The Ultimate Lo-Fi Restaurants To Book Now
Taking a step back from intricate, 12-course tasting menus, the culinary world is revisiting fuss-free food with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Here, OLIVE WAKEFIELD discovers six of the best restaurants putting the focus back on nostalgia and simplicity
Whether it’s a rosy radish balancing on a saucer, or a slab of sourdough drowned in beans, there is something deeply comforting about a pared-back plate of food. After all, if you can count a dish’s ingredients on one hand, you might even be able to recreate it at home.
So it’s welcome news that now, more than ever, the culinary tides have turned towards a simplified, more sentimental way of eating. There are the childhood favorites reimagined, such as deep-fried bread and butter pudding at London’s Café Cecelia (an heirloom recipe for founder Max Rocha and his family) or classic potato salad at Rochelle Canteen. And then there are the dishes that have earned cult status for their stripped-back scrumptiousness, including prawns with mayonnaise at St. John (which is set to open another space in London’s Marylebone in September), homemade chicken soup at Altro Paradiso in New York, or baked goat’s cheese at Chez Panisse in San Francisco.
Chefs such as Laila Gohar have long celebrated a standalone, hero ingredient – even throwing potato parties, where she is known to serve up spuds three ways. In Gohar’s words: “I love the idea of placing emphasis and importance on a humble ingredient. There is something special about taking a simple ingredient and treating it with the same care and consideration as you would an expensive one.” Indeed, there is now a steady trickle of foodie accounts on social media filling our feeds with brilliantly beige food instead of complicated soufflés – because beige doesn’t have to mean boring.
For your next high/low moment, why not eat a soft-boiled egg from a glass egg cup – à la @martaxeats – or channel @ecstasy_cookbook and serve sausages in silverware? When designer Blanca Miró Scrimieri got married in Menorca recently, guests dined on lobster piled high with fried eggs and French fries, laid out on china platters, proving that lo-fi dining can happily extend to special celebrations.
For further inspiration, here are six restaurants getting back to basics…
Hector’s, London, UK
Set in a leafy corner of De Beauvoir, this beautiful spot has been inspired by the caves à manger of Paris and rustic cantinas of Italy. Founders Jimmy Stephenson (formerly of north London institution Hill & Szrok) and his wife, The Witcher actor Anna Shaffer, have poured their hearts – and wine collection – into this project. The result is a cozy hideout offering mouthwatering small plates and outstanding wine; where sardines are served in the tin and sea-fresh mussels swim in a simple tomato sauce. hectorslondon.co.uk
Apollo Bar & Kantine, Copenhagen, Denmark
Danish virtuoso Frederick Bille Brahe is behind this new minimalist eatery, tucked away in an ivy-veiled courtyard at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, an art gallery at the Charlottenborg Palace. It is fast becoming a Copenhagen treasure, thanks to its low-key dishes: ricotta drizzled with olive oil, radish salads and boiled eggs with whipped butter, all served on Bille Brahe’s renowned homemade bread. The setting is breathtaking, too, with soaring ceilings and classical statues propped up in alcoves overlooking paint-splattered cherrywood tables donated by the art school next door. Danish brand Ganni recently picked this spot for its Fashion Week after-party, where guests tucked into towers of globe artichokes and summer fruit salad and danced on the tables all night long. apollobar.dk
Holm, Somerset, UK
Holm is a new addition to Somerset’s booming foodie scene, with gems like Michelin-starred Osip, as well as At the Chapel and The Old Pharmacy preceding it. Set in a former bank, Holm has a rambling garden that unfurls at the back, with a terrace from which guests can enjoy the bucolic setting. Everything on the menu is either grown onsite or sourced from local farmers, and each dish is stripped back to basics – think courgettes over herb mayonnaise, Somerset tomatoes crowned with ricotta, and allotment crudités served with a smudge of butter. holmsomerset.co.uk
Café Cecelia, London, UK
Ex-River Café prodigy Max Rocha opened the doors to his fuss-free eatery in east London late last year, and diners have been rushing to get a table there ever since. Rocha perfected the art of pared-down plates in the kitchens of super-chefs such as Skye Gyngell at Spring and Farokh Talati at St. John, so expect a carousel of seasonal dishes at Café Cecelia that are inspired by his childhood spent in Dublin (the restaurant is even named after his late grandma). His signature Guinness bread, trembling terrines, and anchovy toast with fried sage leaves are all musts. cafececelia.com
Coogee Common, Perth, Australia
Farm-to-fork dining doesn’t get more literal than a table set out in the middle of the farm itself. This is the premise of Coogee Common, where the menu is shaped by the day’s harvest. Whether it’s broad-bean leaves, a carrot scotch egg or pumpkin ice cream, fresh fare prepared simply is the main event. Be sure to book an outside table for sweeping views of the verdant gardens. coogeecommon.com.au
Gjelina, New York, US
If you’ve ever found yourself in Venice Beach, California, you may have clocked the queues that spill down Abbot Kinney Blvd for a table at this now-legendary LA eatery. Founded by chef Fran Camaj in 2008, his mission is to bring hyper-local, seasonal cuisine to diners. The ever-changing menu riffs on California’s wealth of native produce, and simply grilled white peaches, black kale and pickled tomatoes remain firm favorites. Excitingly, the Gjelina team is now set to open its first East Coast outpost in Manhattan, where diners can expect even more of the brand’s signature vegetable-centric fare. gjelina.com