Taste of London, the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest food festival,” has kicked off this week in London’s Regent’s Park. This year’s edition is running for a whopping ten days of feasting (July 7-11 and 14-18), with over 100 dishes from London’s best and most innovative restaurants. Here’s what you cannot miss.
This piece will be updated throughout the festival.
The Best Dishes at Taste of London:
After Day 1, the official Taste of London judges have chosen Tamarind’s modern Indian Rajasthani Churi Chaat as the Best in Taste winner 2021, and there are plenty of close contenders...
No matter what time you arrive, kick off Taste of London 2021 with some gourmet breakfast like a gooey, drippy egg sandwich by EggRun made with Clarence Court Burford Browns eggs, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, chives, plus Eggrun’s top secret sauce on a warm brioche bun. If you’re feeling celebratory (and really, you should be—Taste of London is nothing if not a celebration), pair your breakfast sandwich with an organic mimosa spritz by Miami Cocktail Co (Gwyneth Paltrow is said to be a fan).
Now that you’ve whet your appetite, it’s time to really dig in: Expectations are sky-high for Casa Calavera, a high-end Mexican pop-up usually only available via delivery, by the always-on-trend Hakkasan Group. Don’t waste your time deciding which taco to get (the fried chicken, halloumi or crispy ahi tuna), and just get them all—they’re bound to be spectacular.
Bar Douro is another top pick. This highly rated authentic Portuguese restaurant is a must-try, and we’re especially excited for the Roulote Bifana, thinly-sliced poached pork shoulder on a classic white carcaças roll. For more traditional bites, we have the much-hyped Arros QD for some classic paella Valenciana and Basque cod black ink rice, cooked over wood fire.
Still hungry? Of course you are, and it’s a good thing because there’s still Francesco Mazzei’s well-respected Sartoria to visit. The Calabrian-born Mazzei is a fixture at Taste of London and will be cooking this year, but even if you don’t catch him in person, you can still try his legendary fried chicken dipped in a sauce of spicy nduja, honey and Amalfi lemon, and served with mashed potatoes.
The Best Desserts at Taste of London:
On the sweet side, there’s plenty to drool over: How good does Freezecakes look? The world’s first and only “scoopable” frozen cheesecake is available in flavors like cherry bakewell and chocolate orange brownie at the new Freezecakes van, which will be debuting at Taste of London. (We’ll report back on which flavor is the best.) Sesame Kingdom, handcrafted Middle Eastern-style halva made with single-origin Ethiopian white humera sesame seeds, is also worth getting excited about, and who is going to be able to say no to award-winning, ready-to-bake cookie dough from Doughlicious, which is safe to eat raw? The Lemon Pie XXL from Napoli Gang by the buzzy, on-trend Big Mamma Group is bound to sell out (they’re only doing 50 portions a day!). Lastly, don’t miss the hazelnut baklava by chic Turkish outfit Rüya. You’ll be dreaming about it long after you finish your last bite.
The Best Drinks at Taste of London:
Taste of London can be a classy affair (if you want it to be), so kick off the event in full summer style with a glass of Cuvée Rosé in the luxurious Laurent-Perrier Clubhouse. Laurent-Perrier has been the official champagne sponsor for Taste of London for the last sixteen years, and for this year—their seventeenth—visitors can treat themselves to bubbly experiences, like a couture-inspired afternoon tea in collaboration with The Berkeley’s Prêt-à-Portea.
Because it’s a marathon not a sprint, spend the day sipping on some low-alcohol hard seltzer from newcomer Longshot. With only 2.5 grams of sugar and 65 calories per can, our initial pick for the ideal refreshing tipple for Taste of London is Longshot’s Grapefruit Hard Seltzer.
More to come...
