T(r)ips around the world - London's best ethnic restaurants

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For a culinary crusader London's ethnic restaurants are a treasure trove. Here are my favourites!

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London is one of my old stomping grounds and a place that will forever have a special place in my heart. 

Though, while a city of endless possibilities (especially on a Saudi gazillionaire's budget), England is not exactly a place where people travel for foodie feasts. Unless, of course, you're a culinary crusader like me and travel everywhere in search of food.

Its long colonial imperial history and substantial immigrant population make it, however, a brilliant destination for foodie travels around the world. 

While some of them do offer Michelin-standard fine dining, London's ethnic restaurants tend to be both authentic and surprisingly affordable. 

London's Brick Lane - curry lover's paradise

Many immigrant communities have settled in certain parts of London, which often translates to a hub of restaurants of particular ethnic origin.

One of the most famous ones is Brick Lane in East London, populated by South Asians (closest tube stations Aldgate East or Liverpool Street). 

The portion sizes are often so generous that one dish feeds two. Do note though that all the pappadums and other extras they so eagerly bring over tend to cost extra.

While every single one of them proudly advertizes themselves as the purveyors of the best curry in the city, the quality is rather, well, varied. One steady (though slightly pricier) favourite is  Dishoom (with 4 different branches).

Beigel Bake - piece of New York in London

Brick Lane is also home to Beigel Bake, a delightful piece of Jewish New York. A popular place, so be prepared queue (and be elbowed by your fellow diners and yes, occasionally shouted at by the staff). Luckily this local institution is open 24/7.

Perfectly chewy bagels yet surprisingly cheap (salmon and cream cheese for instance is your for mere £1.60!). Do go for the salted beef. Do.

Oy,vey - London's Jewish soul food classics

If you fancy an in-depth expedition into the heart of Jewish cuisine, head over to North London's Golder's Green, popular among the Jews.

In Central London you'll get some of that feeling at Monty's Deli.

Best Turkish food in London

If you crave Turkish food, your best bet is North London and Harringay Green Lanes region (stations: Manor House or Turnpike Lane).

In case you're not up for the travel,  don't you worry: Islington's Antepliler (tube: Angel) is the home of best pides and lahmacuns this side of Bosphorus. 

What ever you order, make sure you'll leave some room for their baclavas.

Middle Eastern food in the middle of London

If, like me, you love Middle Eastern food, you're in for some serious treats. Lebanese Yalla Yalla is good and affordable place for meze overload. 

Try lahmacun's Lebanese cousin arayes and chicken liver with pomegranate sauce.

My old home, Edgware Road is full of Lebanese restaurants too and another easy destination because of its central location. Al Arez for instance is a familiar, good no-frills place.

A brilliant place for sampling the flavours of Eastern Mediterranean is Bib Gourmand-awarded Palomar, located near Leicester Square (reservation recommended, though bar also accommodates walk-ins). 

It's hardly surprising I love them as much as I do - their sister restaurant MachneYuda in Jerusalem is one of my favourite restaurants in the whole of Israel. 

Ah, how about some Afghan food?

If you're in the mood for something a little bit more exotic, you should try Afghan cooking, such as Ariana in Kilburn (bus no 16).

Namesake to its Manhattan-based sister restaurant this establishment does not serve any alcohol, but operates a BYOB policy (no, that's not "Bring Your Own Bomb squad"). 

And what to have here? Aushaks, meat or vegetable-filled dumplings.

London's Chinatown - dim sum and then some

London't Chinatown settled in its current location in Soho back in 1970's and has become a popular tourist sight - during Chinese New Year celebrations you can't even breathe here.

My recommendation is to skip the main street Gerrard Street and head over to adjacent Lisle Street's dim sum heaven. Dim sums are usually served daily until 5pm. My favourite is Young Cheng (popular among actual Chinese people, too) where you might have to queue, especially around lunch time. 

Extensive selection (anyone for some marinated duck tongue?). All the dishes €4 or under, so even a lunch for 2 (with beers) will set you back less than €40.

In London's Japanese restaurants ramen reigns supreme

Japanese restaurants aren't gathered in any particular area, but owing to massive popularity of ramen they keep popping up everywhere.

Some places cook their stock for 3 days, some compete with the elaborate process of making their own noodles, so there's something for everyone. One tiny and extremely popular place worth recommending is Kanada-Ya.

Nobu is a world famous gourmet restaurant where, after the hype of initial years, its possible to get a reservation rather easily.

Another place for those in the market for a bit more contemporary take on things is Roka. 

The Aldwych-based restaurant is located smack in the middle of London's Theatreland, which means that early in the evening they serve affordably priced pre theatre-menus.

African food in London

The african restaurants in London tend to specialize in the delights of Northern and Eastern Africa. If you like Ethiopian food, give Eritrean a go, too. 

