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LLS Café, Hampstead

LLS Cafe’s ethos really resonated with me, mostly because their values and philosophies are the same as mine. They stay clear of labels and specific diets, yet also stay clear of chemicals and refined sugar. LLS  believes that eating real food should be the base of any healthy diet, and I couldn’t agree more. Making all their food in house, from their bread to the yummy coconut yoghurt, this cafe puts you at ease about what you’re putting into your body.

Their mission statement “Eat No Evil” is simple. They want to make sure that customers aren’t confused or mislead by overly complicated ingredients or health fads. The menu is marked with both vegan and gluten-free options, and contains all day breakfast options, salads, sandwiches and drinks.

LSS is run by two French sisters Sonia and Hayet.

The family feel is definitely present throughout every aspect of the café, from the simple dishes to the intimate setting and it’s recently been refurbished.

The space

LLS is not one to miss. The tiny café is full of personality and is bursting with love, atmosphere and cosiness.  It has paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling, a huge antique mirror, stacked crates of fresh produce and mismatched jars full of greenery. The most memorable aspect of the location was the large mural drawn on one of the walls, full of twists and turns, healthy buzzwords and phrases – easily missed if you opt only to take away! Located on Heath Street, the café is within a five minute walk of Hampstead station and is surrounded by fellow independent cafes, coffee shops and local stores. 

The little things 

The little things are very much what make LLS café what it is.  

From what I noticed, LLS is pretty plastic free – with takeaway salads coming in glass jars or cardboard boxes. Straws are metal too, a small yet important detail which really stood out. They’re also dog friendly and have free wi-fi and some plug sockets available. They also have another café in Waterloo.

The fresh juice test

Of course, I chose the greenest juice on the menu, the Mean Green. It had a nice kick from the ginger, and the other ingredients (cucumber, kale, spinach, lemon and lime) all complemented each other nicely. I don’t think I could ever truly, in my heart of hearts, call vegetable juice delicious, but this one is actually pretty damn good. I’ll always choose a veggie dominant green juice too, especially one that isn’t full of hidden sugars in the form of processed fruit juices.

What we ate

I chose a black rice salad, with lots of rocket (maybe a little too much), butternut squash, pomegranate, flaked almonds and a generous drizzle of tamari, ginger, lime and sesame oil. It was hearty enough to fill me up, but not so filling that I couldn’t face pancakes later. My friend had the Mama Avo – avocado on sourdough toast topped with goats cheese and harissa sauce. She couldn’t stop raving about it and highly praised the generous amount of avocado given too. 

We shared the buckwheat pancakes between us for afters, layered between slices of banana, topped with fresh figs, berries, homemade coconut yoghurt and date syrup. They were delicious, and made for the most perfect way to finish our meal.

They were delicious, and made for the most perfect way to finish our meal.

The bill

The Squash salad  £9.95
Mama Avo  £9.10
LLS Pancakes  £7.90
Mean Green  £4.60

 

 What made us glow

The staff, that’s what made me glow. LLS is probably one of the most friendly, warm and welcoming eateries I have ever visited.

It has such a local, independent feel to it that just enhances the sense of community and happiness that is present inside.

Our server was so patient as we took a ridiculous amount of time to choose our food (not down to the menu, simply because we hadn’t seen each other in a while).

The service is laidback and constantly delivered with a smile. I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything more.