The luxury of eating out now may feel like a novelty amidst our temporary new global quarantine lifestyle. Boasting some of the world’s finest restaurants and dining experiences, London’s restaurant scene has felt the full force of this global coronavirus pandemic, and more than ever need our support. From capitalising on the modern beauty of Deliveroo to now generously offering diners complimentary taxi services – see below our pick of London’s restaurants which you can still indulge in over the next few weeks.
Cocotte
Farm-to-table rotisserie Cocotte, located in Notting Hill, Shoreditch and soon to be in Parsons Green, offers healthy and homemade dishes using fresh, farm-grown ingredients leading with the highest quality, free-range chicken. During this uncertain time, they are offering click and collect Deliveroo services and have also just launched e-gift vouchers which can be purchased via their website.
All of Cocotte’s free-range chickens are sourced from Evron, Pays de la Loire, France. The chickens are marinated for 24h in their secret blend of herbs and spices, then slowly cooked and finished on the spit. They also offer a fantastic choice of vegan and vegetarian dishes alongside a beautifully curated French wine list and an exciting cocktail list.
Factbox
Notting Hill
Address: 95 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UW
Phone: 0203 220 0076
Shoreditch
Address: 8 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU
Phone: 0207 033 4277
Website: mycocotte.uk
Hot Stone
In response to Covid-19, Hot Stone – the authentic Japanese restaurant located in the heart of Angel in Islington, this week launched a complimentary taxi service initiative. Ensuring both pre-booked guests and future bookings arrived swiftly, safely and securely from the comfort of their own homes ahead of temporarily closing their doors. Offering a maximum of £30 in taxi credit per person, customers simply needed to display their receipt via their phones from any taxi provider and the total cost was deducted from their total food and drink bill.
Hot Stone’s utmost priority is the health and safety of its guests and colleagues, therefore, several measures have also been put in place to increase their hygiene precautions – namely, reducing seating space by more than 50% so guests can dine privately and safely; ensuring staff sanitise key surface areas in the restaurant every 30 minutes; providing sanitizers around various points around the restaurant and going cashless. The complementary taxi service can be used by up to four people from the same table.
Factbox
Address: 9 Chapel Market, The Angel, London, N1 9EZ
Phone: 020 3302 8226
Website: hotstonelondon.com
Draughts
Draughts Board Game café has sadly had to close its doors temporarily. However, for keen gamers, Draughts has launched e-gift vouchers with 30% added for free meaning customers can buy a £65 gift card for £50, also purchased on their website.
Since launching its first site in 2014, Draughts Board Game Café has brought a wide variety of games to local Londoners as well as visitors to the city. With over 1,000 games in its library, including classic favourites and hard to find games, across the two sites Draughts is a haven for experienced gamers and novices alike. The staff at Draughts undergo extensive training and are on hand to offer advice and guidance to those looking for a new experience, or who are unsure of the best option for a fun visit.
Factbox
Waterloo
Address: Arch 16, Leake St, London, SE1 7NN
Phone: 07903 441976
Hackney
Address: 41 Kingsland High St, London, E8 2JS
Phone: 07930 936237
Website: draughtslondon.com
Thai Square
An icon of Thai excellence, Thai Square is ensuring Deliveroo is available across all locations and is looking into a discount mechanic for click and collect customers. The Thai Square Restaurant Group was founded in 1996 when the first of our Thai restaurant opened at The Strand in central London, aimed at serving tasty, authentic Thai food in Thai-inspired surroundings.
The first Thai Square opened in The Strand in central London with a simple but powerful concept, to serve tasty, authentic Thai food in Thai-inspired surroundings. Offering a selection of more than 1,000 meticulously selected authentic dishes in each of their awards winning restaurants. Due to the success and popularity, Thai Square has grown to 13 restaurant locations and have also successfully expanded to include a night club and an award-winning Thai Square Spa.
Factbox
Address: Various sites across the UK
Website: thaisq.com
Shoryu Ramen
Dubbed ‘ramen royalty’ by Time Out and loved by the hard-to-please Jay Rayner and AA Gill, Hakata ramen noodle specialists Shoryu Ramen is a hearty hit. The team want to ensure they continue to deliver their slurpy cuisine straight to diner’s doors to keep everyone warm and are fully available on Deliveroo across all of their sites.
