A former Rockpool chef turned full-time Londoner gives the inside tips on the best value wine bars, kebab shops and Michelin-starred restaurants in the British capital.
For an ambitious Australian chef, the idea of moving to London can be equal parts terrifying and thrilling. It’s a place full of opportunity and anticipation, a proving ground between vivid streets and bewildering flavours. A world where the kitchen is a kingdom and chaos reigns.
The city has been a chef’s base camp for decades. There are more cooks than black cabs, and seemingly endless amounts of restaurants and chances to work with legendary chefs.
“Of course, cities like New York, Paris and Hong Kong have exciting food scenes and their fair share of Michelin stars,” says former-Rockpool-chef-turned-Londoner Zac Inwald. “But in sheer volume and variety, London is unmatched.”
Inwald was born in Sydney and originally planned to stay in London for a year – “but that was a decade ago.”
He’s worked at top restaurants, helped Basque-inspired Brat earn a Michelin star when he was its head chef, and now leads kitchens for popular hospitality group Stanley Pubs. Inwald has vivid memories of Haymarket’s Chinatown and Cabramatta, and misses Cantonese, Thai and Vietnamese food in Sydney. That said, these cuisines are well represented in London, too.
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“You’ve got ‘Pho Row’ in Hoxton, and Thai cuisine has had a recent renaissance, with restaurants including Kiln and Singburi doing the heavy lifting,” he says.
In London, chefs can travel and explore the gastronomic traditions of nearby Europe, and immerse themselves in an abundance of produce available within the UK, France, Italy and Spain. Put all that together, and you’ve got a perpetual stew made from countless cultures.
Londoners eat out a lot, and they try everything, says Inwald. “This makes them very discerning. If a place isn’t good, it doesn’t last.”
So, where does an Australian chef eat in London? Here are Inwald’s top picks
Miga, Hackney
This modern Korean restaurant might have minimalist decor, but its dishes are complex matters of the soul. “The family owned and operated restaurant has unbelievably delicious food,” says Inwald. “There was raw fish with a wild gochujang sauce over it, and I don’t know what they did with that sauce, but I could have a whole bowl of it.”
Legado, Shoreditch
Chef Nieves Barragan’s new restaurant showcases regional Spanish dishes and lesser-explored ingredients. “She’s an incredible chef and I love her cooking,” says Inwald. “I’m super excited to have a place we can pop down to that feels like it gives a damn.” Legado opened in August last year, and early menu highlights include suckling pig’s head finished with jamon powder, and prawn and wild mushroom stuffed squid.
Brat, Shoreditch
Brat and its owner, Super 8 group, are best-in-class when it comes to wood-fired cooking. He’d hate to be self-referential, but Inwald says his years cooking there helped shape him. “Wood-fire is an incredibly hard way to cook,” he says, “and the places still going are still going for a reason”. Whole turbot is the signature dish, sprayed with a mixture of fish stock, olive oil and vinegar on the grill, and dressed in a pil-pil sauce of its roasting juices.
Oma, Borough Market
If you avoid the tourist-trap centre of Borough Market, there are a few gems to be discovered on its border. Oma is the UK’s only Michelin-starred Greek restaurant, and it has a refreshingly approachable menu, great produce, and a chic dining room. “[Restaurateur] David Carter has made something reasonably priced with genuinely exciting food,” says Inwald, and it’s worth the walk through swarming tourists for its charred squid skewers and rich bone broth-simmered orzo topped with braised oxtail.
Sikatio Restaurant Bar & Grill, Brockley
West African cuisine has exploded in London, and while restaurants including Chisharu, Akoko, and Ikoyi have earned Michelin stars, Inwald’s favourite place is Sikatio. “It’s a small and unassuming neighbourhood joint making spicy and flavour-packed classic dishes from Cote d’Ivoire and the West African diaspora, and it’s always incredible.” There’s suya (wood-grilled lamb), Senegalese jollof rice, and soupe du pecheur (spicy fish soup). “It feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room with its casual decor and football videos on the TV.”
One Club Row, Bethnal Green
One Club Row balances quality and a playful atmosphere with style, with music, bar dining, and a great team bringing you mini martinis and burgers. “It’s hard to do hospitality that feels loose and alive, without being gimmicky,” says Inwald. “And when it’s done well, it’s a real joy.”
Mangal 1, Dalston
Meaning barbeque in Turkish, Mangal is unpretentious and energetic, with spices, smoky kebabs and vegetables grilled over hot coals. Art duo Gilbert and George are longtime regulars, and other fans include Jamie Oliver and Yotam Ottolenghi. “It’s affordable and always busy,” says Inwald.
Trullo, Highbury and Islington
The cost-of-living crunch has squeezed many restaurants, but Trullo survives. This is an elegant, confident restaurant, cooking Italian food with skill and consistency. “And they won’t charge you the world,” says Inwald.
Cadet, Newington Green
Wine bars in London are full of thin glasses and insecurity. And you often have to bid for your seat like a taxi after the opera. Not at Cadet, though. Opened by a couple of wine nerds (including Aussie Tom Beattie) and a charcutier (which is a real word), the atmosphere and team are super friendly “and the unusual wine list and charcuterie are amazing”, says Inwald, who also recommends wine bar 40 Maltby Street, “which is criminally underrated.”
Planque, Haggerston
“It has incredibly classy, confident food, and the best wine list in London,” says Inwald, who is particularly fond of the showstopping pithivier (French for fancy meat pie). “And it should probably have a Michelin star.” The harmonised flavours come from Australian-born chef Seb Meyer, who layers modern French technique over excellent British produce.
Brunswick East, Hackney Downs
One more shoutout to Australia. Sisters Natasha Bacon and Shaunae England opened this brunch spot in 2015, and it has a big courtyard, specialty coffee, a bakehouse around the corner, and, according to Zac, the best breakfasts and brunch dishes such as chilli poached eggs and beef ragu on toast.