Ed Smith's Blog

In partnership with Pamigiano Reggiano

I hope you know already the magical combination that is crisp sage, roast winter squash and hazelnuts.I’d now like you to try it on top of a puddle of Parmigiano Reggiano creamed beans. With more of the cheese grated over the top for good measure.

It’s super simple, and super seasonal too. Seasonal in part because of the winter squash – use Onion (also known as red kuri), Crown Prince or Delica pumpkin – but also seasonal in terms of what I suspect you’ll be craving. i.e. something soothing, comforting, cheesy and creamy.

Parmigiano Reggiano, also commonly known as Parmesan, of course, is the good stuff. Always matured for a minimum of 12 months and full of crunchy umami crystals. I’m rarely without a wedge in my fridge. Look for the distinctive dotted rind.

Parmigiano Reggiano is a product with Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.) status, with distinctive characteristics and links to its area of origin, a small area of northern Italy which includes the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and parts of Mantua and Bologna. It is in this area that Parmigiano Reggiano is produced using only 3 ingredients – milk, salt, and rennet – and no additives or preservatives.

Look for the distinctive dotted rind to ensure you’re buying the one and only Parmesan (and don’t throw that part away once the cheese is used up – add it to soups to make the most of every last gram of flavour).

More info over at www.parmigianoreggiano.com @parmigianoreggianouk.

Parmigiano Reggiano creamed beans with roast winter squash, crisp sage and hazelnuts

Most of the ingredients are in the title! But do add the splashes of vinegar. Might seem counter-intuitive, but makes all the difference.

Serves 4

1kg winter squash – Onion (also known as red kuri), Crown Prince or Delica pumpkin3 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil25g butter20 sage leaves plus 2 more sprigs30g toasted hazelnuts, halved1 c.600g jar cooked white beans250ml water100ml single cream50g grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus a little extra4 teaspoons sherry vinegar1 teaspoon ground black peppercornsFlaky sea salt

Heat the oven to 180C fan.

Halve the squash, scoop out and discard the seeds, then cut the flesh into 2-2.5cm thick wedges. Toss in 2 tablespoons of cold-pressed rapeseed oil, arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 35 minutes, turning the pieces over at 25 minutes so there’s colour on both sides. Add the hazelnuts to the tray at this point too.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small frying pan, add the picked sage leaves and fry until crisp and the butter brown. Set to one side.

When the squash is 10 minutes from being ready, empty the beans and any juices from their jar into a saucepan. Add the water, cream, and sage sprigs, and bring to a steady simmer for 5 minutes or so before adding the Parmigiano Reggiano, 2 teaspoons of vinegar and the ground black pepper.

Combine the remaining vinegar with a tablespoon of oil, a teaspoon of tepid water and a good pinch of salt. Splash over the cooked squash. Then divide the beans between 4 bowls, and everything else on top. Finish with a flourish of grated cheese.

In partnership with PGI Welsh Lamb

Very pleased to formally be moving into Weekend Roast Season.

I mean, summer was pretty rubbish weather-wise this year, so perhaps the roasts have been present for you throughout 2021. But, still, there’s something about windy and wet days in autumn, and the nights drawing-in ever sooner, that calls for long, convivial, mid-afternoon meals with friends and family.

To my mind, a slow-roast lamb shoulder is the best roast. There, I’ve said it. It’s almost totally hands-free, always yields perfectly succulent results, and is always packed with flavour.

If you’re not a frequent lamb eater, than I’d urge you to tweak your routine a little, aiming in particular to up your lamb quotient, as here is a ruminant that is rarely if ever farmed at a level as intense as other meats, with the animals free to wander while sequestering carbon back into the soil as they roam.

I say ‘rarely if ever’ because I guess you can never be one hundred per cent sure. That said, one mark to look out for is PGI Welsh Lamb — a sure sign that the lamb you’re buying, cooking and eating is of dependably high quality, and from a region that’s ideal for rearing lamb: steeped in tradition and expertise; with plentiful, lush grass on rolling hills (and sometimes steeper), where lamb is free to graze naturally. You can taste all that, I think.

Back to the meal. Suggesting lamb shoulder is the best roast might provoke debate. My next claim could well lead to war: because this is a roasting joint that works best when the sides do not include roast potatoes. “Heresy!” I hear you scream. Perhaps. But I have thought a great deal about this.

Boulangere or Dauphinoise potatoes are my normal go-to carb, alongside hearty, garlicky, sautéed greens and then some carrots with a little twist (see my book On the Side for various options…). Beans and pulses put up a good fight, though, and if you come over to mine at the weekend, you’ll often see me pairing succulent lamb with butter beans and sage, borlottii and rosemary, or some other brothy pulse or legume.

On which note, here’s one idea and a recipe for you that ticks both the legume and hands-free boxes: Chickpeas and leeks that braise in the juices of the lamb while it cooks. That’s it. No more effort than that. Other than five minutes to knock up a chimichurri sauce at some point within the five and a bit hours of cooking.

For more about PGI Welsh Lamb, visit eatwelshlamb.com

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For the Lamb, Leeks and Chickpeas

300g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight500g trimmed leeks cut into 3xm batons2 bulbs garlic, halved1/2 15g pack of oregano250ml dry white wine850ml water1.8-2kg PGI Welsh Lamb shoulderFreshly ground black pepperSea salt and extra virgin olive oil to serve

For the Chimichurri

Leaves picked from 1/2 15g pack of oregano, finely choppedLeaves picked from 50g bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped1 clove garlic, minced1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes1 tablespoons red wine vinegar2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon flaky salt dissolved into 75ml water

Heat the oven to 150C fan.

Drain the soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a large roasting tin. Pop the leek batons, garlic halves and oregano sprigs among the chickpeas, add the wine and water and place the lamb shoulder on top, seasoned with a load of ground black pepper but not salt (as this would toughen the chickpeas).

Line up two large pieces of foil, pleated in the middle so they can expand a little without ripping. Then seal the roasting tin tightly and cook for five hours.

Meanwhile, make the chimichurri by finely chopping those herbs and combining with the other ingredients. The earlier you do this the better as the flavours mingle and mellow over time (in fact, if you could plan to do this the night before as a prompt to remember to soak your chickpeas).

After five hours check in on the lamb – it should be soft and succulent and if you tug at the bones they should feel like they’re about to slip out. If not, reseal and give it 30 minutes more. If it’s good, then crank the oven up to 180C fan, remove the foil and, if the chickpeas look dry, pour in 200ml or so of water, give the tin a shake and roast for 15-20 minutes to brown the top of the lamb.

When the time is up, carefully remove the lamb from the tin and set on a plate. Squidge the garlic halves so their soft bulbs plop out and stir that flavour into the chickpeas along with some salt and a little more water if needed to loosen things up.

Decant those chickpeas, the leeks and all juices onto a platter, Place the lamb on top, pull out the bones, push the meat into big chunks using two spoons, season generously with salt and serve with loads of chimichurri over the top.

Here’s a recipe sample from my cookbook Crave; recipes arranged by flavour, to suit your mood and appetite. Like it? I’d love you to buy the book… via your local bookshop, Amazon, or Bookshop.org.

About 70 per cent of the recipes in Crave were tested and re-tested during Lockdown 1.0. Those of you in the UK might remember that spring and early summer 2020 were miserable but also HOT. The weather did not in any way suit cheesy gratins, bakes, sauces and soups. I took one for the team, of course, but I was definitely not craving heavy food at the time, and in a way it proved the concept – much of that food was objectively great, but did not hit the spot.

But that’s not to say that there weren’t days when I craved cheesy or creamy things; weather is definitely a driver of my cravings, but I would also find myself influenced by mood (and per above, miserable times do often lead me to seek creamy things), or the outside world (*see an instagram picture of mac n cheese or a cheeseburger –> crave cheese*).

