The best of #OrganicSeptember in London — yum!
When you think of organic food, what springs to mind? Yummy Mummies in Clapham, hipster cafes in East London or long haired hippies from the ‘70s? Does it seem overly expensive — or do you just not really care? Well, why not give it a bit of thought over the next few weeks. After all, it is that well-known holiday season, Organic September.
In order to warm up your taste buds, I’ve explored a few places you could check out this September — they’re each great on their own, or strung together into full-day ORGANI-TOUR! Your taste buds won’t be disappointed, and their ethical credentials will sure make you feel just that bit happier about handing over your well-earned cash.
First up, it’s…
Breakfast: Nama Foods, Notting Hill
This place is not only organic but also raw. As in, they don’t cook it above 46°. A lot of their menu is in inverted commas or juxtaposed with unexpected things, which is bemusing: coconut ‘mascarpone’, cashew scrambled ‘eggs’, Grawnola (I don’t think that’s a thing) and aubergine bacon (again, not a thing). They also make pancakes out of pine nuts. I mean, it sounds too good to be true. I LOVE pine nuts.
http://www.namafoods.com
Time for a post-prandial…
Morning Walk: through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park
Meander towards Marble Arch, stopping for a little while at the glorious Italian fountains. After all, there’s not much more organic than real life greenery. Then jump on a 73 from Marble Arch and whizz up to Angel. While away the morning at foodie favourite Planet Organic, or pop into Waterstones to grab a copy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s latest recipes.
http://www.planetorganic.com/
Stomach rumbling? Head for a spot of…
Lunch: The Duke of Cambridge, Islington
This pub is the love-child of two organicos, Geetie Singh and Guy Watson. (Watson’s family is responsible for the ‘original’ veg box scheme, Riverford). The food is amazing. Not super cheap for a pub — but this is so much more than just a pub. In fact, it is the UK’s first and only Certified Organic Pub. Think homemade sourdough, Cornish red mullet, Wyfe of Bath cheese and a whole host of wines and beers from small, independent, organic or biodynamic breweries and vineyards.
http://www.dukeorganic.co.uk
Full of (organic) beans, you’ll be after an…
Afternoon Stroll: Plastic Is Ugly, Dalston
Take a walk eastwards via achingly trendy Dalston, to this brilliant little shop. Their aim is to cut down on the amount of plastic we use. They are not fully organic per se but their green credentials are up there. My favourite thing on offer is the Bee’s Wrap Sandwich Wrap: made of organic cotton muslin, beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin, it is supposedly ‘perfect for wrapping sandwiches’. And if you need any more prompting, its pretty honeycomb pattern will ensure that ‘your packed lunch will be the talk of the office/school’ (their words).
http://www.lowimpact.org/directory/listing/plastic-is-ugly-piu
Long day! Best settle in for a spot of…
Supper: Farmdrop
For some reason a lot of organic restaurants are also vegan. However, if at the end of your big day out, you want to cook up an organic topside joint or some fresh kippers, why not order a delivery from Farmdrop. They are on an incredible mission to make the food chain more sustainable and less wasteful. They support small-scale, local (often organic) farmers and use electric vans and reusable thermal packaging to bring it your door within just 19 hours of being harvested. It’s an incredible company with an amazing vision: I can’t praise it enough.
https://www.farmdrop.com
Helen Hugh-Jones is Scenicly’s Food and Drink Editor, keenly selecting London’s best restaurants and bars for your delectation.
At Scenicly, we’re developing the next-generation of navigation. We provide scenic routes and make personal recommendations for places you’ll love. Scenicly is launching in London, and all of Helen’s recommendations will be in the mobile app — to sign up for the alpha click here.
