What’s it like to eat out in London these days, and what are people looking for? I’ve been thinking about this since we closed our restaurant Rovi for renovations this summer, using the break to reconsider how we do things.
It’s clear to me that the restaurant scene I’ve known for years is changing dramatically. This is due to shifts in work habits, a growing focus on health, a move away from alcohol, a new love for pastries and bread, and most of all, the rising cost of everything.
The numbers are alarming. In my restaurants, utility bills have jumped over 50% since 2019, chocolate prices have doubled, olive oil is up 121%, and even spring onions cost 55% more. Customers are feeling the pinch too—52% of UK consumers have cut back on non-essentials, with 72% of them specifically reducing how often they eat out. With London renters spending nearly 42% of their income on rent alone, something has to give.
My initial reaction was panic—it feels like we’re all struggling to survive in an industry that’s consuming itself. But look around, and you’ll see something surprising. Everyone is dealing with the same tough economics, but the responses vary wildly. Some ideas are radical, some simple, some completely crazy—and some are actually working.
Rotisserie chicken is suddenly everywhere: Norbert’s in East Dulwich, Cocotte expanding beyond Notting Hill, Chick’n’Sours shifting toward rotisserie, and newcomers like Chicken Shop. It addresses key issues: affordable protein, simple preparation, and quick service. For £15, half a chicken with sides feels like great value when other options are pricey and complicated.
London is often shaped by immigrants who bring skills, recipes, and a fierce determination to succeed.
The Yellow Bittern took the opposite approach. Instead of simplifying and cutting costs, they made things more difficult and expensive. With just 18 seats behind Kings Cross station, doorbell entry, a portrait of Lenin overlooking your £50 lunch, closed for dinner, no cards accepted, and no website, they went against the grain. When customers didn’t spend enough one day, the chef posted on Instagram asking them to “justify their presence.” It sounds insane, but everyone is talking about it.
Another trend gaining traction is the grocery-restaurant hybrid, especially at the higher end. Places like Corner Shop 180, Honey & Spice, and Leila’s Shop balance their profit margins by combining dining with retail. It sounds straightforward, but it’s surprisingly hard to pull off.
Reading Jonathan Nunn’s book London Feeds Itself helped me see that what’s happening in restaurants is part of a bigger picture. Nunn explores how London sustains itself in unconventional ways—in warehouses, mosques, community centers, and even baths—where money isn’t the main focus. This city has always found creative ways to nourish itself, often thanks to immigrants who arrive with expertise, recipes, and a stubborn drive to make things work.
I often head to Turkish restaurants for some of the best meals in the city. My test kitchen has become obsessed with tantuni—we’ll sneak out for lunch and return debating the lavash flatbread, the spiciness of the butter, and whether there was enough yogurt sauce. Right now, Neco Tantuni in Enfield and Mersin Tantuni in Dalston are leading the pack.
The story of Mangal in Dalston illustrates this evolution. Ali Dirik moved from Istanbul in 1987 and opened Mangal I, introducing real charcoal cooking to London. Then, in 1994, he opened Mangal II, which offers exactly what Londoners want now: small plates, good wine, and shared dining. His son Ferhat runs it today, continuing the legacy.D has preserved his father’s classic Adana kebabs while introducing new items such as grilled ox heart seasoned with sumac and wild garlic. It’s Turkish at heart, yet unmistakably London—embracing change while staying authentic to its roots.
This trend is spreading throughout London. In New Malden, Korean families have created something remarkable: a vibrant street of restaurants offering pajeon and bulgogi to their community. Now, spots like Cah Chi are filled with locals who’ve discovered that this is among the city’s finest cuisine. Over in Elephant and Castle, Filipino families started with canteens in community centers before moving up to restaurants like Sarap Filipino Bistro in Soho (which has since closed but is seeking a new location), introducing dishes like sisig and adobo to curious Londoners.
The restaurants that are flourishing today aren’t those replicating old formats with inflated prices. They’re the ones who’ve pioneered entirely new approaches.