And so there are at least a handful of recipes in the Cheesy and Creamy section of Crave that *are* summer appropriate. A farmhouse cheddar quiche (with a tomato base) is one example. Chilled, ambrosial rice pudding with warmed strawberries is another. And then there are these cacio e pepe beans which, frankly (and per the intro the recipe in the book) “call to me whatever the weather, and whether I’m down or I’m bouncing. It’s just a base urge for the slight tang and umami notes of the Pecorino or Parmesan in a buttery sauce. I could psychoanalyse that. Or just accept it’s probably, simply, because of the deliciousness.”

Given such an urge can come at any time, it’s handy that this recipe provides something of a rapid, store-cupboard relief, including pre-cooked beans from a can to suit the speed. Those beans go with lamb in any form (whether roast leg, slow-cooked shoulder, breast, rump or rack) but chops are appropriately quick to cook. Serve with something like purple sprouting or Tenderstem broccoli, curly kale, or a side salad of bitter or peppery leaves.

Serves 2

4 lamb chops or 2 thick Barnsley chops (about 400–500g/14oz–1lb 2oz in total)4 cloves garlic, unpeeled2 sprigs rosemary1 x 400g (14oz) can haricot (navy) beans, drained 200ml (scant 1 cup) water60g (21⁄4oz) butter, cubed2 tsp ground black pepper60g (21⁄4oz) Pecorino or Parmesan, finely gratedBlanched greens or bitter/peppery-leafed salad, to serve

Collate all the ingredients including the greens or salad, as you should cook both chops and beans pretty much simultaneously and neither takes long.

Stand the chops on their fatty edges in a (still cold) frying pan (skillet), large enough that it’ll still hold the chops once sat flat. Place on a low– medium heat and gradually warm up so as to cook the fat until it’s golden and soft – much of which will seep (‘render’) out. Resist cooking too quickly or at too high a temperature; it’s a gentle process that should take 5 minutes or more.

While this is happening, bash the garlic cloves to flatten them then add to the pan (keeping the skin on to prevent burning), along with the sprigs of rosemary. Let those cook away for a few minutes to release their flavours into the ever increasing pool of lamb fat. Then, once the fatty edges are golden and soft, push the chops onto their flatter sides, turn up the heat and cook for about 90 seconds on each side, basting regularly with the flavoursome oil, until the chops are browned and buzzing with hot oils and juices. (If ready before the beans, remove from the heat and rest on a warm plate for a couple of minutes.)

Also while the lamb chops are standing, add the drained beans to a wide frying pan or saucepan and set over a low–medium heat. Pour in the water and let them warm gently – so the liquid begins to simmer but not boil, and therefore the beans remain intact. Scatter the cubes of butter over and around the beans and allow them to melt, before sprinkling the black pepper over the top. Shake the pan vigorously so the butter and cooking liquid become one, then add the cheese, again waiting for it to melt before shaking and stirring to emulsify everything.

Puddle the beans and their cheesy, peppery sauce in a bowl or onto a plate with a rim, add the lamb and greens and tuck in.

Tasting Notes May/June 2020

Ok, so we’re back. How is dining out going for you? For me it’s mostly been a lunchtime thing, as that’s what life allows right now, but I’ve definitely enjoyed returning to old favourites and seeing a few new places too (see below). 

As it happens, the timing of my meals is topical because of the extraordinary (and entirely predictable) position hospitality is in – tell a largely European workforce that they’re not wanted, add an extended period of Covid-related closures, furlough/necessary release from employment, and, well, a workforce barely exists anymore. As such, you’ll probably have pretty much every restaurant is fishing for kitchen and front of house, and an increasing number of them are having to reduce the number of services they run, because they simply can’t staff the shifts they need to. This is bad news for my mid-week lunch habit, of course. But far worse for a beleaguered industry that needs to run as many lunches as possible to pay for their rent and other fixed costs. Head to a bookings site and click through the popular evening times and you’ll see our appetite to eat out remains strong … but cherish your opportunities and also your favourite places, because reality is biting.

To cheerier, tastier things I’ve eaten, and others I’d like to eat soon:

Cafe Bao

I had a very enjoyable evening* in late May at Cafe BAO in Kings Cross, and then a stellar quick lunch a week later. This is the newest site from the ever-stylish and inventive BAO team (until, that is, BAO Noodle shop opens in Shoreditch on 6 July…), with its USP being a ‘bakery goods’ element (joyful, sweet buns for eating in or taking away to steam at home), and a few ‘cafe-style’ dishes – a chicken congee pot pie, chicken kiev, maple-chilli chips, seafood bao.

The bubble teas, cocktails and sweet baos are all very much worth ordering and enjoying, the setting and service has been excellent both times, and there are certainly some lip-smacking gems on the menu. I do think, though, that one could ‘order badly’ and leave without having a coherent meal; at this stage I think the Borough and Fitzrovia sites have better menus. Still, I remain a committed fan of BAO and their offerings, and this one definitely bolsters the now pretty decent eating offering around Coal Drops Yard.

BTW FWIW IMHO one way to order well:

Maple chips, house pickles, curried pollock bao or seafood bao, steak-egg-cheese rice to share, followed by milk tea ice cream bubble affogato. Salted Custard bao to take home and steam for breakfast.

*Evening was a PR invite, lunch not.

**Doodle is of BAO Borough. The pandemic seems to have affected my fineliner pens…will ink up again soon.

baolondon.com/restaurant/cafe-bao/

Tofu Vegan

Tofu Vegan draws attention because you can draw a line from Highbury’s excellent, low-key, hand-pulled noodle spot Xi’an Impression, through to Aldgate’s similarly-noodle-themed Biang Biang Noodles, and back to this place. It might also receive the odd double-take because of its name, which feels naff and trend-chasing, but ultimately points to a menu that is frequently tofu-based (all tofu is made in-house), and at all times vegan (with various ‘fish’ and ‘meat’ substitutes).

The best two dishes I’ve tried over two visited were Dongbei style cold sweet potato noodles, and a pot of Sichuan-dressed silken tofu. Both very enjoyable. I’ve seen positive thoughts on the mapo tofu and some of the other specifically Sichuanese dishes. I’m not sure that I’ve experienced quite the ma la buzz I was expecting in any of the dishes I’ve tried, but enjoyable nonetheless. 

Big menu, some definite fails (for example ‘sizzling fish fragrant sauce’ shrouding deep-fried tofu was reminiscent of an angry puddle of supermarket sweet chilli sauce, and made their crust more gelatinous than crisp). Wouldn’t travel to it, but if you’re near N1 and needing a menu to suit everyone, then…

instagram.com/tofuveganlondon

La Chingada

From one low-key niche restaurant on Upper Street (a breezy road that flatters to deceive restaurant-wise), to an even lower-key, virtually hole in the wall kiosk on a decidedly unglamorous road in Deptford (a stretch that makes no attempt to flatter, let alone deceive).

La Chingada got hyped last year as a (rare) place to get an authentic taco. Its ‘why add frills, we’re actually Mexican’ approach pleased the cognoscenti. And the Mexican food on show is certainly gratifying and endearing. I (and my near-4 year old dining partner) enjoyed how in their quesadilla the fat separates from the warmed, milky cheesem and rolls down a (Lego-watch adorned) wrist as it gets dipped in and out of the pico de gallo, the balance of which immediately brought back memories of trips to Mexico City and the Yucatan; and that, just as I found on the street in central America, the similarly transporting, pliant corn tortillas for the tacos were slicked with fats and juices, but did not break or lose form. Fillings are simple, adorned by rough-chopped coriander, and then self-administered, well-balanced salsas, a squeeze of lime, and nothing more. There’s no faff nor smoke and mirrors. It’s all very ‘real’. A treat in some ways, unremarkable in others.

As a general rule, tacos taste better when you’re perched at a counter or standing up, rather than as part of a restaurant experience. That helps, here. As does the ‘realness’. Probably the unsuspecting setting too – if this food was served-up as a ready to roll-out concept in a flash site in central London, then the praise would not be so high. It’s never just about the food, though, is it. La Chingada is good at jigging-up memories, and for food that’s the start but not the entirety of a conversation.