From the team behind Japan Centre, Shoryu Ramen first launched back in November 2012 and since has been recommended in the 2014 and 15 Michelin Guide. Proudly dishing out their niche Hakata tonkotsu ramen recipe that has been designed by executive chef Kanji Furukawa who was born and raised in Hakata, Shoryu provide the UK with highly crafted and genuine tonkotsu that is rarely found outside Japan. Adding to the southern Japanese authenticity, Shoryu’s owner Tak Tokumine is also a native of Fukuoka city and along with Kanji is dedicated to championing his hometown’s local speciality.
Factbox
Address: Locations across London include – Covent Garden, Regent Street, Soho, Carnaby, Liverpool Street, New Oxford Street and Shoreditch
Website: shoryuramen.com
Japan Centre
Established in 1976, Japan Centre has since grown to become one of the largest and most influential Japanese shops in London, adding a supermarket, bakery, deli, restaurant, homeware department and online service to its repertoire. Continue to get all of your much-loved Japanese groceries and ingredients by ordering online via their website.
Whilst there have been several manifestations over the years, Japan Centre Food Hall has always been passionate about delivering a rich variety of quality Japanese goods to shoppers in the UK and beyond. Today, the Japan Centre Food Hall incorporates: a supermarket bursting with authentic Japanese food and drink, a bookstore offering up to date manga, magazines and gifts, the umai deli which serves quality Japanese sushi and hot souzai food made fresh every day, a fishmonger and butcher counter presided over by trained experts slicing fresh cuts the traditional Japanese way, a bakery which produces hand-made and hard to find Japanese baked breads and desserts and a homeware department stocked full of authentic Japanese supplies.
Factbox
Address: Japan Centre Panton Street, 35b Panton Street, SW1Y 4EA
Phone: 0870 820 0055
Website: japancentre.com/en
Salaam Namaste and Namaste Kitchen
This collection of modern Indian restaurants located in the heart of Camden are offering contact-free deliveries of their full menu until the Coronavirus storm blows over, meaning you can warm up at home with your favourite biryani and samosas whilst catching up with your favourite show on Netflix.
Opened in 2005 by award-winning chef-patron Sabbir Karim, Salaam Namaste rapidly became a favourite destination for the residents of London Bloomsbury, people who know a thing or two about food. As befits an Indian restaurant fêted by critics and patrons alike as ‘vastly different from the norm’, a visit to Salaam Namaste is a journey into a world where the tired clichés of the curry house have no place.
Factbox
Address: 68, Millman Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1N 3EF
Phone: 020 7405 3697
Website: salaam-namaste.co.uk
East West London
The newly opened East West London serves Italian pizza with eastern flavours alongside a weekend brunch. Throughout this period, the restaurant is offering contact free delivery one mile from where they’re based in Tufnell Park, NW5. Offering a Kids Menu too there’s also something for the little ones to keep their tummies satisfied at home.
East West was born out of a love for Indian cuisine and a passion for simple, Italian pizza. They combine the freshest ingredients and best Indian spices they can get their hands on and constantly strive to give customers the best stone-baked pizza experience possible: the finest Italian pizza with the taste of the east.
Factbox
Address: 135 Fortess Road, Tufnell Park, London, NW5 2HR
Website: eastwestlondon.com
Colette
Colette, the gourmet traiteur and delicatessen remains open during this time, continuing to serve The Ritz of ready meals for Londoners to enjoy in the comfort of their own home. Better still, they are set to launch, today, their all-new seamless, next-day complimentary delivery service to fulfil South-West London’s dining-in needs. Dedicated to delivering the freshest, finest food to your doorstep, Colette’s delivery service is currently only available for those living within SW7 and SW10 with first delivery slots available from Monday 23rd March.
A new age of dining-in with style in Chelsea, Colette brings together the contemporary delicatessen with a curated shopping experience for a fresh new approach to at-home, gourmet dining. Monthly changing menus in line with the seasons enable you to enjoy the finest food in the comfort of your own home, underpinned by the very best quality of produce, hand-picked from suppliers they love, with sustainability at the heart of it all for the community they serve. Delivery requests to be made online via their website.
Factbox
Address: 315 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9QH
Website: colette.co.uk
