The menu is often built around one type of meat as a sustainable way of managing consumption – though there are veg and seafood seasons, too, as well as year-round vegetarian options available. Hidden on a corner between Hackney and Homerton, the 10-course tasting menu is all decided for you, based on what’s seasonal at the time – and if you’re going to trust anyone to do it, you can trust Nest. If the prospect of not having to pick each course delights you, then Nest is the place for you. Price: A treat, particularly if you’re taking advantage of the wine.ĥ1 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London, WC1N. Standout romantic feature: Did we mention the wine list? Good for: Its lengthy and impressive wine list. Table choice: A candlelit table for two on one of the ends. What’s more, if you really want to impress your date, you can use this fact to wow them with your wine knowledge: noble rot is actually a beneficial form of fungus that grows on ripe wine grapes.
It’ll be hard to choose from the mains – sweet, soft Cornish hake, juicy duck, and tender pork loin – but the Noble Rot staff are always on hand to offer eager and informed advice. Kick off with Colchester Rock Oysters – to compliment your first glass of wine – before digging into Noble Rot’s impressive array of European starters, from Iberico de bellota ham to snails to smoked eel. The ever-changing menu of luxurious small plates might set you back a fair bit, but it’s worth it. But, while you may go for the wine, you’ll stay for the cosy setting, candlelit ambience, and – of course – the food. The Bloomsbury wine bar and restaurant offers a Bible of wine choices for diners, starting at the very reasonable price of just £5 for a glass. There’s a great selection of cocktails and Barolo wines from the Piedmont region.Įverything is 100% fresh and homemade and they are also open for brunch on weekends.If you and your date are as interested in the wine as the food, then Noble Rot is the place to go. Think faux flowers, wicker furniture with lots of marble and mirrors. The restaurant decor is part of its charm, modelled on a 1970s trattoria on the Italian island of Capri. We bet you’ll also struggle to say no to the dessert menu with the likes of Chocolate al Porno, ‘oozy chocolate fondant base with airy praline mousse You might go for a playfully named pizza (Hamela Anderson) or the house special pasta – Mafaldine al Tartufo, ‘fresh Mafalda, black Molise truffle and mascarpone cream. Gloria ShoreditchĪt Gloria Shoreditch, you’ll be treated to all the Italian classics, with bells on. They also have a good selection of gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan dishes. If you like it hot, go for the Spicy Lamb Chops, Sheekh Kebab, Chicken or Chaap Pineapple Tikka or Mutton Pepper Fry. The all-day menu is halal too – little wonder that Dishoom’s Shoreditch spot has bagsied a reputation as being one of the best halal restaurants in East London. There’s an unbeatable brunch menu with dishes like Bacon Naan Roll and Kejriwal – two fried eggs on chilli cheese toasts. Gorge on Irani cafe classics like Keema Pau – spiced minced lamb and peas with toasted buttered homemade buns. Irani cafes were opened by Zoroastrian Irani immigrants to British India in the 19th-century and a few still remain in Mumbai today. The concept is modelled on an Irani, Persian-style cafe from 1930s Bombay. There are now five Dishooms in London ( Shoreditch opened theirs in 2012) and there are more popping up around the UK. At Dishoom, you’ll find next level Indo-Persian food.