More worthy of a trip than Tofu Vegan. Less than a journey to Sonora Taqueria (London Fields) or Tacos Padre (Borough Market).

www.instagram.com/lachingadalondon

Towpath

My main love. Over the last month or two I’ve squeezed in a handful of breakfasts (Turkish eggs; marinda tomatoes on mojo verde toast; fried eggs, chilli and sage), a glorious lunch (confit garlic on goat curd toast, incredible Chicken Marbella), and I see now that Friday and Saturday-night dinners have begun again. No better place to be on a balmy summer’s evening. Should those return.

towpathlondon.com

Smoking Goat

Pre-Covid, during-Covid, probably post-Covid, Smoking Goat is a much-frequented stop for me. Solo, I love a laab, some gapi rice (fermented shrimp paste-rice, jammy egg, herbs and pickles), maybe a hot-sour salad too. With others, I always begin with the fish sauce chicken wings, add a spiced sausage or skewer, then again go with a laab and salad or two, then grilled fish with whichever condiment is on that day and some sticky rice to mop up. The food at Smoking Goat continues to change and evolve (no gapi rice has ever been the same; curries appear to be off the menu for now, with a whole section of laabs instead), and the first visit in peak ‘OMG we can eat (outside) again’ times suggested that they were cooking to efficiently feed a significant number of diners, rather than to wow. But I do love this place. Makes for an excellent, casual, catch-up venue.

smokinggoatbar.com

Wishlist

Must try soon???

Maison Francois and Frank’s Bar

Essentially a new place (given the state of last year) in the heart of St James’s, with the potential to become an institution. Looks a beauty, grown-up cooking and drinks, although with what looks like a slight twinkle in the eye rather than stiff upper lip. Hardest decision is which to do first – the brasserie or wine bar?

www.maisonfrancois.london

The Garden Cafe

Below the radar gem. Went a few years ago. Food’s looking super now. I will say what surely others have realised: The Garden Cafe should be at least as popular and feted as Rochelle Canteen.

gardenmuseum.org.uk/cafe

Chisuru

Modern West African restaurant in Brixton. Chef-owner run … and possibly run off her feet (see aforementioned recruitment point). A must visit.

chishuru.com

Dim Sum and Duck

As Marina O’Loughlan has covered it, this mysteriously good dim sum and OK roast duck place is no longer the secret of a relatively specific food tribe. Nor does it take bookings any more. But still looks well worth a visit (and hopefully also the uncertainty as to whether there’ll be a table when you arrive).

instagram.com/dimsumandduck

El Pastor Soho

Latest outpost for the Hart Bros’ Mexican restaurant (the group behind Barrafina and Quo Vadis); in the old Hix Soho site (so there’s a bar downstairs too). Breaking the general rule mentioned above, El Pastor’s taco-focused menus work for a sit-down experience in part because of the setting and atmosphere the group manage to foster, but also because of the ‘sharing’ tortilla section of the menu, which allow bites to become more of a meal.

tacoselpastor

Crave: Recipes arranged by flavour to suit your mood and appetite is now on sale. 6 Flavour Profiles; over 100 recipes; every craving covered.

Thanks to those of you who preordered it. Hopefully it has already landed on your doorstep. If you like it, please tell others! It’s always cheering to see the book out in the wild, and even better to see recipes being cooked, so please do tag @rocketandsquash in any images you share on social media.

If you haven’t bought Crave but are pondering doing so, then that’s easily done over at Amazon or with Bookshop.org, or just walk into your local independent bookshop to browse and buy in a more traditional, tactile way. I have uploaded a short flick-through the book onto IGTV, should you wish to peak inside but can’t make it to a shop. There’s also another video intro over on Waterstones’ webshop.

p.s. image is ‘nduja spatchcock chicken, which is in the Chilli and Heat section.

“The recipes will dazzle and delight.” Nigel Slater

“Thoughtful writing and confident, delicious recipes – once again, Ed Smith has done something really smart.” Yotam Ottolenghi

“Ed is one of the greatest cooks I know and this book is a perfect friend in the kitchen: useful, innovative, trustable and completely joyful.” Meera Sodha

“Crave is my kind of cookbook, it puts feeling and intuition at the centre of how we eat. It’s packed with the friendly, approachable and original recipes that Ed is so brilliant at. I’ll be cooking from it on repeat.” Anna Jones

“As Ed Smith showed in his first book, On The Side, he has a real flair for flavour and this is abundantly – and pointedly – evident in Crave: Recipes Arranged By Flavour, To Suit Your Mood and Appetite. This is the perfect book to prompt you to decide what to make day to day and, indeed, for special occasions.” Nigella Lawson

When people mistakenly say or write ‘restauraNteur’, I’m always reminded of the pub quiz factoid that ‘restaurant’ derives from French verb ‘restaurer’, meaning to restore. i.e. The people who start and run them are not in the business of ‘restauranting’; they’re in the business of restoration.

Never has this been clearer to me than over the last month, when the act of going to a restaurant, being fed, watered and waited-on by others, AND NOT HAVING TO COOK, CLEAR OR WASH UP, has been sheer, restorative bliss. And this has been the case even though we’ve been sat outside in the cold, on tables that rock and / or angle away down the pavement, lined as they have been along fume-filled thoroughfares that could never be described as calming (Farringdon Road, Holloway Road, Shoreditch High Street). It has been novel doing something for the first time in a while, but also (and mostly), there’s been an enveloping sense of comfort.

I suppose that’s largely because of the aforementioned hospitality. Though I should also note that I’ve deliberately returned to old favourites, seeking classy Anglo-French small plates at The Quality Chop House; the layered spice of Sambal Shiok’s laksa; hot, fragrant and sour salads at Smoking Goat (salads in both vegetable, and also meat and herb laab form); and the homeliness of Towpath’s braises and ‘good seasonal things on toast’. Restoration and comfort are found in things that are familiar, no?

Personally, I’m not particularly hyped about the slew of ‘new openings’. And yet another evil quirk of the current situation, is that all those restaurants that from next Monday will finally be able to fling open their doors and allow us inside, are effectively starting from scratch. Everywhere is ‘new’, now. Retraining, reimagining has been necessary and costly; recruitment has been tricky for most; badly damaged supply chains are reconnecting. You’ll have a more relaxing, restorative time if you bear all those things in mind when eating out. Also: please don’t make multiple reservations and/or then no-show.

As a quick reminder, my new cookbook, Crave; recipes arranged by flavour, to suit your mood and appetite, will be published on 27 May 2021.

In Crave I gently suggest that the best way to satisfy hunger and meal plan is to go along with our base instincts and simply cook what we really fancy. I think that’s best done by recognising which flavour profile we are craving: fresh and fragrant; tart and sour; chilli and heat; spiced and curried; rich and savoury; or cheesy and creamy. And then cooking something that fits that theme.

Basically: 6 flavour profiles; over 100 recipes; and every craving covered.

HOWEVER, there can always be more, right? So I thought I’d publish an ecookbook with 12 extra recipes to say thanks to everyone who purchases Crave before its official publication date (these pre-orders really help, apparently).

… and now Crave: The Extra Bite is available to claim.

If you’ve already ordered Crave, you just need to email a proof of purchase (screenshot or photo is fine) to crave@quadrille.co.uk, and we’ll send you a link to download The Extra Bite.

If you haven’t ordered yet, but think you might, just do that wherever suits you: via Amazon, via Bookshop, or go and take a walk around your local independent store and place your order with them. And then send that email.

