Harden's survey result
Summary
“Stunning salads, amazing pastries” and a “lovely variety of interesting prepared dishes” have stood the test of time at Yotam Ottolenghi’s “vibrant” deli-cafés – still hugely popular 22 years on from the launch of the first in Notting HIll. The Israeli-born chef and writer has had an enormous influence on the way people shop, eat and cook, helping to create a whole category of modern Middle Eastern cookery and “totally living up to his reputation as a leading expert in vegetarian cuisine” – even though his premises serve meat and fish. An occasional quibble – “the prices? Too high for a few stalks of broccoli even taking into account the undoubtedly skills of the Chef!”
Summary
Still “a gold standard”, with their “lovely, beautifully displayed food” – this small group of deli-cafés has expanded slowly since the first one opened in Notting Hill 21 years ago; the latest arrived in Pavilion Road, Chelsea, in January 2022. Hugely influential Israeli-born chef and writer Yotam Ottolenghi has transformed the way much of the world sees Middle Eastern cuisine – and vegetables. “I’m not a vegetarian, but I love eating the veg dishes here and I find I don’t need to order any meat”. (See also the chef’s two grander restaurants, Nopi and Rovi).
Summary
“Mouthwatering salads” which look as dazzlingly good as they taste set the tone at Yotam Ottolenghi’s deli-restaurants, where “the food is always outstanding” and “you always discover new ingredients and different takes on traditional dishes”. It’s now 20 years since the Israeli-born writer and TV chef opened his original Notting Hill venue, sparking a new interest in Levantine cuisine; in summer 2021 he opened a fifth branch, near the Wallace Collection in Marylebone.
Summary
“A feast for the eyes and always fresh, delicious” and full of “interesting flavour” – the “unusual salads” and habit-forming cakes at Yotam Ottolenghi’s starkly decorated café chain: an ongoing success-story particularly beloved of brunching yummy-mums and Guardian-reading types (“is this a restaurant or a cult?… some of the clientele on my trip seemed beyond parody”). “It’s only the food that makes it worth it” though – branches are “super-busy and never enjoyable” – and, given the prices, a visit can “feel like daylight robbery”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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