Some of the most creative initiatives blend food with community engagement. Migrateful, established in 2017, trains refugees and migrants to become cooking instructors, hosting classes across London where attendees learn to prepare dishes from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, and beyond while hearing the stories behind the recipes. It’s less about being a restaurant—though the food is exceptional—and more about fostering opportunities and cultural exchange. Since its start, it has assisted over 200 chefs and taught more than 15,000 students.
During the pandemic, the industry demonstrated its adaptability by quickly shifting to roles as grocers, takeaway experts, and community kitchens. Even high-demand restaurants like Gymkhana, Lyle’s, and Hoppers began offering meal kits. This resourcefulness has continued, with entrepreneurs building businesses from scratch that are inherently flexible, rather than scrambling to adapt during a crisis.
Today’s successful restaurants aren’t trying to revive outdated models at a premium. They’re the specialists in chicken, the doorbell eateries, the grocery-restaurant combos, the community teachers, and the cultural interpreters. They’re not waiting for conditions to improve; they’re achieving excellence within their means.
I realize I’ve been viewing this incorrectly. The hectic booking apps, staggering costs, and constant push for innovation aren’t just symptoms of an industry in trouble. They’re evidence of an industry that’s more vibrant and inventive than ever.
The cost of ingredients is what it is. But those passionate about serving good food keep finding innovative ways to do so. That’s true resilience.
The question isn’t whether London’s dining scene will endure—it’s what amazing and surprising shape it will take next.
Pumpkin Muhammara with Peppers and Date Molasses
This recipe is inspired by the muhammara we serve at Rovi. While the traditional Syrian version uses roasted red peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses, this variation replaces half the peppers with pumpkin for a creamier, milder flavor. If available, use delica pumpkin, or any firm, deep-orange squash like onion squash or crown prince. We top it with pilpelchuma (a fermented pepper paste), but rose harissa is a great alternative. You can roast the pumpkin and peppers a day ahead, making this dish perfect for parties when you need something mostly prepared in advance.
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 50 min
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
– 1 small delica pumpkin (900g), halved and deseeded
– 6 red peppers (800g)
– 60ml olive oil
– 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
– 2½ tbsp lemon juice
– 80g walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
– 2 tbsp date molasses, plus 1½ tsp extra
– Fine sea salt and black pepper
– 50g pilpelchuma, or rose harissa
– 1 tsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed
– ½ tsp Aleppo chilli
– Seeded crackers or pitta bread, to serve
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas 6.
2. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a lined baking tray and arrange the red peppers alongside them.Place the peppers and pumpkin halves on a baking tray and drizzle each with a tablespoon of oil. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the pepper skins are blistered and blackened in spots. Remove the peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate, and let them steam. Continue roasting the pumpkin for another 20–25 minutes, until tender, then set aside to cool completely.
Once cooled, peel the peppers and discard the skins, stems, and any liquid. Scoop the flesh from the pumpkin halves, discarding the skin and any tough caramelized bits. You should have about 400g of roasted pumpkin.
To make the muhammara, combine the pumpkin and 200g of the roasted peppers in a food processor. Add the garlic, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 50g of walnuts, 2 tablespoons of date molasses, 1¼ teaspoons of salt, and a generous grind of pepper. Pour in 170ml of water and blend until smooth and silky.
Chop the remaining pepper flesh into 1cm pieces and mix in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of oil, ½ tablespoon of lemon juice, an extra 1½ teaspoons of date molasses, the pilpelchuma (or harissa), and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
To assemble, spread the muhammara on a platter, top with the chopped pepper mixture and its oil, and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts, cumin seeds, and Aleppo chilli. Serve with plenty of seeded crackers or pitta.
Lamb and Aubergine Tantuni with Garlic Yoghurt and Burnt Butter
There’s a place in east London called Mersin Tantuni that my team and I adore—it’s small, always bustling, with a griddle you can see from the street. Tantuni is a Turkish street food from Mersin on the southern coast, featuring finely chopped lamb or beef cooked on a griddle until crispy at the edges, mixed with tomatoes and peppers, then wrapped in the thinnest lavash bread and rolled like a cigar. It’s sliced into thick rounds, drizzled with burnt butter, and served sizzling. This version includes aubergine, which absorbs the lamb fat and spices, becoming soft and creamy. The burnt butter infused with cumin and Aleppo chilli gives it an authentic touch. Look for the thinnest lavash in Middle Eastern supermarkets, and warm it briefly over the hot lamb to soften and soak up the juices without getting soggy.
