Wild Food Café, Islington, North London

Wild Food Café in Islington is a far cry from the cosy, rustic feel of their Neal’s Yard location, but it’s just as inviting and a short walk from Highbury and Islington tube on Upper Street.

Wild Food Café strive to find the most nourishing and inspiring ingredients available. Their sources include wild crafted and foraged foods from pristine eco systems, small organic farmers and ethical and local suppliers.  Everything is raw, plant based and, I think, delicious.

The space

The interiors feel sleek and millennial. There is also much greenery, with marble tabletops and pink detailing to round off the beautiful, open space.

Founders Aiste and Joel have created the most aesthetic, innovative feel to their second location, which is reflected in the food served.

The little things that make a difference

From the plants to the open kitchen, the stylistic details are what make the open space so magnificent. I’m a sucker for an open kitchen, complete with pizza oven and breakfast bar, as it allows for an element of transparency. There is no fear in presenting the labour behind the food, the ingredients and process behind every dish.

Whilst there are plugs and yes, there is WiFi, Wild Food Café will always first and foremost be a restaurant. You could sit for the odd hour or so with your laptop, especially as the environment feels ever so calming, but I wouldn’t stay more than that. There are so many other options on Upper Street to set up camp for the afternoon, save Wild Food for a magic elixir with friends, or a blowout brunch date.

The fresh juice test

I’ve had many a green juice at the Neal’s Yard branch. The Vibrant Green I decided to review contains celeriac, sea beet, watercress, nettle, sea purslane, mint and apple. However, it is the smoothies and hot elixirs that I urge you to try. From a rose hot chocolate to the cacao ecstasy I guzzled, they are every so dreamy.

What we ate

Each plate can only be described, as a masterpiece in its own right. Every dish as different in structure, flavour and finish as a row of art works in a gallery.  In my opinion, there is nowhere in London quite like it. It’s the main reason I keep coming back. The menu combines both the healing nature of food with the taste and presentation of a Michelin star restaurant.

The menu changes with the seasons introducing new ingredients, medicinal plants, adaptogens and herbs.

 

We had the Italian pizza  made with marinara sauce, cashew cheese sauce, cherry tomatoes, wild leaf pesto, sun-blushed artichokes, pink olives, rocket, basil and nori and the Fawaffle.

It was a falafel waffle served with cashew and mint cream, sweet chilli sauce, red cabbage slaw, pepper and tomato salsa and sprouted lentil hummus.

They were both part of the weekend lunch menu. The menu during the week varies. Then we shared the limited edition Easter egg, part of the Easter weekend specials. This dessert was the star of the show. The white chocolate cream was gloriously fluffy and decadent and formed a lovely sweet bed for the double-layered chocolate egg to sit on, filled with hazelnut praline. This was seasonal, but it’s worth saying that there’s always an amazing selection of raw desserts year round.

What we’d go back for…

Dessert. I won’t stop until I’ve tried every sweet dish on the menu.  Plus, the staff themselves who greet you so warmly as you walk through the door and serve each plate with love are another reason to return.

The bill

Vibrant green juice  £8
Italian pizza  £15.50
Fawaffle  £12.50
Desserts from  £7.50