One of the best things about living in a city as big as London is that after a while you become a local in your neighborhood. What’s even better is when you walk into a highly lauded restaurant and they make you feel right at home—as if you’re an old friend returning from a long journey. That is exactly what you can expect, on any given day, when visiting what has become my favorite eatery, ELLIOT’S CAFÉ.
The newest venture from the team who brought you The Pavillion Café in Victoria Park is found conveniently tucked away on the edge of Borough Market, London’s infamous food market. Having opened their doors just over a year ago, Elliot’s has consistently delivered delicious, seasonal, and, when possible, locally-sourced fare for lunch and dinner. A pal and I headed down one rainy Tuesday night and the moment we were through the door the dreary onset of another London winter melted away. After a very reliable recommendation of wine, we set to ordering. The menu is strictly seasonal and with much of their stock coming fresh from the market, the flavors change with the ebb and flow of the crops. We tucked into some sourdough and olives and then the squid and cauliflower in a curry butter. The combination of squid and cauliflower is genius. The "small" plates are actually quite generous and a combination of two or three could make for a perfectly formed light meal.
No light meals for us though! We ordered both a meat and a vegetarian option as a main dish, plus the mint and spring onion salad. The lamb belly with caponata is out of this world—cooked to absolute perfection. The vegetarian option of chestnut dumplings, pumpkin, cavolo nero (Italian cabbage with dark green leaves—I Googled it), and sage is an insane mixture of sweet and savory. After another glass of wine and just the right amount of time to gossip and digest, our server returned to try and tempt us with dessert. Sadly, neither of us could manage it—but trust me, the chocolate mousse with coffee ice cream and butterscotch is well worth a go.
ELLIOT'S CAFÉ
12 Stoney Street
London, SE1 9AD
Map
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Squid and cauliflower in a curry butter
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The newest venture from the team who brought you The Pavillion Café in Victoria Park is found conveniently tucked away on the edge of Borough Market, London’s infamous food market. Having opened their doors just over a year ago, Elliot’s has consistently delivered delicious, seasonal, and, when possible, locally-sourced fare for lunch and dinner. A pal and I headed down one rainy Tuesday night and the moment we were through the door the dreary onset of another London winter melted away. After a very reliable recommendation of wine, we set to ordering. The menu is strictly seasonal and with much of their stock coming fresh from the market, the flavors change with the ebb and flow of the crops. We tucked into some sourdough and olives and then the squid and cauliflower in a curry butter. The combination of squid and cauliflower is genius. The "small" plates are actually quite generous and a combination of two or three could make for a perfectly formed light meal.
No light meals for us though! We ordered both a meat and a vegetarian option as a main dish, plus the mint and spring onion salad. The lamb belly with caponata is out of this world—cooked to absolute perfection. The vegetarian option of chestnut dumplings, pumpkin, cavolo nero (Italian cabbage with dark green leaves—I Googled it), and sage is an insane mixture of sweet and savory. After another glass of wine and just the right amount of time to gossip and digest, our server returned to try and tempt us with dessert. Sadly, neither of us could manage it—but trust me, the chocolate mousse with coffee ice cream and butterscotch is well worth a go.
ELLIOT'S CAFÉ
12 Stoney Street
London, SE1 9AD
Map
Squid and cauliflower in a curry butter
