From Leon’s healthy lunch-box staples to Claridge’s over the top and indulgent concoctions – here are our favourite London Restaurant Cookbooks
Words Miriam Carey
Our Favourite London Restaurant Cookbooks
Mildred’s Vegan Cookbook
Mildred’s Vegan is the second book from the vegetarian restaurant chain and a testament to their success. After opening in 1980, Mildreds has gone from strength to strength opening up in Camden, Kings Cross and Dalston. Interestingly, Mildred’s vegan dishes are some of the most popular choices on their menu and you can now go about making their famous vegan brunches, salads, savoury pastries and dumplings at home.
Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen
Zoe Adjon is a talented food writer and cook who runs a popular pop-up and supper club in Brixton. Zoe’s cooking style is contemporary, home-made Ghanaian food including dishes such as pan-roasted cod with grains, okra tempura and coconut and cassava cake. The great thing about this book is how accessible it makes cooking Ghanaian food – most of the ingredients can be bought from supermarkets and local shops and the recipes are super flexible and adjustable to whatever you have in the store cupboard and fridge.
Claridges: The Cookbook
Co-authored by Claridge’s executive chef Martyn Nail and food writer Meredith Erickson, Claridge’s: The Cookbook is a bank-account-friendly alternative to a stay at the Claridge’s hotel. The book contains a selection of recipes for the best-loved dishes and drinks at Foyer & Reading Room, Claridge’s Bar and The Fumoir – langoustine and crab cocktail, Claridge’s acclaimed chicken pie, and truffled macaroni gratin – all in chapters named breakfast, elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails, dinner, dessert and Claridge’s at Christmas.
Leon Fast & Free
Leon was one of the first healthy fast-food restaurants on the high-street offering sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free lunch options. Now in their beautifully illustrated, easy-to-follow cookbooks you can learn how to make their paleo style dishes too. We love Leon Fast & Free with great lunch-box and light dinner recipes such as gluten-free spaghetti vongole, chicken and olive tagine, plus a delicious chocolate beetroot cake.
The River Café Classic Italian Cookbook
The River Café was opened in 1987 by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, with a menu that showcases great Italian cooking and that reflects the pair’s extensive culinary experience. This book is said to be The River Café’s ‘best book yet’ and holds all of The River Café best kept Italian recipe secrets including how to make an unbeatable spaghetti alla carbonara with juicy pancetta and fresh parsley and how to make a tray-baked chicken drizzled in lemon and stuffed with tomatoes and olives.
