers with celiac disease – this place was perfect at catering to both our dietary needs, so we arranged to catch up here. You can opt for the cauliflower base which is gluten free or focaccia base for which is more traditional, if you can/want to eat gluten to your hearts content. I had the Truffle & Mushrooms which contains truffle paste, mixed mushroom and black truffle shavings, whilst my friend had the Genova which was topped with pesto, red pepper, courgette, creamy tofu and macadamia – looked amazing! The staff were super friendly, helpful and informative – didn’t mind me taking pictures or us hanging around after to our meal to continue our conversation. You can get these on takeaway too so if I lived closer, I think this would be dangerous, but the main highlight has to be the all pink interior and exterior.
You may know through me sharing on my Instagram recently, but I’ve had to go through a dramatic dietary change recently, firstly I was on a low FODMAP to figure out what it was that was causing the problem. Then I slowly started adding things back in to find out what my triggers were. Now I’m in a much more stable place and feeling much better I’ve got over the fact that some of my most loved food including pizza are a thing of the past, I have been trying to find places where I can eat something problem free. I think it is great that so many brands and restaurants have come up with so many plant based, or intolerance/allergy friendly foods so we can still enjoy the foods we love.
I was meeting up with a friend of mine who just moved back from Germany to London, who suffers with celiac disease – this place was perfect at catering to both our dietary needs, so we arranged to catch up here. You can opt for the cauliflower base which is gluten free or focaccia base for which is more traditional, if you can/want to eat gluten to your hearts content. I had the Truffle & Mushrooms which contains truffle paste, mixed mushroom and black truffle shavings, whilst my friend had the Genova which was topped with pesto, red pepper, courgette, creamy tofu and macadamia – looked amazing! The staff were super friendly, helpful and informative – didn’t mind me taking pictures or us hanging around after to our meal to continue our conversation. You can get these on takeaway too so if I lived closer, I think this would be dangerous, but the main highlight has to be the all pink interior and exterior.
Jardin Du Jasmin
161 Great Portland St, London W1W 5PB
Last but not least! More recently for a friend’s birthday she wanted to go somewhere for a late lunch. Almost all of my (female) university friends are vegetarian and another eats meat but no dairy so at times it can be difficult to find one that fits all. I came across Jardin Du Jasmin on my usual Instagram location scouting and after looking at their menu I knew it was going to cater to everyone.
As we were heading out for drinks afterwards, we were in need of some serious stomach lining and I was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion sizes. I think I’ve got so used to brunch that I had forgotten how great some lunch offers could be. I very much liked the idea that you can create-your-own plate and build an option that ticked every box. Although my friends all went for the wraps, I selected the three salads below to create my plate:
- Spicy Potatoes - Spicy potatoes & chopped coriander
- Halloumi, Beetroot & Lentils Salad - Grilled halloumi, beetroot, brown lentils, preserved lemons, spring onions & pomegranate molasses
- Traditional Vegetarian Moussaka - Aubergines, mixed peppers & cloves, tomato sauce
It was a healthy amount to keep me going throughout the rest of the day and well into the evening. They were very helpful and patient as I enquired about what was included in everything and made lots of suggestions about what they would recommend. They also do a very tasty looking breakfast menu and a selection of sweet treats, so would go back again just to taste more of the menu.
Although I think many flock to the destination for the interior, you aren’t disappointed by the food or service. With giant lightbulbs hanging from a plant-festooned ceiling and intricately patterned monochrome tiles, its beauty is undeniable. What I actually liked the most was how the design is evocative of ‘Damascus’ a literary tribute (nicknamed the ‘City of Jasmin’) and how it had more sentiment than just another insta-worthy destination. This was shown on the whitewashed walls which feature a clipping of a poem from Nizar Qabbani, a Syrian diplomat widely regarded as their national poet. Overall if you are like me or have friends similar to mine these are three places I think you could all find something to eat in London regardless of allergies or intolerances – always looking for more niche places like this so if you have any, please do leave some in the comments.
As we were heading out for drinks afterwards, we were in need of some serious stomach lining and I was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion sizes. I think I’ve got so used to brunch that I had forgotten how great some lunch offers could be. I very much liked the idea that you can create-your-own plate and build an option that ticked every box. Although my friends all went for the wraps, I selected the three salads below to create my plate:
- Spicy Potatoes - Spicy potatoes & chopped coriander
- Halloumi, Beetroot & Lentils Salad - Grilled halloumi, beetroot, brown lentils, preserved lemons, spring onions & pomegranate molasses
- Traditional Vegetarian Moussaka - Aubergines, mixed peppers & cloves, tomato sauce
It was a healthy amount to keep me going throughout the rest of the day and well into the evening. They were very helpful and patient as I enquired about what was included in everything and made lots of suggestions about what they would recommend. They also do a very tasty looking breakfast menu and a selection of sweet treats, so would go back again just to taste more of the menu.
Although I think many flock to the destination for the interior, you aren’t disappointed by the food or service. With giant lightbulbs hanging from a plant-festooned ceiling and intricately patterned monochrome tiles, its beauty is undeniable. What I actually liked the most was how the design is evocative of ‘Damascus’ a literary tribute (nicknamed the ‘City of Jasmin’) and how it had more sentiment than just another insta-worthy destination. This was shown on the whitewashed walls which feature a clipping of a poem from Nizar Qabbani, a Syrian diplomat widely regarded as their national poet. Overall if you are like me or have friends similar to mine these are three places I think you could all find something to eat in London regardless of allergies or intolerances – always looking for more niche places like this so if you have any, please do leave some in the comments.
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