*Prep: 30 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves: 2 as a main or 4 as a snack*
For the lamb:
1 tbsp olive oil
300g lamb shoulder, cut into 1cm pieces
1 large or 2 small aubergines (300g), cut into 1cm pieces
Fine sea salt and black pepper
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly ground in a mortar
1½ tbsp pine nuts
For the garlic yoghurt:
100g Greek yoghurt
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 tsp lemon juice
For the sumac onions:
1 red onion (125g), peeled and thinly sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
¾ tsp sumac
10g picked parsley
10g picked mint, roughly torn
For the burnt butter:
40g unsalted butter
¼ tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp Aleppo chilli
⅛ tsp smoked paprika
To serve:
2 lavash breads or 4 of the thinnest flatbreads you can find
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lamb, aubergine, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a generous grind of pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes until golden. Stir in the garlic, paprika, and cumin.Continue cooking for another 30 seconds, then add 200ml of water, stir thoroughly, and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, until the water has evaporated and the lamb is tender. Mix in the pine nuts and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
While that’s cooking, combine all the yogurt ingredients in a bowl with a tablespoon of water and a generous pinch of salt. Stir well and leave at room temperature.
For the sumac onions, place the onions, lemon juice, sumac, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Gently mix with a spoon and let them sit until they turn bright pink. Stir in the parsley and mint right before serving.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the milk solids at the bottom turn brown and the butter develops a nutty aroma. Add the cumin, Aleppo chili, and paprika, cook for another 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
To assemble, briefly dip the lavash into the hot lamb to soften it and absorb some of the juices. Divide the lamb between the two lavash, top with half of the sumac onions (saving the rest for serving), and roll them up like a cigar with the seam side down.
Using a serrated knife, cut the tantuni into 4–5cm pieces and arrange them seam side down on a serving platter. Drizzle with the yogurt and pour the hot butter over the top. Serve with the remaining sumac onions on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Yotam Ottolenghis reflections on the transformation of Londons restaurant scene with clear and concise answers
General Beginner Questions
1 Who is Yotam Ottolenghi
Yotam Ottolenghi is a renowned chef restaurateur and food writer famous for his vibrant vegetableforward cooking and bestselling cookbooks like Plenty
2 What is the main change hes seen in Londons restaurants
Hes observed a major shift from formal traditional fine dining to more casual diverse and innovative eateries that celebrate global flavors
3 What does he mean by diverse cuisines
Hes referring to the explosion of restaurants serving food from all over the world moving beyond classic European dishes to include Middle Eastern Asian African and Latin American flavors
4 Why does he think this change happened
He believes Londoners have become more adventurous eaters traveling more and seeking out new exciting and authentic food experiences
5 What is a casual dining restaurant
These are relaxed often noreservation spots where the focus is on great food and a lively atmosphere rather than white tablecloths and formal service
Deeper Advanced Questions
6 How has the role of the chef changed in this new scene
Chefs are now seen as creative innovators and storytellers often using their platform to explore their heritage and introduce diners to new ingredients and techniques
7 What impact has immigration had on this transformation
Ottolenghi credits immigration as a primary driver bringing new chefs ingredients and culinary traditions that have fundamentally enriched the citys food culture
8 How has the demand for vegetableforward cooking grown
Its moved from a niche dietary need to a mainstream desire Diners now actively seek out creative and satisfying dishes where vegetables are the star not just a side
9 What are some common challenges for restaurants in this new competitive environment
Staying original managing high costs and consistently delivering quality in a fastpaced casual setting are significant challenges
10 How has social media influenced these changes
Platforms like Instagram have made food more visual and shareable pushing restaurants to be more creative with presentation and concept to gain attention
Practical Personal Impact Questions