I would love to see what you cook from it. So if you’re into sharing, please do tag @rocketandsquash on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

Don’t just take my word for it…

Some of my food heroes have lent kind words about Crave. Knowing now that it rarely pays to be humble, here they are…

“The recipes will dazzle and delight.” Nigel Slater

“Thoughtful writing and confident, delicious recipes – once again, Ed Smith has done something really smart.” Yotam Ottolenghi

“Ed is one of the greatest cooks I know and this book is a perfect friend in the kitchen: useful, innovative, trustable and completely joyful.” Meera Sodha

“Crave is my kind of cookbook, it puts feeling and intuition at the centre of how we eat. It’s packed with the friendly, approachable and original recipes that Ed is so brilliant at. I’ll be cooking from it on repeat.” Anna Jones

This is Part 2 of the Lockdown 2.0 directory series. This time it’s ‘How to Eat Out, In’. Part 1 covers ingredient shopping.

Accurate as at December 2020. A number of those mentioned below as ‘local’ have now expanded nationwide. The below is not ‘wrong’, but I’ll be checking over and updating soon.

Back to Strange Times, then.

I’ve reconsidered the original ‘Eating Out, In’ list from the Spring. This new version is focuses mostly on Assemble at Home Meal Kits, rather than delivery or takeaway.

This is so that it’s relevant and useful to as many people as possible: on the whole I have selected kits that are available nationwide (marked with an asterisk), or at least across Greater London. Some deliver relatively immediately, but many (understandably) run with a order in advance for delivery on a set day (often Friday) system.

To cover fully-prepared and still warm meals would have been a fairly impossible task, and this directory unusably long (even longer than it already is…). So on this front: support your favourite locals! We really need to. You’ll know who you like and it’s generally best to check their social media for an update as to whether they’re trying to push through.

That said, there is a little list at the end of this directory referencing a handful of places suited to those living as I do in Centre-East-ish London. For other sources of (London, sorry) restaurant delivery / takeaway info, try:

For restaurant-industry news, maps and features, try Eater London;Also head to Hot Dinners;@ClerkenwellBoyec1 previously organised a useful spreadsheet. I imagine he will do again and I’ll add a link accordingly (or keep an eye on his instagram feed).Platforms

If you’re not a fan of lists or too much choice, try one of these platforms:

Dishpatch* — Feature a monthly changing menu of restaurant kits for delivery nationwide, every Friday. November’s includes the excellent Bubala (vegetarian middle eastern-ish), Angela Hartnett’s Cafe Murano (simple and classy Italian four courser), and Supa Ya Ramen (extremely tasty inauthentic ramen).

Big Night — Have compiled meal kits and menus from a strong selection of East and South East London restaurants. They’re all contemporary in style: from those with an Italian bent, such as Legare (I received a meal from them in the first lockdown and it was beautifully conceived, prepared and packaged) and Luca, to Tacos Padre’s taco packs, through chicken in various formats (Royale’s rotisserie and Two Lights’ fried), Salon, Levan and Larry’s South London bistronomy, Laughing Heart’s invention and SnackBar’s killer buns, baguettes and burritos for a working lunch. Have a browse. There’s more to come, I believe. London only (you’ll need to add postcode to check).

Great Food 2 U* — Some strong street food / once street food names with their ‘icon’ dishes in assemble at home form (for e.g. MEATLiquor, Bleecker, White Men Can’t Jerk &etc).

Restokit — Smart and classy assemble at home menus from quality restaurants, including Kolamba (Sri Lankan), Legare (Italian) and a number of the JKS restaurants (see below). Great London delivery radius.

Sacred cows

These much-loved restaurants and brands are forging their own paths (and are all excellent):

Padella pasta kits* — Fresh pasta and good sauces from the hugely popular Padella, delivered nationwide.

Pizza Pilgrims* — Neapolitan pizza, delivered in kit form through the post, cooked by you in a frying pan.

Monty’s Deli* — Truly superb re-heat at home pastrami and salt beef, plus bagels, Reuben sandwich kits and babka. Couriered twice a week.

Sabor en casa* — Basically utterly wonderful Spanish finish at home menus and meals, delivered twice weekly.

José Pizarro* — A great deal of effort has gone into this finish at home tapas offer by José (maybe the nicest man in British food) Pizarro. Includes fun explanatory videos.

Quality Chop House* — In the middle of this ‘at home’ option is an aged, bone-in sirloin ready for you to cook to chef Shaun Searley’s instruction. But also: confit potatoes, house terrine, smoked cod’s roe, pickles, breads and puddings. One of the best restaurants with one of the best kits delivered to your door. Their shop also sends restaurant made and curated produce nationwide.

Simon Rogan — Strong assemble at home offering from the Cartmel chef’s group of restaurants (including a weekly changing 3 course menu, and a 5 course Christmas lunch).

Elite Bistro — Gary Usher’s restaurants ship on-point, savvy bistro food from the North West of England across the country. There are videos from the charismatic talisman on instagram to accompany you when warming/finishing the food in your kitchen.

26 Grains — Gently seasonal meal boxes (including excellent breakfasts) about to come back online. See also the ceramics, all available to purchase, which will make your food look great and you feel nice. (Delivery zone tbd)

Ottolenghi Ready* — why gather a long list of ingredients when you could just pour it out of a pouch?

Sambal Shiok* — Really excellent laksa kits and other Malaysian condiments available via Pezu (which is worth a browse more generally), if you’re not within 12km radius of the Holloway Rd restaurant.

Mei Mei* — Super Singaporean curry, nasi leak and rendang kits, plus condiments and spice mixes are posted nationwide, and there’s a slightly larger range of produce boxes for collection at Borough Market or delivery through London.

Dishoom* — Bacon Naan Roll kit. Bacon Naan Roll Kit. Bacon Naan Roll Kit. (They also now do local delivery).

Arabica* — Finish at home family feast and meze boxes, DIY falafel kits, baklava and ready-to-bake Börek, delivered nationwide on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Meaty

What’s that, can’t get an Ocado slot and so you’re down to your last 500g pack of 2.5% fat angus beef mince in the freezer? Try here:

Hawksmoor* — Wow, a Hawksmoor box full of wine, cocktails, books, sides, bone marrow gravy and (of course) premium steak was one of the treats of last Lockdown. They’re very good. *Update Feb 2021*: you can now buy individual steaks from them on their website and, quite remarkably, Ocado.

Blacklock* — Aaand no surprise given there’s a small amount of shared DNA, that BlackLock at Home boxes are also a class act. v.2.0 has just landed, with 3 appealing ‘for 2’ options, and a Sunday roast to come.

SmokeStak* — Smoked meats by weight, bun boxes, condiments. Simple but stylish, with high attention to detail, and huge flavour. Delivered nationwide every Friday. Locals note the takeaway options too.

Lagom* — And if you’re a fan of smoke, you really must check out Elliot Cunningham’s wizardry. Everything is amazing, but the smoked chicken is eye-opening.

Bleecker Burger* — One of the (if not the) very best burgers, delivered in kit form to your door.

Burger and Beyond* — Another contender. Also with a great line in side dishes, fried chicken kits and condiments.

HG Walter* — A butcher that compiles and couriers other restaurant-affiliated burger and hot dog kits. Patty & Bun’s are almost always available. Look out also for specials from the likes of John Chantarasak’s Anglo Thai concept.

Flat Iron* — The very popular steak and chip chain’s Butcher’s Boxes have just launched and I can confirm that the content is superb: as the name suggests, it’s more a meat box than a meal kit, but really super quality aged beef from the restaurant’s herd, portioned into burgers, rib eye and denver steaks, roasting joint and mince.

MEATLiquor* — Outrageous beef chilli cheese dogs from the burger brand that kicked it all off, back when we were allowed to queue for ages next to a street truck, and up a narrow staircase in New Cross (via Greatfood2U).

JKS Group

Towards the end of the first Lockdown, the JKS Restaurants Group began launching meal kits and delivery brands for most of their restaurants. Like everything they do, they were stylish, incredibly well conceived, and felt expensive. It was almost as if they had a magic crystal ball that told them there’d be a winter lockdown, and the government would not have got their shit together, so the investment would be worth it. Who could’ve predicted that?! Industry leaders. Try them:

Ambassador General Store* — Menu boxes, individual dishes, drinks and condiments covering Gymkhana, Trishna and Brigadiers. A level above.

