Funny thing is that you never go to the restaurants and cafe’s very close to you. At least that’s the case with me. I think it’s because you can easily eat at home when you’re that close. Though, sometimes it’s nice to just eat some nice food without doing a thing for it. The ‘Taste of Chamberlayne’ is the closest cafe ever and I never go there. When I was thinking of going to live in this neighbourhood I went to get a salad here and I drunk tea a few times. Just to have a feel of it all. I remember really enjoying the falafel salad and that they’re very easy going when it comes to making something plant based. And because it’s just a very lovely cafe, I would like to share it with you.
The ‘Taste of Chamberlayne’ is just a very nice cafe. I really like the interior. It’s very vintage. With lots of different chairs, tables and a really nice blue-ish sofa in the back. The whole place just looks great. A lot of people know this cafe and that is no wonder. You could go for a lovely bagel for breakfast or a delicious salad for lunch.. and they have some nice fresh juices available too. I went for the falafel salad again and I found out I remembered well. It was very tasty, with the falafel, tahini sauce, yummy green olives and grilled veggies. And because it was so hot outside I also ordered a refreshing watermelon juice. Stay hydrated!
Thanks to the wifi and the relax atmosphere it’s a perfect cafe to get some work done, so just bring your laptop, order a beverage and I’m sure you’ll do great. On sunny days, especially in the late afternoon whilst the sun is low and shining it’s last warm rays on the terrace (read: on your face), it’s lovely to sit outside. They have a few tables available and when it’s too hot there is a den covering the terrace.
Down stairs there is a little children’s play area. Perfect for if you want to enjoy a well deserved cup of tea whilst your little one can have a run around.
There is also the possibility to have take away, what is always handy. They’re open from 7:00-18:30 and if you want to have a look at their whole menu before you go, you can find that on their website. I’m sure the friendly staff is ready to make you something nice!
Do you know the ‘Taste of Chamberlayne’? Are you up for one of their yummy salads or would you just like a nice cup of tea in a relax environment? Please let me know or show me on Instagrams using #PlanetManel if you go. Thank you! X
Yes I love Starbucks. A lot! But.. I sometimes also like to sit somewhere really nice and pretty. And one of my favourite places to go then is ‘Sweet Things’ on Blenheim Crescent in Notting Hill. Inside they created a nice light, slight industrial atmosphere, what also makes it a very nice cafe to do some work or to have a meeting. Of course it’s in my favourite area and so it’ll also be nice to just take a little break whilst strolling down Portobello Road. There is also a ‘Sweet Things’ in Primrose Hill. I’ve never been there, but I do like to go there to see what it’s like over there. It should be nice after a nice walk in Regents Park, which is a lovely park.
And they, surprisingly, have quite a few vegan things, like a quinoa salad, granola/porridge with almond, soy or coconut milk(+yummy toppings: raisins, cranberries, pumpkin sees) and smoothies. What’s not on the menu, but what you could order as well is a bagel with smashed avocado and tomatoes, jam/peanut butter or when you’re into it, Marmite. I mostly go for a green tea (what you get in the cutest little tea pots) with soy milk and a peanut butter flapjack. So overall there is something to choose from and it makes it possible for vegans to have breakfast or lunch there, which is great!
The staff is very friendly and helpful, what I always highly appreciate. So if you have a request, a question or anything else, I’m sure they’re willing to help you in the most friendly way. Another lovely thing about ‘Sweet Things’, is that they do 
When I moved to London, about 3,5 years ago, I was vegetarian and everywhere I went, that word caught my eye. I just changed jobs and I was walking around to get to know the neighbourhood. My new employee gave me a short explanation about where is what and I decided to walk to Hammersmith the first weekend I was off. Whilst I was walking I noticed a sign straight away which said ‘vegetarian cuisine’. An Indian restaurant. I never really went to an Indian restaurant before, but I was so curious about a restaurant with only vegetarian food, that I went inside and sat down to have lunch. I ordered a curry, but I ate it as soup. I didn’t know most people have rice with that, so when I ordered the waiter didn’t really get I only wanted the curry, haha! It was delicious though.
Now that I’m vegan and I now also know Indian curry is delicious with rice, I decided to go back to see if I like it just as much. It was funny to walk in, as I felt it’s been years and years since I first stept in. The staff welcomed me very friendly and I felt comfortable straight away. I was allowed to find a seat myself. The menu is really big and it took me a while to decide what I wanted. They marked all the dishes with things like ‘contains milk’ etc. but I wasn’t sure if it was also all vegan then. When I asked it turned out they have a separate vegan menu!! Can I get a Hallelujah?! I always appreciate it so much if restaurants actually make a separate menu. And the menu was really good. Not just 2 things to choose from, but it was a proper menu! Loved it! I ordered a nice vegetable curry with garlic rice. I didn’t have to wait very long before beautiful dishes, in very pretty bowls, were in front of me.
