How to make some of London’s tastiest restaurant meals at home

The restaurant: You know Dishoom. Even if you’ve never actually set foot inside them, you’ve watched the lines of eager diners snaking their way down streets. There’s a reason for those queues. This much-loved Indian restaurant chain – inspired by Bombay’s post-colonial ‘Irani cafés’ – creates super-flavourful biryanis, black dal and, of course, its famous bacon naan roll, where freshly cooked naan, with a lick of tomato-chilli jam and cream cheese, comes wrapped around rashers of smoked bacon. Heaven. 

The recipe: Okay, so it’s a little complicated, but once you’re done, you can say you now know how to make naan. And do you really want to go another year around the sun without having created possibly the most magical bread of them all? 

The restaurant: London – nay, the world – hasn’t always been kind to people who don’t want to eat animals. There was a time when plant-based fare came in the form of soggy, bland, chickpea dishes and the frankly confusing ‘veggie stack’. Not so with Mildred’s! This institution changed the game back in 1988 and now has five incredibly popular restaurants across the capital, going from vegetarian to full vegan in the last decade. 

The recipe: Vegan desserts aren’t always the easiest to make. But these rich and complex sour cherry chocolate pots involve fewer than ten steps and are bound to make heads turn at a dinner party. 

The restaurant: For many of us, pasta is a home-cooking staple. Maybe you’ve perfected your garlicky pesto sauce; perhaps you’re more of a bolognese type. But don’t let your domestic pasta attempts – as tasty as they may be – stop you from nabbing a table at the excellent Padella. In its Shoreditch and Borough Market restaurants, you’ll taste fresh, perfectly seasoned dishes that are deceptively simple and totally delicious. 

The recipe: Okay, so this one’s a bit of a throwback. Back in 2020 – deep in lockdown – we convinced chef-owner Tim Siadatan to share his recipe for its legendary pici cacio e pepe; a melt-in-your-mouth combo of butter, parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Follow Siadatan’s helpful tips – don’t get put off if it doesn’t turn out perfectly at first, cacio e pepe is deceptively difficult to make – and you’ll have a winner on your hands.

The restaurant: In 2020, we also shared the recipe for the lemon meringue pie at Gloria; a Shoreditch trattoria known for its zany ’70s Capri-style décor, killer negronis and, of course, its epic lemon meringue pie. 

The recipe: Zesty lemon custard atop a crisp pastry base, topped with a towering peak of Italian meringue – it’s the dessert of dreams. This step-by-step recipe isn’t the simplest (and if you don’t have a chef’s blowtorch, well, you might need to rethink that) but arguably, nothing truly worthwhile is. 

The restaurant: Excellent Antipodean coffee culture is celebrated at Caravan, an all-day café which began in Exmouth Market in 2010 and has since become an eight-strong chain across London. Whether you’re popping in for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, you’ll find colourful dishes packed with seasonal ingredients spanning global cuisines. 

The recipe: Arguably, this spring clams dish represents all the best things about Caravan’s food. It’s not overly fussy, it’s light and healthy, and it’s versatile. You could serve this summery seafood bowl either with spaghetti with olive oil, or even on its own with some crusty bread. 

The restaurant: This Israeli stalwart consistently lives up to its hype. Expansive mezze spreads, paired with gorgeous wines, are what its elegant Bloomsbury space is all about. You could even just pop in for afternoon tea or visit one of its three other branches, all of which do different things. 

The recipe: Honestly, if you only order one thing at Honey & Co., a lot of diners would agree that it should be the feta and honey cheesecake. Our reviewer described it as “transcendent”; it’s slightly salty, creamy yet delicate, and drenched in honey. Creating this signature dish at home is, in fact, not as difficult as you’d expect something so incredible to be.