Bao* — Spend 10 minutes being mesmerised by the style and beauty of everything in their shop, then order some Taiwanese steamed bun kits. See also their delivery brand, Rice Error (which is not so nationwide).

Cash & Kari* — Inspired by ‘one stop corner stores of Sri Lanka and South India’. Hoppers are offering meal kits, snacks, spices, drinks and merch.

Missing your 2 Michelin star tasting menus? Look no further than James Knappet at home with Sandia Chang’s bubbles in support.*

I can heartily recommend the Lyle’s meal boxes. They’re a bit of a treat (£140 for 2), but you’ll feel like a Michelin star chef, standing at the pass and taking the glory for all the work the sous and commis chefs have been doing all day. Delicious, and, as with the Knappet kit, potentially a memorable evening putting it together.

Berenjak* — Persian kebab kits (with skewers) and mazeh boxes. Also condiments.

Local heroes

The (mostly) nationally delivered meal kits above are such a boon for us at home. You should definitely try a few out.

But to finish as I started, if you normally have a little budget for eating out each week, then see if you can’t still spend it somewhere local to you. So many of your favourites will be earnestly scrambling. You know who you want to still be around — support them.

Rather than add a miscellaneous list of restaurants across the country that I have no experience of, here are just a few for those in  Centre-East-ish London:

Quality Wines — Nick Bramham’s brilliant (and brilliant value) set meals for 2 have pause … and his (and QCH sister restaurant Clipstone’s) attention has moved towards chicken and (chicken fat) chips. ARROSTO is superb. Deceptive in its simplicity. Highly recommended if you’re within their Fitzrovia centred zone. Go for the Zuni bread salad chicken + all the sides (+ the ice cream and brioche buns).

Ombra — Mitshel Ibrahim reverts to role of local hero running a quality pastificio just off the Regents Canal.

Honey & Co — Friday night dinners (and cheesecakes) are available for pick up or delivered within 12 miles of their deli, Honey & Spice. As anyone who has eaten in their restaurants can imagine, the menus and dishes are lovingly conceived and cooked. They also have an online shop stacked with the best spices, tahini, halva, ceramics and more, which can be delivered nationwide.

El Pastor — taco taco taco taco taco say yeah. Have a taco party (for 2) at home, without any effort on your part. Though you need to live within 2.5miles of Borough Market or Kings Cross.

Jikoni Comfort and Joy — Globally inspired flavour bomb menus for pick up or delivery within a 5 mile radius of the Marylebone restaurant.

For what may (deservedly) become Lockdown 2.0’s must cultish meal kit, keep your eye on Decatur’s instagram page for weekly releases of an awesome looking chargrilled oyster and shrimp boil kit.

St John — will be making suet-topped pies for pre-order (via their online shop) and subsequent collection on Fridays from their restaurants.

On a similar theme, keep watch for Quo Vadis at home (coming soon via Big Night).

Also the various pies and tarts and other restaurant-prepared foods available through the excellent online stores run by Spring to Go (Spring Restaurant, central London) and Joy at Portobello in West London (both with 10km radius delivery of their respective restaurants; more details in the How to Shop directory).

And check over Big Night again, as most of the restaurants their are East London (and all great) — from Mangal 2 to Laughing Heart.

Koya — Continue to make and cook their satisfyingly chewy and slurpy udon via either Click and Collect or Deliveroo if you’re close enough to their City or Soho restaurants. I understand there’s an at home kit to come, soon.

ASAP Pizza — is the Flor/Lyle’s pizza brand, now back at Flor in Borough Market, though I think I it might eventually relocate to Shoreditch? Either way, London’s most inventive and perhaps best pizzas for takeaway and delivery, via Slerp and Deliveroo.

Cora Pearl and Kitty Fishers have stylish supper boxes for 2 (with booze) for pick up or delivery via Slerp, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Both quality restaurants that in normal times buzz and delight; I’d expect their meal kits to reflect that.

Oren — Many friends have told me how pleased they were to order Eastern Mediterranean-inspired food from Oren last lockdown (and afterwards). A bit like Ombra, Oded Oren a hard working local hero delivering the goods. Either for pick-up or via Slerp.

E5 Bakehouse — Is open for bread, pastries and takeaway lunch 8am-5pm, 7 days a week

Dusty Knuckle — Still baking bread and offering pre-ordered food for pick up. See also their milk van service…

Pophams — Are making baked goods and pasta for pick up, plus local delivery soon

Trullo — Are keeping their deli/shop remains open with fresh pasta, cook at home meals, baked goods and more.

Lucky & Joy — Clapton-based, multi-region-inspired Chinese. Delivered throughout Spring and Summer. Not sure what their plans are at this point, but keep an eye on them.

Side Chick — Patty & Bun’s roast chicken delivery concept. I really enjoyed this over the summer. On Deliveroo and Slerp.

Click it local — Delivery of good things from independent food shops. Menu will be tailored to your postcode. For me, that includes Sonora’s incredible wheat flour and fat tortilla packs, which are probably the greatest thing to come out of 2020 (even in a normal year, this statement would hold true).

Was this helpful? I hope so. Now your ingredients are sorted, you’ll need a side dish focused cookbook to keep your home-cooked meals varied through Lockdown…

This is Part 2 of the Lockdown 2.0 directory series. This time it’s ‘How to Eat Out, In’. Part 1 covers ingredient shopping.

Back to Strange Times, then.

I’ve reconsidered the original ‘Eating Out, In’ list from the Spring. This new version is focuses mostly on Assemble at Home Meal Kits, rather than delivery or takeaway.

This is so that it’s relevant and useful to as many people as possible: on the whole I have selected kits that are available nationwide (marked with an asterisk), or at least across Greater London. Some deliver relatively immediately, but many (understandably) run with a order in advance for delivery on a set day (often Friday) system.

To cover fully-prepared and still warm meals would have been a fairly impossible task, and this directory unusably long (even longer than it already is…). So on this front: support your favourite locals! We really need to. You’ll know who you like and it’s generally best to check their social media for an update as to whether they’re trying to push through.

That said, there is a little list at the end of this directory referencing a handful of places suited to those living as I do in Centre-East-ish London. For other sources of (London, sorry) restaurant delivery / takeaway info, try:

For restaurant-industry news, maps and features, try Eater London;
Also head to Hot Dinners;
@ClerkenwellBoyec1 previously organised a useful spreadsheet. I imagine he will do again and I’ll add a link accordingly (or keep an eye on his instagram feed).


Platforms

If you’re not a fan of lists or too much choice, try one of these platforms:

Dishpatch* — Feature a monthly changing menu of restaurant kits for delivery nationwide, every Friday. November’s includes the excellent Bubala (vegetarian middle eastern-ish), Angela Hartnett’s Cafe Murano (simple and classy Italian four courser), and Supa Ya Ramen (extremely tasty inauthentic ramen).

Big Night — Have compiled meal kits and menus from a strong selection of East and South East London restaurants. They’re all contemporary in style: from those with an Italian bent, such as Legare (I received a meal from them in the first lockdown and it was beautifully conceived, prepared and packaged) and Luca, to Tacos Padre’s taco packs, through chicken in various formats (Royale’s rotisserie and Two Lights’ fried), Laughing Heart’s invention and SnackBar’s killer buns, baguettes and burritos for a working lunch. Have a browse. There’s more to come, I believe. London only (you’ll need to add postcode to check).

Great Food 2 U* — Some strong street food / once street food names with their ‘icon’ dishes in assemble at home form (for e.g. MEATLiquor, Bleecker, White Men Can’t Jerk &etc).

Restokit — Smart and classy assemble at home menus from quality restaurants, including Kolamba (Sri Lankan), Legare (Italian) and a number of the JKS restaurants (see below). Great London delivery radius.