A good place for this is Mosob in Westbourne Park (close to Notting Hill).

Street food festivals bring the whole world together

London is also home to several street food festivals which offer the chance to sample different cuisines. South America and Asia tend to be particularly well represented. Vegans don't have to go hungry either. 

Urban Food Fest, held in Shoreditch each Saturday, is one of the best ones and one of the reasons why this eclectic neighbourhood (with its run-down bohemian vibe) has become one of my favourites. 

Best of the British - from pie & mash to Michelin stars

Ok, so what ever they might say about the British food, there's time and place for that, too. 

Located in the heart of Covent Garden, Battersea Pie Station is a must for anyone like me; always ready to worship the Holy Trinity of pie, mash and gravy.  

Oh, and make mine a Winstone.

And no trip to London would be complete without a leisurely pub lunch. Fulham's Harwood Arms even has a Michelin star! (Want to feast on a budget? Check out their lunch). 

Reservation practically mandatory.

Duck & Waffle is another great place which combines robust English traditions with continental influences (Foie Gras Crème Brûlée, anyone?). Worth the trip for its spectacular views alone (courtesy of the restaurant's location on 40th floor).

And the best part? Open 24/7!

How about it? Anyone else hungry? What are your London favourites?

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SHARING IS CARING!

Sjömagasinet Gothenburg - classic for a reason

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Sjömagasinet is one of the lost beloved restaurant institutions in Göthenburg and a classic for a reason. Low treshold Michelin feast - perfect for lunch!

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It's only barely noon, but sun's out in full force;  blazing from a clear blue sky. Temperature is about to hit 30ºc and Finland, with its snow, sleet and hale storms seems like a crap Monty Python joke. 

In honour of our day off together, we've decided to dedicate the whole day for having fun and what better way to start it than over a lovely, leisurely lunch!

I lean closer to Gothenburger and sigh contently. Right now life couldn't be better ♥

In my quest for restaurant recommendations in Gothenburg, 90% of the time I get the same answer: Sjömagasinet, which especially the Gotheburgers seem to consider the best restaurant in the city.

Well, all but one. 

"Yeah, it's ok", mumbled my Gothenburger. "I mean, I've eaten there and all".

His response to my question (accompanied with a cheerful grin) would probably be something along the lines of Max (a Swedish burger chain) or Sibylla (Swedish sausage kiosk chain)

But this is not his blog and so this won't be a report of Swedish fast food, but a story about one of the most beloved restaurant institutions in Gothenburg.

Already its location at Klippan plays a crucial role in sea-faring Gotheburg's history, built on the importance of maritime trade.

The red shed dates back to 1775, when it was a storage for the Swedish East India Company, founded here in Gothenburg in 1731. The restaurant opened in 1984 and between 1994-2010 was headed by a local culinary legend Leif Mannerström.

In 1999 it was awarded a Michelin star, which it succesfully retained until 2010.

That's when the restaurant was purchased by its current owner (and another culinary giant) Ulf Wagner. Along with the sale Sjömagasinet automatically lost the star, but regained it again in 2013.

White Guide Nordic gives the place 81 points, making it 3rd highest ranked restaurant in Gothenburg.

But hey - statistics aside and on to the point!

The place offers low treshold gourmet already on the account of being the only Michelin restaurant in the city that's also open for lunch.

While the dinner menus start at 895 SEK (appr. €92), their 3-course lunch will "only" set you back €62.

Of course you don't have to go for the whole shebang - instead you can freely choose your food from the lunch á la carte (starters roughly €20, mains €20 - €38).

A reservation, though, is highly recommended as without one getting here is usually next to impossible. 

Though the place is definitely a bastion of fine dining (what with its pristine white table cloths, napkins which have been discreetly re-folded as you return from the loo and specifically designated little tool they use for brushing off the bread crumbs) the overall ambiance is surprisingly laid back and free from any kind of awkwardness. 

Even when Chef Wagner himself is doing rounds in the dining room, making sure everyone's enjoying themselves. 

Perhaps it's the jolly nature of Gothenburgers? Or perhaps we've become one of those pompous snobs about to choke on our inflated sense of importance (hardly - we did see prime examples of those in the clientele...) ? The old building, too, lends the atmosphere a suitably rustic and homely touch.

As the rest of the world wailed and held vigil for Donald Trump's first 100 days in the Oval Office (and, subsequently, in charge of the largest nuclear weapon arsenal known to man), we focused on something altogether more cheerful: my birthday. 

So we kicked off our lunch jovially with Champagne (Taittinger Réserve Brut, 180 SEK/ €18 a glass).

After all, how many times does one get to celebrate her 27th 30th well, birthday?

'

We continued with the Champagne through the first course, too.

