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The Finest Restaurant Cuisine At Home in London

Nick Nomi

Senior Contributor

As UK businesses shutter down and enter into lockdown, restaurants and bars are bracing for yet more uncertainty. But this time, with many months of practice under their belts, restaurants are a little better equipped to face it, with all manner of finish at-home kits encompassing every food genre imaginable, as well as innovative new ways to enjoy some of the UK’s finest dishes. From Michelin-starred cuisine from Yorkshire and London to full cooking experiences designed to give you a delicious meal and some useful extra knowledge in the kitchen, these are some of our favourite ways to enjoy gourmet cuisine at home during a lockdown.

A Taste of (Michelin-Starred) Yorkshire

Londoners, are, quite frankly, spoiled for choice (yes, even now). But those in London and around the country who have never strolled a merry path to the verdant boltholes of Yorkshire can now taste some of the county’s best food delivered directly from the Black Swan and the picturesque hamlet of Oldstead (the concept, Made in Oldstead, is named after the village). Here, seasonal British ingredients — with an emphasis on chef Tommy Banks’ classification of just three seasons — are plucked directly from the restaurant’s bountiful gardens and through some green-fingered alchemy turned into deliciously bright, flavourful dishes with as much a flair for pretty presentation as for depth of flavour. The home version of all this comes in the guise of 3 distinct finish at home menus, and includes a vegetarian menu and a larger celebratory menu for those celebrating under lockdown, with dishes like glazed spring lamb shoulder, prime salt-aged beef Wellington, and chicory-root tiramisu. And there’s a collection of indulgent Christmas and NYE menus available too.

A Pink Icon At Home

While undoubtedly the most instagrammable restaurant on the planet, it was, until recently, unclear whether Sketch (and its three Michelin stars for the Lecture Room & Library restaurant) would join the legions of London restaurants turning to home delivery, and if it did, how could they possibly bring that magical landmark experience into the homes of aesthetes and Sketch loyalists without losing the iconic Sketch flair? But Sketch at home has finally arrived with a collection of “Mmmm Menus” (think Sketch's signature 'Chocolate 046’ dessert and côte de boeuf for two) and a delightfully pretty Afternoon Tea Menu (direct from the candy-floss hued Gallery), and it’s every bit as elegant, winsome and as pink as one might expect. In fact, the same cheerful, playful whimsy that makes Sketch so memorable is recreated beautifully with a bright collection of finish at home dishes either as a set menu or a la carte, as well as enchanting wax-sealed individually bottled cocktails, all accentuated by pretty (fully compostable) art-deco-inspired packaging that brings a gleeful little pink slice of Mayfair to any social isolation that one may need to endure.

Vegan Fare For Sharing

Home X is home to 7 different delivery services, including the newly opened Six By Nico and the excellent Stem Wine Club, but most interesting is 24 Carrot’s fabulous vegan fare. Each month a new menu of 8 vegan dishes are curated and perfectly proportioned to be shared between two people. Featuring such delicious dishes as Beetroot Poriyal, spiced sweet potato with Massaman Curry and Fregola and pumpkin risotto for a delightfully colourful lockdown food night.

Learn From The Masters with Banquist

Banquist has proven that we needn’t give up either brilliant food or new experiences during lockdown. Rather than simply delivering dishes that are almost finished for customers to finish at home, Banquist partners with a new high profile chef each month and provides a hamper packed with fine ingredients that one cooks in entirety while following along with an in-depth video that acts as something of a masterclass and a window into the techniques of the chef. Past highlights include Ruth Hansom the first-ever female winner of The National Chef of the Year, and Sindhu’s Atul Kochar, one of the first Indian chefs to win a Michelin star.

Iranian Cuisine From The Heart Of Theatreland

Nutshell’s modern and attractive Iranian cuisine made the restaurant one of the last year’s most uniquely exciting London restaurant openings. And now, as of lockdown 2.0, the husband and wife team have added home delivery of their exquisite Bazaar Bread, mouthwatering Mazandarani Lamb and a small selection of their expertly mixed cocktails to bring some west end cheer to the homes of Londoners. There are 3 menus to choose from, including a vegetarian menu with a surprising vegetarian take on Kofte Tabrizi made with a vibrant and alluring mix of butternut squash, jackfruit and apricot.

A Table Full of Stars from Gymkhana

As well as bringing their aromatic Michelin-starred dishes to local London delivery via Slerp, the folk behind Gymkhana have recently launched the excellent Ambassador General Store, an online store that offers menus from Gymkhana, Michelin-starred Trishna and the excellent Indian BBQ from Brigadiers. The concept is familiar enough, but most interestingly allows for ordering from all three menus, giving access to a smorgasbord of Indian flavours, from the elite-members clubs inspired dishes of Gymkhana (the striking Wild Muntjac Biryani) to Trishna’s vibrant coastal India inspired cuisine for a more customisable and unique finish at home Michelin-experience.

A la carte at Adam Handling

Adam Handling, head chef of renowned Frog and his own eponymous restaurants in Chelsea and at the Belmond Cadogan has created Hame (Home in Scots) specifically to tackle lockdown, with popular dishes like his phenomenal black garlic and mushroom agnolotti, Instagram-favourite cheese doughnuts (a pile of doughnuts filled with cheese sauce and then topped with two different kinds of cheese to create something of a cheese volcano that I for one would happily throw myself into), and a divine Beef Wellington developed especially for home delivery. Alongside the set menus, a standout feature is the ability to order a la carte, with a grand list filled with many of the chefs standout dishes, including the ridiculously moreish chicken butter and sourdough, indulgent lobster wagyu and a mouthwatering truffle stuffed roast chicken. 

Tim Green

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