The food was delicious. Even more delicious than I can remember. Maybe the rice did make a difference?! Anyway, I really enjoyed it and as I didn’t order a starter, there was still some room for dessert. You can choose from 3 things and I ordered ‘Sheera’. This is a nice, slightly sweet, sort of cake with raisins and nuts. It was warm and tasty, but I personally do prefer something more fresh after my main course.
The interior is quite simple, with the wooden walls and all the wood basically in one colour. I’m not a big fan of this kind of interior, it’s a bit old fashion. But I loved all the beautiful statues in the walls, what made in interesting. I wish I could have taken home the amazing Ganesh statue. I like the outside though. Plain, simple, but clear. I think if they would make the interior more modern they will attract more people. On the other hand, as the it’s all traditional food, maybe the interior is just fine. They do have 3 more restaurants (Covent Garden, West End, Harrow), but I never went there. Maybe I should visit those too or maybe if you guys can tell me what it’s like?! Take a look at their 
Anyway, if you like Indian food and then especially the South Indian traditional kind.. You have to visit Sagar. Their menu is definitely worth a few visits. To try out new things and discover the Indian kitchen. I’m sure I’ll come back here when I feel like having a damping bowl of curry and perfectly cooked rice. Maybe I’ll try out another branch, though I really do like the one in Hammersmith. They are a nice restaurant and the staff is really friendly and it makes your visit very enjoyable!
Yessss I love Portobello Road. That can’t come to you as a surprise anymore. One of the reasons I love Portobello Road is because of the falafel from ‘Falafel Point’. In Portobello Road there are 4 places where you can buy falafel, but ‘Falafel Point’ my absolute favourite! Since the first time I got my falafel from there I’m hooked. Since then, and that is about 1,5 year ago, I actually only go there. Mostly I go on Saturdays, but as I’m in the area a few times a week, I sometimes go on another day. It doesn’t really matter, as it’s always yummy!
the wrap is houmous, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, fresh mint, tahini sauce and they have their own home made peanut butter chili sauce. This sauce is just the best!! Probably one of the reasons this is my favourite place to get my falafel. It’s amazing! They always ask you nicely if you want all the toppings or to leave some out. So it’s really up to you.
Who loves sushiiiii?? Sushi is heaven! I just won’t believe you if you say differently. And though people mainly think of raw fish, I think of sticky rice with veggies and delicious seaweed. My personal favourite sushi place is Wasabi, because I like to get sushi on the go, as a quick lunch or take away. Wasabi is perfect for that. There are a lot of Wasabi restaurants in London (39 to be precise), and their sushi is very nice.
What I mostly eat whenever I’m at Wasabi is the ‘mini veg set’, a few extra avocado and cucumber hosomaki’s and a seaweed onigiri (truly addictive). I also always get an extra pack of ginger. Before I start eating I make my plate look pretty. Putting the soy sauce and the ginger (and some wasabi when i’m in the mood) in the little containers, unpack the extra hosomaki’s and put it all together. Doing this all before actually eating it directly is actually really nice, almost feels like a ritual. I like making time for it and even doing it for others whenever I have company.
Something very exciting is that very recently they have a brown rice veggie set!! As you probably know, white rice isn’t that good for you. Now they have brown rice sushi available it’s so much healthier. Especially because the amount of seaweed you’re eating too. I was almost euphoric when I found out. Of course I bought a box instantly and it tastes lovely. I hope in the future the onigiri and much more sushi will be available with brow rice too! 
The atmosphere is a the same in every restaurant. Their interior is white, with green transparent round chairs and glass tables. It’s quite cold, but because it’s so typical Wasabi you just go with it and you even start to love it.
For many people ‘buffet’ is an exciting word. Eat what you want and eat as much as you can for one price is just nice. Even though in the end you always eat too much and you wish you didin’t. But it’s not keeping us from doing it again. Funny how the human brain works. Haha! In a buffet there is mostly always something vegan to find, but what if I tell you there is a buffet in London, which is only vegan? Yes! I also got quite excited when I found out. It’s in South Kensington and it’s called 222 Veggie Vegan. They are there already since 2004 and use fresh, non-GM and organic (where possible) ingredients. Sounds amazing, doens’t it? So I went to see and taste it for myself.
It’s only an easy 5 min walk from the South Kensington tube station. The outisde has a lovely blue colour and looks very appealing. It’s not a very big restaurant, though they created quite a lot of seats. I like the interior. It’s light and I have the idea that it’s just been refurbished. When coming inside the friendly staff was welcoming me and letting me choose a seat. I could actually directly start after a short explaination.
I just had a glass of water with my food, but you can also order delicious (freshly made) juices and smoothies. And I’m sure that if I had some space left in my tummy I would of ordered a tofu cheesecake (yes!). So I’ll leave that for the next time, as I’m sure I’ll come back here and take family and friends.
If you know me a little bit, you know I love Portobello Road. And on Portobello Road, just a bit further down from the Westway there is a little take away place called ‘The Grain Shop’. The sign says vegetarian food, but more than half of it is vegan.