Beautiful and light dish where the tastes and textures were just so spot on. 

"This has a whole host of... flavours", the date pointed out, clearly delighted.

The truffle beurre blanc which accompanied the main course was dreamily light and billowy. And come on - it came with deep-fried oysters! What's not to love!

(There's rather a vulgar expression in Finnish which would state "at this point I was peeing honey". Good job I'm not vulgar...)

Halfway through the dish Gotheburger stopped and just stared at the dish, sighing how he never wanted it to end. 

Coastal Sweden on the plate. And it, my friends, is glorious. The wine pairing for this was a beautiful Sancerre picked by the sommelier (140 SEK/ 14.50 € a glass). Deeeelish!

(While I do love Gothenburger more than anything, part of me couldn't help but longingly think of Cat Blogger who at this point would have launched into one of her unimitable reviews along the lines of "could I please have this in powdered form so I could just snort it directly into my brains?")

Oh yes, good job we're not vulgar at all. 

The pudding's consistency couldn't have been more perfect, though the rhubarb compote wasn't an instant hit in my eyes. The ginger snap did, however, lend nice contrast in both taste and texture.

(PS. Do notice my date's Outfit Of The Day- posing fingers, so religiously employed by all those 13-year-old "fashion and lifestyle" bloggers. Perhaps his explosure to the blogosphere has reached a point where it's no longer healthy...?)

With espressos and two bottles of mineral water the total for the lunch came to roughly €208.

And what did the burger bro say? "Dear me that was delicious! Why don't I come here more often?"

I would say the choice was excellent. Max and Sibylla can wait until next trip. Though, between you an me, I think I'll go ahead and book a table at Koka, too. 

You know, just in case.

Do you have any recommendations to Gothenburg? What are the places that have stolen your hearts (and waistlines...) ?

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Sjömagasinet

Adolf Edelvärds gata 5

41451 Göteborg

tel. +46 31 775 59 20

www.sjomagasinet.se

 info@sjomagasinet.se

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Foodie's Gothenburg - street food and Michelin-stars

Street food and seafood, cafés and pubs, husmanskost and gourmet - Gothenburg has something for everyone!

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Gothenburg is such a treat for a foodie traveller - even British papers has been raving about this city as a serious up-and-coming foodie destination. 

Kungsportsavenyn (known by the locals as just Avenyn) is a lively hotspot for nightlife and full of restaurants, where at weekends you won't get in without queues. My first rule for navigating this city though is this: avoid Avenyn. 

Avoid it like a plague.

As can be expected, the restaurants here have mostly made their name on their central location. One of them is Brasserie Lipp, where we found ourself brunching thanks to a misguided recommendation.

The best thing about the experience was a box of crayons (located at every table), that the guests can keep themselves entertained with (drawing on the table cloth?) as they keep waiting for the order that the staff has forgotten... again.

Instead of Avenyn you should head over to Tredje Långgatan or Magasingatan - both vibrant restaurant streets.

One thing worth remembering is that more and more restaurants in Gothenburg now operate on cash-free basis meaning you can only pay with cards, so do check this separately with each establishment.

From the market and to a picnic

On a beautiful summer's day, skip the restaurants altogether. Instead make your way to the Kungstorgsplats Market hall, pick up all your favourites and head over to Slottskogen, Gothenburg's huge park to enjoy your feast.

You'll find a tour of all of the Gothenburg's market halls (and all my favourite vendors!) on the blog over here.

Fika - coffee and cakes for everybody

Gothenburgers love their coffee breaks - the city is known as the fika capital of Sweden for a reason.

They're particularly fond of their cinnamon buns. The ones at Cafe Husaren are widely considered if not the best then at least the biggest.

Don't go alone though as there's no way you'll be able to finish the whole thing by yourself!

While I do like Husaren, too, it's Cafe Kringlan's cakes, generous stuffed sandwiches and cosy ambiance that has a special hold of my heart.

Haga, where both of these places are located, is known for its abundance of adorable cafés and decidely hipsterish vibe. Telegraph has actually named it as one of the most hipster neighbourhoods in the whole world.

Gothenburger's love of coffee and cake ensures that there's no shortage of cafés elsewhere in the city, either. 

Another one of my favourites, Le Pain Francais, is a café and patisserie the atmosphere of which immediately transports one to Paris. Several locations across the city (ok, admittedly one of them is on the Avenyn...).

Street food and seafood

Another things Gothenburgers can't get enough of is seafood. Räksallad (shrimp mayo) is something they put in just about everything - including their eponymous burger Göteborgare.

For more information on food trucks in Gothenburg, just see here.

A great place for going overboard is Restaurant Kajutan, located in Feskekôrka, a market hall dedicated to fish and seafood. 