Sacred cows

These much-loved restaurants and brands are forging their own paths (and are all excellent):

Padella pasta kits* — Fresh pasta and good sauces from the hugely popular Padella, delivered nationwide.

Pizza Pilgrims* — Neapolitan pizza, delivered in kit form through the post, cooked by you in a frying pan.

Monty’s Deli* — Truly superb re-heat at home pastrami and salt beef, plus bagels, Reuben sandwich kits and babka. Couriered twice a week.

Sabor en casa* — Basically utterly wonderful Spanish finish at home menus and meals, delivered twice weekly.

José Pizarro* — A great deal of effort has gone into this finish at home tapas offer by José (maybe the nicest man in British food) Pizarro. Includes fun explanatory videos.

Quality Chop House* — In the middle of this ‘at home’ option is an aged, bone-in sirloin ready for you to cook to chef Shaun Searley’s instruction. But also: confit potatoes, house terrine, smoked cod’s roe, pickles, breads and puddings. One of the best restaurants with one of the best kits delivered to your door. Their shop also sends restaurant made and curated produce nationwide.

Elite Bistro — Gary Usher’s restaurants ship on-point, savvy bistro food from the North West of England across the country. There are videos from the charismatic talisman on instagram to accompany you when warming/finishing the food in your kitchen.

26 Grains — Gently seasonal meal boxes (including excellent breakfasts) about to come back online. See also the ceramics, all available to purchase, which will make your food look great and you feel nice. (Delivery zone tbd)

Ottolenghi Ready* — why gather a long list of ingredients when you could just pour it out of a pouch?

Sambal Shiok* — Really excellent laksa kits and other Malaysian condiments available via Pezu (which is worth a browse more generally), if you’re not within 12km radius of the Holloway Rd restaurant.

Dishoom* — Bacon Naan Roll kit. Bacon Naan Roll Kit. Bacon Naan Roll Kit. (They also now do local delivery).

Arabica — Finish at home family feast and meze boxes, DIY falafel kits, baklava and ready-to-bake Börek, delivered nationwide on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Meaty

What’s that, can’t get an Ocado slot and so you’re down to your last 500g pack of 2.5% fat angus beef mince in the freezer? Try here:

Hawksmoor* — Wow, a Hawksmoor box full of wine, cocktails, books, sides, bone marrow gravy and (of course) premium steak was one of the treats of last Lockdown. They’re very good.

Blacklock* — Aaand no surprise given there’s a small amount of shared DNA, that BlackLock at Home boxes are also a class act. Not yet announced but I’d be very surprised if a v.2.0 doesn’t land very soon.

SmokeStak* — Smoked meats by weight, bun boxes, condiments. Simple but stylish, with high attention to detail, and huge flavour. Delivered nationwide every Friday. Locals note the takeaway options too.

Lagom* — And if you’re a fan of smoke, you really must check out Elliot Cunningham’s wizardry. Everything is amazing, but the smoked chicken is eye-opening.

Bleecker Burger* — One of the (if not the) very best burgers, delivered in kit form to your door.

Burger and Beyond* — Another contender. Also with a great line in side dishes, fried chicken kits and condiments.

HG Walter* — A butcher that compiles and couriers other restaurant-affiliated burger and hot dog kits. Patty & Bun’s are almost always available. Look out also for specials from the likes of John Chantarasak’s Anglo Thai concept.

Flat Iron* — Keep eyes and ears peeled as the very popular steak and chip chain’s Butcher’s Boxes, launches on Tuesday 10 November — burger kit, steaks and roasting joints.

MEATLiquor* — Outrageous beef chilli cheese dogs from the burger brand that kicked it all off, back when we were allowed to queue for ages next to a street truck, and up a narrow staircase in New Cross (via Greatfood2U).

JKS Group

Towards the end of the first Lockdown, the JKS Restaurants Group began launching meal kits and delivery brands for most of their restaurants. Like everything they do, they were stylish, incredibly well conceived, and felt expensive. It was almost as if they had a magic crystal ball that told them there’d be a winter lockdown, and the government would not have got their shit together, so the investment would be worth it. Who could’ve predicted that?! Industry leaders. Try them:

Ambassador General Store* — Menu boxes, individual dishes, drinks and condiments covering Gymkhana, Trishna and Brigadiers. A level above.

Bao* — Spend 10 minutes being mesmerised by the style and beauty of everything in their shop, then order some Taiwanese steamed bun kits. See also their delivery brand, Rice Error (which is not so nationwide).

Cash & Kari* — Inspired by ‘one stop corner stores of Sri Lanka and South India’. Hoppers are offering meal kits, snacks, spices, drinks and merch.

Missing your 2 Michelin star tasting menus? Look no further than James Knappet at home with Sandia Chang’s bubbles in support.*

Berenjek* — Persian kebab kits (with skewers) and mazeh boxes. Also condiments.

Local heroes

The (mostly) nationally delivered meal kits above are such a boon for us at home. You should definitely try a few out.

But to finish as I started, if you normally have a little budget for eating out each week, then see if you can’t still spend it somewhere local to you. So many of your favourites will be earnestly scrambling. You know who you want to still be around — support them.

Rather than add a miscellaneous list of restaurants across the country that I have no experience of, here are just a few for those in  Centre-East-ish London:

Quality Wines — Nick Bramham’s brilliant (and brilliant value) set meals for 2 (on an ItaloFrAnglais vibe), Thursday, Friday and Saturday set menus for pick up, or delivery within 6km of the Farringdon restaurant.

Ombra — Mitshel Ibrahim reverts to role of local hero running a quality pastificio just off the Regents Canal.

Honey & Co — Friday night dinners (and cheesecakes) are available for pick up or delivered within 12 miles of their deli, Honey & Spice. As anyone who has eaten in their restaurants can imagine, the menus and dishes are lovingly conceived and cooked. They also have an online shop stacked with the best spices, tahini, halva, ceramics and more, which can be delivered nationwide.

El Pastor — taco taco taco taco taco say yeah. Have a taco party (for 2) at home, without any effort on your part. Though you need to live within 2.5miles of Borough Market or Kings Cross.

Jikoni Comfort and Joy — Globally inspired flavour bomb menus for pick up or delivery within a 5 mile radius of the Marylebone restaurant.

St John — will be making suet-topped pies for pre-order (via their online shop) and subsequent collection on Fridays from their restaurants.

On a similar theme, keep watch for Quo Vadis at home (coming soon via Big Night).

Also the various pies and tarts and other restaurant-prepared foods available through the excellent online stores run by Spring to Go (Spring Restaurant, central London) and Joy at Portobello in West London (both with 10km radius delivery of their respective restaurants; more details in the How to Shop directory).

And check over Big Night again, as most of the restaurants their are East London (and all great) — from Mangal 2 to Laughing Heart.

Koya — Continue to make and cook their satisfyingly chewy and slurpy udon via either Click and Collect or Deliveroo if you’re close enough to their City or Soho restaurants. I understand there’s an at home kit to come, soon.

ASAP Pizza — is the Flor/Lyle’s pizza brand, now back at Flor in Borough Market, though I think I it might eventually relocate to Shoreditch? Either way, London’s most inventive and perhaps best pizzas for takeaway and delivery, via Slerp and Deliveroo.

Cora Pearl and Kitty Fishers have stylish supper boxes for 2 (with booze) for pick up or delivery via Slerp, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Both quality restaurants that in normal times buzz and delight; I’d expect their meal kits to reflect that.

Oren — Many friends have told me how pleased they were to order Eastern Mediterranean-inspired food from Oren last lockdown (and afterwards). A bit like Ombra, Oded Oren a hard working local hero delivering the goods. Either for pick-up or via Slerp.

E5 Bakehouse — Is open for bread, pastries and takeaway lunch 8am-5pm, 7 days a week

Dusty Knuckle — Still baking bread and offering pre-ordered food for pick up. See also their milk van service…

Pophams — Are making baked goods and pasta for pick up, plus local delivery soon

Trullo — Are keeping their deli/shop remains open with fresh pasta, cook at home meals, baked goods and more.

