Doubling down
Holy Carrot, Bar ALTA, The Pem, Teddington for £3mn, Gymkhana, Langosteria, best Notting Hill fine dining, MORE
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RESTAURANTS & BARS • First Word
Mushroom trip
The Skinny: Two years after opening their original restaurant in Notting Hill, the Holy Carrot team has opened a second branch, this time in Spitalfields Market. It’s not a cut-and-paste job: while the west London site is fully vegan, the east one is 70% vegan, 30% vegetarian, retaining chef-owner Daniel Watkins’s focus on live-fire cooking and fermentation.
The Vibe: Edgy, dimly lit and cool – and somehow totally different from the Notting Hill branch, which is bright, minimalist and sleek. It’s fitting of the area, with white-tiled walls and linoleum floors evoking the market’s Victorian fruit-trading history. Slightly trippy mushroom murals hang over the open kitchen and bar, and there’s a snug warmth to the small, square room with tightly packed, candlelit tables.
The Food: Daring, veg-focused dishes that err on the funky. From the starters, two large chunks of ‘sexy tofu’ come with pickled carrots, carrot purée and a smoked carrot XO sauce that’s a little like a caponata – zingy, punchy and pleasingly textured. Coal-roasted leeks in carrot hot sauce are nicely softened, with hazelnuts for crunch and a creamy hazelnut purée. From the mains, king oyster vol-au-vent is packed with mushrooms and rich, umami sauce. Pizzettas and flatbreads are made with fermented koji and silken tofu – khachapuri is cheesy and blistered around the edges. Ember-baked hispi cabbage with masala sauce is a highlight.
The Drink: Unique, interesting cocktails described by their characteristics: miso-washed Glenmorangie with Campari is ‘savoury, bitter and unexpectedly addictive,’ while a Belvedere sour with lacto‑fermented grapefruit and lemon is ‘sharp, creamy and super-clean’. Non-alcoholic drinks have been given a lot of thought too, with a no-waste carrot spritz and a dill-infused matcha with clarified coconut. There’s a varied wine list, too.
The Verdict: A bold, buzzy bistro that dares to be different, with distinctive flavours and a fun, sociable vibe that fits right into Spitalfields. –Laura Price
→ Holy Carrot (Spitalfields) • 61-63 Brushfield St • Tue-Fri 12-330p & 5-11p, Sat 1030a-330p & 5-11p, Sun 1030a-8p • Book.
RESTAURANTS & BARS • Intel
HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Soho restaurant ALTA (intel) is transforming its ground floor into a more casual space inspired by the pintxo bars of northern Spain and the Basque Country. Launching next week, Bar ALTA will serve small plates such as grilled flatbread with green romesco and Manchego, and larger dishes like A4 wagyu with Marmite, and there’ll be more high-top and counter seats with kitchen views. Former Humo head chef Robbie Jameson runs the kitchen both at Bar ALTA and on the first floor, where the current format remains. Opens 22/06; reservations or walk-ins; Book.
PASSING THE TORCH: A year after Sally Abé’s departure, Romy Gill MBE is set to take over The Pem at The Conrad St James. Reopening in September as Romy Gill at The Pem, the red-and-pink space will shift to Indian cuisine, bringing curries, smoky grills and slow-braised dishes from Punjab to Kashmir on its à la carte, tasting and set menus. It’s the first permanent restaurant role in six years for TV chef Gill. From 17/09; book.
FULL BLOOM: At 45 Park Lane, Sushi Kanesaka has teamed up with Aoyama Flower Market for a five-day Japanese floral installation celebrating the summer solstice. Ends 20/06; book.
NEW HORIZONS: In addition to running his flagship BiBi, Chet Sharma has been appointed as global culinary director at Gymkhana, within the same hospitality group. He’ll oversee the London restaurant as well as its expansion into North America and the Middle East. Book. –Laura Price
LONDON RESTAURANT LINKS: Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express sets 22/06 opening date for new location • Why London’s once-booming restaurant scene is heading for bust • In defence of the perfectly ordinary restaurant.
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Unwavering confidence
CHET SHARMA • chef-patron, BiBi • global culinary director, Gymkhana
Neighbourhood you work in: Mayfair
Neighbourhood you live in: West London
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Like most days, I get into the restaurant around 930a, catch up with the management team over a coffee and spend some time going through reservations, guest notes and anything that’s happened across the restaurants overnight. One of my favourite parts of the day is briefing the whole team; it’s the moment everyone comes together before service and we share updates, ideas and set the tone for the day ahead.
I’ll spend the morning and lunch service at Gymkhana, walking the floor, checking in with the kitchen and catching up with regular guests. After lunch, I head back to BiBi, where the atmosphere is completely different – afternoons are often spent with the kitchen team working through prep, menu development and a bit of butchery before we turn our attention to dinner service. The hours between lunch and dinner are often when some of the most interesting conversations happen, whether discussing a new dish, tasting an ingredient we’ve sourced or planning ahead for future menus. Before you know it, guests are arriving for dinner and the whole cycle starts again. It’s busy, but it’s the kind of rhythm that I genuinely enjoy.
What’s on the agenda for today?
It can be really mixed. If we have something special coming in (like today, with a whole side of British wagyu), I’ll be prepping at the meat section with the team. Otherwise, it’s everything else that’s maybe a little less glamorous about being a chef-patron: HR, P&L, marketing meetings, chasing repairs... a mixed bag!
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Today specifically is an unusual one – I have family visiting from the US (there’s a big Sharma wedding this weekend) so they’re in for lunch. Tonight, I’ve been invited to a movie premiere in Leicester Square, so I’m off for a quick workout and a shower after lunch, then into my finest for this evening. This weekend is the wedding, so it’ll be great to connect with all of the wider family that I haven’t seen in a while.
When I do get a chance to eat out in London, I find myself returning to places like Royal China Club – I love its simplicity and unwavering confidence in doing the basics brilliantly. I’m also a big fan of Sabor; Nieves [Barragán Mohacho] has created something that feels both exciting and deeply comforting. I’ve been meaning to get to Igni too, which my dear friend Theo Clench opened recently. He’s a very talented chef and the food looks stunning.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I have a fair amount of travel with work coming up, to New York and the Middle East, so I’ll try to buffer some downtime. My mum retired this week, so I’m going to plan a nice day to celebrate her freedom. On the cultural side, we’re so spoiled in London, because there’s always something going on, including watching Monica Barbaro in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre soon.
I’m looking forward to spending time in New York. There are always bars and restaurants I want to revisit – places like Sip & Guzzle and Martiny’s continue to push boundaries while remaining incredibly grounded in hospitality. I’m also hoping to carve out time to try a few newer openings while I’m there; New York has a way of constantly reinventing itself through food.
Any weekend getaways?
I’ve just come back from a few days in Barcelona, which was warm and beautiful, and a much-needed break from hectic London life. Next week, I’m spending a night in Champagne with our partners over at Krug, to learn a bit more about their efforts towards sustainability.
One of the joys of travelling for work is getting to experience different hospitality cultures. Copenhagen remains a source of inspiration, not just because of restaurants like Noma and Alchemist, but because of the city’s wider approach to design, sustainability and dining. In Milan, I loved the energy of Langosteria, while Genoa’s old-school trattorias offer some of the most memorable meals you can have. Even Las Vegas, which people often underestimate, has become a fascinating dining destination in its own right. Wherever I go, I try to leave room in the schedule to discover somewhere new.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Fine dining, Notting Hill
See also, Casual dining, Notting Hill. Paid subscribers have access to the complete Nines archive.