Go all Scandinavian and feast on their herring platter, featuring 4 different kind of herrings accompanied by the usual suspects (€16)...

...or go all out and order one of their three seafood platters (prices start €60). They also stock locally sourced oysters!

And while at it, you should definitely make some time for Heaven 23's legendary King Size Deluxe shrimp sandwich - more on this magnificent monstrosity on the blog over here.

Husmankost- home cooking at its best

Husmanskost is an culinary institution loved by Swedes everywhere. The name refers to home-cooked classics (think meatballs and mash), just like the ones mamma used to make, and is so popular that practically all the restaurants feature at least one husmanskost option on their menus.

You can't really go wrong with this -I don't think I've ever had bad experience.

One good (and cheap) place for this is Ölstugan, where the menu changes weekly and all the dishes only cost about €10. With 7 locations around Gothenburg, they're worth thumbs up for their beer selection as well.

Smaka, located on Vasagatan, is another firm favourite of mine, which serves well-prepared husmanskost in slightly trendier atmosphere. 

Reservation highly recommended.

Menu changes often and is such a delight. In addition to classics such as those meatballs and wallenbergare, it has some surprises in store too: how about some oysters to start with? Mains €16-€20.

After work - the best reason to work

Gothenburg boasts a vibrant restaurant scene which has managed to sell itself to the public, too. During the day people gather for reasonably priced lunches, weekends are reserved for leisurely brunches and early evenings (especially Fridays!) many places feature very attractively priced after work-specials. 

Gourmand's Gotheburg

As a culinry destination Gothenburg is more than equipped to take on its arch rival Stockholm. They have for instance 7 one-Michelin-starred restaurants, which is the same as capital Stockholm, more than twice the size.

So, even hard-core gourmands are in good hands here.

One of our first stops was located (ever so conveniently) literally just around the corner from our hotel. Somm Restaurant & Wine Bar, proud holder of Bib Gourmand, wonderfully attentive service and lovely ambiance: just the right amount of intimacy and not-too-polished.

... then there are all the interesting wines...

... and food, equally interesting and vivacious. 

In addition to the compact menu (starters, mains and desserts feature 3 choices each) there are reasonably priced tasting menus (either 3, 5 or 8 courses) which offer serious value for money (€45/ €66/ €87). 

In case you fancy sampling Michelin-standard food but aren't quite that hungry, my recommendation is kicking the evening off in the wine bar at 28+ (small dishes on the wine bar menu range from €5 to €15).

Another tip for Michelin feast on a smaller budget is lunch at Sjömagasinet, quite possibly the most legendary restaurant in the whole of Gothenburg. 

3-course fixed lunch costs €63 (there is a menu as well, with starters around €20 and mains for €20-€40), but you want to secure a table well in advance as without one getting here is hopeless. 

(For the sake of comparison: at dinner 4-course tasting menu costs €95.)

Another excellent choice for a Michelin tourist is SK Mat & Människor, ranked by White Guide Nordic as #5 restaurant in the city. 

You'll find full report of our tragicomic dinner there on the blog over here.

Gothenburg for beer lovers

Out of Långgatans Andra Långgatan is a busy bar street, which especially during weekends fills to the brim with revellers. Selection ranges from pseudo-English pubs to pseudo-French wine bars.

One of the best addresses for a beer aficionado is Haket Pub on Första Långgatan. While the atmpshere is.... well, down to earth, the 350+ beer selection is guaranteed to satisfy even the fussiest of drinkers. 

Kungstorgets Brygghus is a good address for those looking for a watering hole in the city centre. Right next to Kungstorget's market hall it features an interesting selection of Swedish craft beers.


One of my favourites is Tail of a Whale, a pale wheat ale from Stockholm's Brutal Brewing. 

Viktoriagatan is home to lots more pubs. Prices here are slightly lower than in the immediate city centre, which is why the area, much like Andra Långgatan, attracts so many students from the nearby university.

My favourite here is atmospheric Noba, where you can sample their selection for instance with 0,5-metre-long tasting board. 

Or the full metre-long, should you be feeling particularly adventurous. Being a lover of wheat beers myself, I was particularly smitten with Belgian-style Wit from Poppels Brewery in Jonsered.


The place specializes in Nordic beers, so there's a nice selection of brews from other Nordic countries, too.

How have you liked your tour of Gothenburg so far? What kind of food would be most up your street?

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Below you'll find more stops in this West Coast gem:

- 10 fun facts about Gothenburg

- Haga, my favourite part of Gothenburg
- Gothia Towers, Heaven 23 and world's largest shrimp sandwich
- Tour of Gothenburg's market halls
- Scandic Rubinen, our hotel in Gothenburg
- SK Mat & Människor - silent treatment and Michelin stars
- Sjömagasinet - a classic for a reason

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?

      

SHARING IS CARING!