Lucky & Joy — Clapton-based, multi-region-inspired Chinese. Delivered throughout Spring and Summer. Not sure what their plans are at this point, but keep an eye on them.

Side Chick — Patty & Bun’s roast chicken delivery concept. I really enjoyed this over the summer. On Deliveroo and Slerp.

Click it local — Delivery of good things from independent food shops. Menu will be tailored to your postcode. For me, that includes Sonora’s incredible wheat flour and fat tortilla packs, which are probably the greatest thing to come out of 2020 (even in a normal year, this statement would hold true).

Was this helpful? I hope so. Now your ingredients are sorted, you’ll need a side dish focused cookbook to keep your home-cooked meals varied through Lockdown…

This is Part 1 of the Lockdown 2.0 directory series. This time it’s ingredient shopping. Part 2 is ‘How to Eat Out, In’, covering meal kits.

Accurate as at December 2020.

Hello. Here is an update of the delivery directory I originally published back in March 2020. It’s been trimmed and refined for Lockdown 2.0; I suspect you’ve got your systems in place now, and there seems less of a panic this time round. But still, perhaps there’ll be something here that helps. It’s actually a great time for consumers, and worth considering changing shopping habits in the medium-long term …

Should be fairly self-explanatory, alongside the notes that:

sorry, it’s not exhaustive — it just can’t be and still be useful. But by all means add your suggestions in the comments if they’re truly recommendations of which you have first hand knowledge; and also
sorry, it perhaps a little London / South-East centric. Largely because that’s my reference-point; you’ll know where’s good near you, and should definitely start there! However, nationwide delivery options are starred, and in fact there’s quite a few of them, particularly butchers and fishmongers.

Related to both points, really I’d just emphasise that in the first instance support your local and already favoured butchers, fishmongers, green grocers and delis, and keep an eye on the restaurants you like as they may well be promoting their suppliers, or working on a grocery option.

I will also shortly re-publish a separate post covering restaurants now offering delivery / assemble at home kits. Head over to that if you’d like a night off cooking from scratch, a bit of a treat and / or to support independent restaurants at this difficult time.

If you need more, Niamh at Eat Like a Girl’s list of independent shops and producers is extensive and excellent.

Fruit and Veg

A mix of (normally) wholesale costermongers now delivering to homes, and an increasing number of veg box schemes: 

Natoora* — specialist (really superb) fruit and veg, particularly strong on seasonal Spanish, Italian and British produce. You can shop completely a la carte via their app (rather than veg box format). Now delivering nationwide. With deli items available too.
Pale Green Dot— farm fresh produce delivered from Sussex to your door (Sussex, London, edge of M25). Also have meat and dairy boxes, as well as pure fruit and vegetable options.
Odd Box — the excellent wonky veg box delivers across London and South East England postcodes (new orders paused for the moment but I’m sure they’ll reopen).
The All Greens family — Clifton Greens, Parkway Greens, Clocktower Greens, Newington Greens and Panzers Deli — open for socially distance shopping and now home delivery too. Fruit and Veg boxes, with deli, bread, dairy and meat items available for addition too.
The Tomato Stall (Isle of Wight tomatoes) bit out of season now, but let’s be honest we all eat tomatoes through the year. So may as well get them delivered to your door by the 3kg box load. Check out the per kilo price at the supermarket/your grocer (for everything other than the tomatoes that taste of nothing and are pointless). This is good value…
A number of New Covent Garden wholesalers have announced veg box / delivery schemes to anywhere with a London postcode within the M25 [there are LOADS on the NCG list now, so do browse this].
First Choice Produce — have an online shop with veg boxes, also eggs (eggs!), milk (milk!) and more. London and Henley-ish.
Chegworth Valley — sending vegetable boxes nationwide (free delivery London and Kent, a charge elsewhere), although not their brilliant mixed leaf salad bags which is a shame (the sorrel leaves are great, though).
Ashdown Organics — specialise in veg boxes but also meat, bread, dairy and deli. Organic and regenerative farm produce. London and South.
Farmers markets are open this time round, and of course if you feel able then visit / liaise with your local greengrocer (please).




Butchers

Think of all the farmers and butchers who usually send vans to demanding chefs across London (and the country)… I’ve used quite a few of these now. All good. Some require fairly advance purchasing. For delivery fees and to ensure you’re always well-stocked, best to make a sizeable order (so sort your fridge and freezer out).

Swaledale Foods* — whole carcass butcher with a network of farms in the Yorkshire Dales. Their native breed meats are a named highlight of many of London’s top restaurants. Now courier that same meat to homes nationwide.
Philip Warren* — legendary Cornish butcher to many of London’s best restaurants. Now delivering.
Warrens on the pass* — same butcher, with specific cuts that had been reared and aged for specific restaurants (who can no longer take it). Spectacular.
Gothelney Farmer* — very special Tamworth pigs who lived their absolute best life. Now available direct from the farmer in monthly pork boxes.
Lyons Hill Farm* — another supplier to great restaurants (notably Phil Howard’s The Square/Elystan Street) who’ve shifted to deliver their meat straight to our homes. This one’s Dorset-based. You’ll find their website compelling in its championing of rare breed beef (White Park), pork, hogget and chickens that take more than times to grow to maturity than a commercially bred flab monster.
The Ethical Butcher* — online curator and distributer of meat farmed in a responsible way.
Cabrito* — boxes of goat meat, delivered — with a free copy of the award winning ‘Goat’ book! Can also get this from Combe Farm Organic (see below).
Fosse Meadows* — buy top tier chickens straight from the source.
Combe Farm Organic — organic meat meat, frozen and couriered nationwide (so either wait to defrost or move straight into the freezer).
Turner and George* — Islington butchers with established home delivery capabilities (national).
The Butchery Ltd — Brilliant (my favourite) London butcher with shops in Spitalfields and Forest Hill, and Spa Terminus for retail, with home delivery near those sites too.
HG Walter — delivery in London and M25 radius. Some excellent burger/hot dog collaborations too.
Hill House Farm* — Surrey farm delivering rare breeds locally and sending nationwide.
Pipers Farm* — established meat boxes featuring grass fed, free range animals.
Cobble Lane Cured*, Tempus Foods* and Billy Franks for deliveries of British-made cured and dried meats.
Field & Flower* (see reference in ‘fishmongers’).
Again, walk to your local butcher — or call, they’re probably delivering. In London, as well as those mentioned that’s The Ginger Pig, Northfield Farm, Wild Beef, The Parsons Nose, Flock and Herd, Hill and Szrok, Moen and Sons, Godfreys, James Elliot … and many. Use them.
Or Google ‘Meat Box’ (not that one).




Fishmongers

Use your local fishmonger! Most now seem to be operating with good social distancing practices (certainly much easier to stay distanced here than at a supermarket … and the fish and shellfish will be much, much fresher).