I’d recommend the potatoes and the lentils. But what I really love at The Grain Shop is their yummy selection of vegan cakes. They really have quite some options and out of that the brownie is my favourite. It’s not really a classic brownie, because it’s more like chocolate cake. But it’s huge, it has walnuts, it has chocolate icing, it’s chocolatey, it’s soft and it’s sticky when you take a bite. (I’m eating one whilst writing this.. Oops!) They also sell drinks. Coconut water, juices and they have quite a selection of the ‘Whole Earth’ soft drinks. I’m not crazy about soft drinks myself, but for everyone who is, this brand is all natural and much better for you than the extreme sugary ones. Oh and it’s organic, yay!
You can choose your food yourself. There are 2 container sizes you can choose from(+ an eating in and eating out price) and the only thing you have to do is tell them what you’d like to have in there. Later in the day there is less to choose form though. Which is a shame maybe, but I like it as it means there will be less waste.
Do you know The Grain Shop and did you try their food before? Are you going to try the brownie after reading this? Please let me know or show me by using #PlanetManel on Instagram. Thank you! X
One day when me and my friend were looking for a nice place where you can eat a good smoothie bowl, we found this place. We didn’t go in the end, but I always was curious about it. So I decided to go to try this acai bowl for breakfast. The location isn’t very obvious, but I do like it. It’s a 10 minutes walk from Harrods and in a quiet street.
Right when you come in is the counter where you can order, before you find a seat. There is no wifi and they did that on purpose. By not offering wifi they try to make a statement and encourage people to talk to each other or to read a book for example. I really like this as these days people only stare at their phones.
The bowl came with fresh strawberries and banana on top + delicious gluten free granola in the bottom and it was delicious. It would of been nice if instead of the bee pollen they decorated the bowl with maybe some granola or something, to make it look more interesting. I did like the refreshing taste with the crispy granola and had a good breakfast. It would also do really well as a snack in the afternoon as the bowl isn’t crazy big.
I really like their 
Maybe you know the cookbooks ‘Deliciously Ella’. Written by the blogger Ella Mills. A lovely girl who, when diagnosed with a rare illness, got her life back by changing her diet. She and her husband Matthew now opened a deli not long ago. ‘Mae Deli’ is 5 minutes walk from Marble Arch, an amazing location. You could go for breakfast before a big day of shopping in Oxford Street, have a lunch/dinner after all the shopping or just have a nice break, getting a take away and sit in Hyde Park to enjoy the sunshine.
It was less busy and me and my friend could order straight away. We decided to share a plate and we chose 5 things. And while we were ordering, a staff member offered us 2 seats at the window. That was easy. The food was simple, but good with my personal favourite: the sweet potato. That one is an absolute winner. We had a glass of water with it and found out we were lucky as we saw the queue growing.
Overall this experience was a lot better and was actually very enjoyable. Make sure to check out Ella’s blog 
What did I hear a lot about the restaurant Mildred’s. A must go if I have to believe everybody. So there I went, to SOHO.. On a lovely free Sunday afternoon to have a late lunch. It’s so easy for me to get there, as the bus in front of my house basically drops me at the end of the street where Mildred’s is. I was so excited! It was very easy to find, but.. it was closed! There I stood, in front of a locked door. Noo! (note to self: always check opening times before you go somewhere) And I didn’t bring my coat, as I thought it will only be a very short walk and I hate walking around with my coat when it gets too warm to wear it. But 
it wasn’t too warm.. the wind was quite cold and also I was very hungry. It was such a shame, but I decided to walk up to OxfordStreet and have lunch at 
I didn’t have to wait long, before a lovely looking burger and one of the most gorgeous looking portion of sweet potato fries was in front of me. The sweet potatoes were served with a fresh basil mayonnaise and the combination was so surprising and yummy. I really enjoyed them. The burger was so delicious too! Normally I like a bit of a firm burger and this one was quite soft, but the smoky taste and texture were truly amazing. Also the focaccia bun was perfect, soft, chewy and a little crispy. I was full halfway eating it, but I couldn’t bare the thought that this bit of deliciousness was going to end up in the bin. I’ll have a light dinner I convinced myself and kept eating. Obviously there wasn’t any space left for dessert, but I already know that the next time I definitely have to try the brownie.
I love the exterior of Mildred’s, especially the colour. It’s one of my favourites! I really liked the beautiful coloured fresh flowers on my table and the little tea lights everywhere. The interior is quite basic and simple, but I like the light and the cozy window seats. They operate a no bookings policy in the restaurant. If it’s full you can choose to wait and in the meantime have a drink at the bar where they also serve cocktails, for if you’re into that. If you have something to celebrate, a birthday party or another special occasion, they have a private dining room(10-14 people) you can make a reservation for.
Mildred’s has 2 more locations. I went to the one in SOHO, but there is also one in Camden and very recently they opened a restaurant in King’s Cross too. Maybe the next time I’ll go there and see what they’re like.
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