Today marks the first day of the festive season. Our advent calendars have been ripped open, we have plans on a school night, and there's plenty to eat and drink, that's for sure. Plus, with it being the season of giving, there's an opportunity to double a donation to City Harvest and double the impact you can have on London's children facing food poverty.
Keep reading for this week's round-up.
Another Wine Bar Comes to Essex Road
This time last year, the talk of the town (specifically Islington) was an ice-cream parlour-cum-wine-bar with mirrored walls and a funky ceiling. It quickly became a hit with North Londoners, and now the team behind it are establishing their third location, following the success of both The Dreamery and Goodbye Horses. Stable Wines opened just off Essex Road today as a part-wine shop, part-wine bar, with a focus on natural wines. The wine bar will be in the cellar, a former bank vault where you can also enjoy, in their own words, "a bitey food menu"- we're guessing small plates.
Pizza Pilgrim's New Opening
Everybody loves Pizza Pilgrims. Their slow proved Neapolitan pizza is often branded as the best in London, and now, there's yet another stop where you can get your fix. Opening today is their brand new restaurant in King's Cross, just minutes from the station. Along with the usual options, Pizza Pilgrims prides itself on more adventurous toppings such as the Amalfi Coast - Cetaran anchovies DOP from Amalfi, tomato, FDL mozzarella, olives, capers, garlic herb oil, basil and chilli. King's Cross has recently been proving itself as more than just the home to platform 9 ¾'s and the Eurostar, and now Pizza Pilgrim's will be joining the likes of RAILS and the new Hawksmoore in securing its place as a foodie destination. 50% off pizzas until the 5th of December!
Central London Gets a Gluten-Free Bakery
Calling all coeliacs! You too, can now join a croissant and flat white queue on a Sunday morning! Copains is a very reputable Parisian bakery that have finally made their way to London, opening two locations in Covent Garden and Islington. We've been to the branch on Rue Legendre, and can confirm the jam doughnuts and flaky pastries are well worth the hype. The location in Covent Garden opened its doors last week, but we're still eagerly awaiting an Islington update. So far, it's proving very successful within London's gluten-free community, as snaps of mouth-wateringly good macarons, chocolate breads, and babkas take over our feeds.
Kith Comes to Regent Street, Sporting its very Own NY-Style Restaurant
If you're into your fashion, you may be familiar with the brand Kith. Its slick streetwear offering is highly thought of amongst New Yorkers, and now, they are opening a flagship store on Regent Street. You may be wondering what any of this has to do with food. Well, with comes a treats bar and a standalone restaurant to refuel mid-shop. Ronnie's New York is named after the brand's founder, Ronnie Fieg, and is decked out in booths, counter seating, and its own cocktail lounge. The menu is a mix of New York City specialties and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, with an extensive cocktail list of spicy margs and rose espresso martinis. So, if you're in need of a break from the sheer chaos of Christmas shopping in central London, look no further than this hidden pit-stop.
City Harvest's Big Give Christmas Challenge
Finally, with all the festive over-indulgence in full swing, we want to give a gentle reminder to consider those less fortunate. With it being the season of giving, tomorrow you can help City Harvest London reach their £200K target in Big Give’s Christmas Challenge match-funding campaign. From 12 noon 2nd December to 12 noon 9th December, you can double your donation to City Harvest and double the impact you can have on London's children facing food poverty. Food is key to a child's health. Without proper nutrition, children can face severe, irreversible changes in development: weak immune systems, stunted growth, and a higher risk of heart disease. Hunger affects mental health, concentration at school and chances later in life. In London, 40% of children are food insecure. Malnutrition is growing, and Victorian diseases like scurvy and rickets are returning. If we don’t act, this crisis will have devastating consequences for a generation’s future. Find out more about the value of food redistribution to people - especially children - in our latest Value to People Report. City Harvest provides nourishing food to children facing hunger and malnutrition. We rescue food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it, for free, to local children’s organisations across London. If we reach our campaign target, we can provide an extra 600,000 meals to 40,000 children across London. Over 45% of the food is fresh fruit and vegetables, improving children's nutrition, mental and physical development, and opportunities later in life. For more information and a link to donate, visit our Food Network X City Harvest page.