However, there are also a number of wholesale fishmongers and day boats whose restaurant accounts have diminished or disappeared:

Henderson Seafood* — Brixham (Devon) day boats straight to you
Wright Brothers* — very good (and consumer friendly online shop) fresh fish and shell fish to your door.
Pesky Fish* — buy direct from the fishermen. A daily market place.
Fresh Cornish Fish* – landed in Newlyn (Cornwall), then to your door, nationwide
Field & Flower* — free range meat, sustainably sourced fish, quality deli items already in existence prior to this and doing it well.
Sole Share — regular fish box subscription with pick up points across London
Bens Fish Mersea — popular supplier of East Coast landed fish to restaurants, now delivering to homes in Essex and London. 
Bethnal Green Fish — another well-regarded restaurant supplier, now delivering to homes London (order via instagram / orders@bgfishsupplies.co.uk)
Secret Smokehouse* — East London Smokehouse, selling excellent quality smoked fish and fish pie mixes from its smokery, and by next day courier delivery nationwide.
Go to fishmongersfederation.co.uk to find one near you – many of whom will deliver locally. Or for delivery:




One stop shop






Coombeshead Farm* — wonderful farm to fork provisions (meat, cured meats, honey, dairy and preserves) from one of the absolute best restaurants and country breaks around. Limited availability — you’ve lucked out if you get it.
Spring to Go — veg boxes from biodynamic farm Fern Verrow, dairy, cooked goods, bread, larder provisions and bottle shop from Skye Gyngell’s Spring restaurant. Delivery within 12km radius of central London.
Borough Market — is open, quiet and open air. So if you are within walking or cycle distance, maybe one of the best places to shop at a social distance? They also have Good Sixty, an online shopping and mobile delivery hub (7 mile radius). Good Sixty also have hubs in Bath and Bristol serving local artisans.
Joy at Portobello — similar to Spring, really nicely curated (and cooked) grocer, bakery and deli from Stevie Parle’s West London pop up. Sweet pies and sunday lunch boxes look especially good. 10 mile radius of the restaurant.
Knock Knock by Smith and Brock — restaurant suppliers turned home delivery of veg boxes with add ons. London. From afar they looked like they were a great offering through Lockdown 1.0.
Farm Drop — impressive collator of quality groceries from independent farmers and producers. Includes recipe kits and frozen meals too. London only.
Food Chain — London chef platform for artisan producers and suppliers. Gathered together by an app, contact them for home delivery.
Taylor’s of Maltby Street — Bermondsey Greengrocer that became a delivery hub for many of its neighbours in the Spring. Not sure they’re currently home delivering, but keep an eye on instagram as many of you got in touch to say how good they were.
Riverford* — you probably know of Riverford already? Great network. Long established. 
Abel & Cole* — you probably know of Abel & Cole already? Great network. Long established

Dairy and delis

As with butchers, fishmongers and fruit and veg, there are some amazing cheesemongers who’ve suddenly lost their restaurant trade. They’ll have loads of cheese at the moment. We should eat it (see Jenny Linford’s piece on this). Normally I’d note that cheese is for life, not just for Christmas. But this time round maybe we go with the “Christmas begins in 2020” line? 

Shop locally if you have a cheesemonger or good deli nearby; but if not, or if not comfortable doing that in lockdown, then many of the following deliver nationwide. 

Neals Yard Dairy* — Their online delivery service was already one of the great underused services of the last decade, and now it’s doing its best to keep the British farmhouse cheese industry alive (having already done so much to build and curate it).
The Courtyard Dairy* — well regarded distributer of British cheeses with established online presence.
Mons* — Superb French cheeses. Click and collect from Borough Market, Spa Terminus and East Dulwich, but also now deliver nationwide.
Paxton & Whitfield* — Quality, long-established cheesemonger now sending cheese nationwide.
La Fromagerie — Many people’s favourite. Shops in Marylebone, Highbury and Bloomsbury. Multiple London delivery options (see website).
The Estate Dairy — The milk that your favourite coffee shop used, now available delivered within 6 mile radius of Knightsbridge (via slerp.com). AND ALSO amazing eggs, butter, cheese. Comparable / better to supermarket prices. Incomparable product.
Kupros dairy* — Cypriot-style cheese made in North London. It’s really good… so also good that can get buy it in bulk, for nationwide delivery. They’ve also added an ‘essentials’ option for veg, eggs etc.




Dry goods

Try:

Sous Chef* — really super online supplier of pastas, flours, rice, vinegars and other specialist condiments. 
Belazu* — grains, beans, flours, rice, oil, vinegars, deli treats, pastes, spices etc (includes fresh pasta from La Tua)
Hodmedods* — British grown pulses and grains, deliver nationally.
Gilchesters* — Unbleached flour from heritage grains. Low stock but keep on checking as it’s excellent.
Shipton Mill* — Wide range of flours. 
Wessex Mill* — More flours. As with Gilchesters, low stock but they will keep milling, so keep on checking as it’s excellent
Rooted Spices* — for your spice cupboards.
Spice Mountain* — for your spice cupboards. Some dried beans and pulses too. Online but also Borough Market.
SeeWoo — Chinatown’s Oriental and Asian supermarket, now delivering central London
WaiYeeHong* — online Oriental and Asian supermarket — Bristol-based, nationwide delivery
Restaurant suppliers that you’ve not previously heard of have superb deli-style stock and are trying to start home deliveries, like HQF London. Best way to find these (other than those I have listed here) is to check the Social pages of your favourite chef – many are mentioning.




Coffee

DO NOT run out of caffeine. The roasters I order online from (and so vouch for) are:

Roundhill Roastery* — Great roast, great UX, and great value.
Monmouth Coffee* — Here before the whole artisan coffee thing kicked off. Covid-19 allowing, they’ll be here for many years more too. Have the relationships and buying power to ensure that your beans are fairly purchased and top quality.
Square Mile* — For a long time the way you could tell a new cafe was going to serve you a decent coffee, was that you could spy kilo bags of Square Mile beans on the shelves. Not so ubiquitous now, but still a/the leader. So great to have them at home, no?
Colonna* — Bath-based, very slick and thoughtful interface for ordering. Also do better than average coffee pods for nespresso machines.
James Gourmet Coffee* — VERY good value, expertly roast coffee beans, from Herefordshire roasters who have trained many of the people who now run the other places mentioned here.
Origin Coffee* — Cornwall-based roasters, but if you’re a Londoner you may have seen their cafes and concessions. Kind of interesting because even for filter beans they do blends (most others focus on single origin). Also, everything on their site is 20% off through April (gadgets as well as beans).
Caravan* — single bags, subscription and / or tea are all available for delivery atm.
Kiss the Hippo* — fairly new but highly regarded roasters. I like.
Workshop Coffee* — really like their espresso-based coffees from the cafes. Filter beans good too. Shop is easy to use and also a good source of hardware.

For tea drinkers, the best loose leaf comes from Postcard Teas; their central London shop is closed for the moment, but they’re still dispatching Monday-Saturday.

Booze

Same situation: many wine importers are now missing a restaurant customer base. Most have vans or have now worked out a courier system. In no particular order:

Uncharted Wines* — nationwide delivery of future classics; and Rupert will even install a wine tap system in your home if you want it…
Fine Cider* — we were, I think, about to have a restaurant-led ‘British cider and perry’ trend/movement/moment. Now there are some incredible drinks available nationwide via these guys.
Berry Brothers & Rudd* — treat yourself. Generally caters to old world wine fans, though I really enjoyed a newer-style dry riesling selection recently. 
Newcomer Wines* — skin contact, reds with attitude, lots for fans of dry riesling, weissburgunder &etc. Nicely curated selections too.
DropWineApp — same day (sometimes hour) delivery in London. Referral code fKsv047q gets you a tenner off your first order. I get something too if you use it — which I’ll redeem, but later spend the same amount in their Covent Garden restaurants The 10 Cases and Parsons.
Gipsy Hill Brewing Company* — one of the best and most consistent (and not yet massive beverage company owned) and my favourite craft beer brewer. Here’s a 20% discount code for you (with no kick back to me): sam-famfriend-2020.
Salon Wine Store Brixton for South London natural wine fans — email info@salonwinestore.co.uk
Renegade Wine* — premium wines made in London (but good! always very drinkable). 
Shop Cuvee — masters of pivoting and marketing, mostly natty modern wine bar turns both local and national delivery option.
Bright (P Franco, Noble Fine Liquor, Peg etc) for East London natural wine fans (3 mile radius London Fields).
See this comprehensive list of Independents who are delivering, courtesy of Wine Car Boot’s Ruth Spivey.
And Abbie Moulton’s piece in the Evening Standard — from back in March.

Was this helpful? I hope so. Now your ingredients are sorted, you’ll need a side dish focused cookbook to keep your meals varied through Lockdown…