Everywhere I Ate in London, Part 2

Cheers to all the gluten-free offerings!

A couple of weeks back, I wrote about some of the restaurants and shops I visited while I was in London. Welcome to Part 2 of that report! It’s almost spring, which is a great time of year to visit. Here’s some inspiration.

Cotto: I didn’t spend a lot of time on London’s South Bank while I was in town, but I made a special trip to this family-run Italian restaurant — and it truly lived up to the hype. Cotto is a short walk from the London Eye (the now iconic ferris wheel), and only a slightly longer walk from Westminster (across Westminster Bridge, which offers stunning views when the weather cooperates). Outside Cotto is a series of blackboards with messages that say things like, “Cotto — we cater for all your needs” and mentioning that gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan dishes are available. It’s not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, but the staff prioritizes GF dining and is careful to avoid cross-contamination. The staff is very chatty and friendly, and the food was excellent. Almost everything on the menu is available in gluten-free form, and that includes the rich, meaty lasagna (heaven!). I also had the bresaola e bufala — an antipasto of cured, sliced beef with buffalo mozzarella — and the blackcurrant and prosecco cheesecake, which was out-of-this-world delicious. Highly recommended!

Top row: Cotto's lasagna; Cotto's blackcurrant & Prosecco cheesecake; fish & chips at Indigo; cocktails at Indigo.

Indigo at One Aldwych: In “Everywhere I Ate in London, Part 1,” I wrote about Hobson’s a small London chain serving delicious fish & chips. My second London fish & chips experience was at a very different restaurant: the glamorous Indigo, located in the One Aldwych Hotel in London’s Covent Garden. One Aldwych has an interesting story itself: built in 1905 as the home of a newspaper called The Morning Post, this stunning Edwardian building was once filled with printing presses. Over the years, the building has changed hands many times, with the UK’s Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Works, and Lloyds Bank occupying it at different times. Today, One Aldwych is a swanky hotel with an impressive collection of contemporary art on display throughout the property. Indigo sits on its second floor, with an external view of the busy streets beyond and an internal view of the lobby below. Everything on the menu at Indigo is both gluten-free and dairy-free; it’s filled with intriguing and ingenious ingredients. My husband ordered the fish & chips, which comes in two different versions: the classic, battered in beer, and a Cornish John Dory in a crispy seaweed coating. The dish was served on a plate with the front page of The Morning Post printed on it, honoring both the tradition of newspaper-wrapped fish and One Aldwych’s roots. Yes, it was delicious (you better believe I stole some off his plate).

Niche: Located near Sadler’s Wells Theatre, the restaurant’s tagline is “gluten-free but you wouldn't know it.” No false advertising here! Niche was the first restaurant in London to be certified a 100% gluten-free restaurant by Coeliac UK. It is also nut-free and sesame-free, and many of the dishes are dairy-free or vegan. My meal started with the bread selection, which included a toasted sourdough, a garlic-and-rosemary focaccia, and a red onion and chili flatbread, all served with a sun-dried tomato spread, plus olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Next up was my appetizer: parmesan-and-cheddar doughnuts served with a tomato sauce. Plus a side of beer-battered onion rings. My main course was duck breast in a rich Madeira sauce with a creamy celeriac mash and steamed bok choy. It was decadent and delicious and the service was lovely.

Clockwise from top left: Brixton Village; chalkboard at Brixton Village; dessert at Niche; bread selection, onion rings, and parmesan-and-cheddar doughnuts at Niche.

Station 26 in Brixton Village: I feel sad mentioning Station 26, because this dedicated gluten-free restaurant has since closed. But I loved the eclectic, international roots of Brixton Village, and I highly recommend visiting — there are terrific shops as well as restaurants. Some eateries with solid gluten-free offerings include Hacha (for Mexican food) and Kaosarn (for Thai).

IHG Hotel Indigo Kensington: This was my home base in London, located about two minutes away from Earl’s Court station. It’s located at the edge of Barkston Gardens, a scenic private park that hosts a variety of events for the local community. The hotel occupies a series of interconnected townhouses from numbers 34 through 44, making the rooms feel less corporate hotel and more like a stay in a stately home. That said, it still has all the convenience you’d want in a hotel, including a terrific breakfast that includes both a hot prepared plate and buffet stations. The staff is prepped for gluten-free guests, with easy modifications to the hot plates, gluten-free bread on request, and a gluten-free buffet station that is separate from the others. The staff was thoughtful and helpful, which made my whole stay such a joy.

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