Notting Hill: Farmacy, superstylish plant-power

The founder of Farmacy, Camilla Fayed, believes that people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the ‘conscious eating’ movement, so she opened Farmacy two years ago to reflect this.

Serving vegan food (plus eggs) and including many gluten-free, refined sugar free and raw dishes on the extensive menu…it has to be on our Glowcation hit list!

The setting

Farmacy occupies a large corner space on Notting Hill’s Westbourne Grove. As you approach, you see hanging plants and twining ivy surrounding the large windows and entrance.

Once inside, the plant theme continues and there is a useful, small waiting area (since it can be very busy).

The restaurant has been designed around a central green wood and brass bar. There are lots of wooden tables, plus plush booths and banquettes around the walls. The large windows flood the room with light and the many plants create a natural vibe which tones with the green upholstery and ties in with the food.

The little things

In every window there are coloured vases with plants. They have clearly thought really well about all the little details in the restaurant. There are plug sockets at the wall and window tables.

The fresh juice test

For my very first green juice test, I chose the greenest juice possible: the Alkaline booster – cucumber, kale, celery, spinach, romaine, lemon and parsley. Normally,

I like to include a sweet component like apple or pear, so this one was very green for me and not sweet at all.

I did like it though, as I got a huge vitamin boost, but the celery was too strong for me, so that’s why I’m not 100% sold on my choice.

What we ate

My friend and I shared two plates, one sweet, one savoury. Seeing they had waffles on the menu, I was sold in ten seconds and so we had the Chocolate Chip Warrior waffles and the Macro bowl. We started off with the waffles. As a serious waffle fan, I have to admit  I’ve never had such crisp waffles before – which I think is even more impressive for vegan waffles.

The delicious waffles came with house made “nutella”, coconut yoghurt, banana and cacao nibs.

The “nutella” had a very rich cacao flavour and no sign of crunchiness from hazelnuts. I t was a smooth paste, like real Nutella! That – together with the co-yo – was a great combination with the super crunchy waffles and cacao nibs.

Farmacy
Farmacy

The Macro Bowl was basic, minimal and clean – quinoa served with avocado, seaweed, sauerkraut, steamed seasonal greens & sweet potato with a miso ginger dressing.

I normally don’t really like salad dressing, but the miso ginger dressing had a very rich, nutty flavour and finished off the dish.

The bill

The green juice £7
Matcha latte £6
Waffles £10.50
Macro bowl £14.50


What else

You can get a chance to see the chefs at work on the way to the toilet as you pass by the kitchen. Plus there’s a private room with a huge square table, plants, posters and candles

What made us glow

Our dishes and the dishes around me. They were all so pretty that I couldn’t stop looking to see what someone else had ordered.

I really liked the interior.

Interiors are always important for me, as a well furnished restaurant makes me more excited about the food! And last, but not least, the waffles really made me glow! I was so impressed by the crunchiness of them!

To read our interview with the founder Camilla Fayed click here. 

Farmacy

Notting Hill: Be Kind to Yourself at Bodyism

Bodyism’s founder James Duigan has made it his mission over the past 10 years to spread his ‘clean and lean’ philosophy first through his personal training, books and supplement sachets so loved by supermodels and now through his gym and café.

The stylish café in Westbourne Grove is an oasis of calm and clever ways to make us all slow down and be grateful.

“Be Kind to Yourself” and “Love always wins” are written over the entrance and “love is the only superpower we need” is splashed across the window. There is a smiley welcome and the menu is seasonal, ethical, nutrient rich…and delicious.

The setting

Bodyism is a compact, pretty café and grab ‘n go. The mosiac tiled bar lines one wall, and opposite is a large window overlooking Westbourne Grove with counter seating and a few small tables.

You can also sit outdoors on the street at blue wooden tables with plant pots.

They have cosy rugs in the winter. Bodyism also has an athleisure wear shop and the vibe is welcoming and relaxed.

The little things

We love the hand-made paper sign offering peace, wisdom, confidence or warmth depending on how you feel that day which is stuck to the wall as you enter. We took inspiration and friendly James stopped us and asked us what we took as we did it.

There are a few plug sockets on the walls if you want to work from a laptop.

The fresh juice test

Bodyism doesn’t do juices, but it does offer power smoothies and ayurvedic teas.

We had the Long and Lean protein excellence smoothie – a delicious mix of ginger, almond butter, banana, Himalayan salt and almond milk.  It was filling, tasty and not too sweet.

What else?

Bodyism is attached to a gym offering a team of top performance coaches and fat loss specialists. It is also dog friendly.

What we ate

We visited at breakfast and went for Duigan’s signature dish of protein pancakes.

These are possibly the best pancakes we’ve ever had – not too sweet, amazing texture and perfectly complemented by the berry compote and coconut yoghurt.

You can find his receipt here. We also had a ‘Nourish Me’ Acai bowl. It was very pretty, but also delicious with a generous sprinkling of nuts, berries and cacao nibs.

We finished with a showstopping matcha latte made with brown rice milk and a dash of cinnamon for an extra energy boost. Again, it tasted as good as it looked.

The bill

Nourish Me Açai Bowl £8.50
Protein Pancakes £8.00
Long and Lean smoothie £6.50
Matcha Latte £3.80


 

What made us glow

The attention to detail, the food looks sensational and it tasted delicious.

We also like the hands on and friendly approach by James stopping to ask us what we took from his inspiration sheet.

We were complete strangers but it is clear that this founder practises what he preaches.

Notting Hill: Juicebaby opens in Westbourne Grove

Juicebaby’s philosophy is simple, “little by little”.

They believe that it’s the little choices that make a big difference. They’re all about the small switch ups, from fizzy drinks to cold-pressed juices, processed to unprocessed and dairy to nut mylks.

Juicebaby supports local, organic farmers and offers sustainable, healthy food on the go.

The brand began life on the King’s Road in Chelsea and their second branch has just opened on Notting Hill’s Westbourne Grove.

The setting

Although it’s primarily a grab and go, Juice Baby does have a good amount of seating in their light, bright space. Cushioned banquettes line the walls and there are several small wooden tables.

The vibe is industrial in tone with a pretty, hexagonal mosiac floor.

The walls feature polished concrete engraved with mottoes and a colourful striped mural. The staff are friendly and the clientele as cool as you would expect for Notting Hill.

The little things

We liked the handy plug sockets, free wi-fi and taster samples of juice on the counter.

The fresh juice test

We were absolutely spoilt for choice…Juicebaby has a whopping total of five green juices on the menu: Green Glow, Skin Balm, Thai Greens, Green Easy and Green Mean.

We were naturally drawn to the Green Glow a refreshing combo of cucumber, apple, seasonal leafy greens, celery and lemon with a welcome kick of ginger.

What we ate

It’s not all about the juice here, the salads and snacks alone are worth the trip. We had a Holy Kale salad – a crisp mix of their signature massaged “kurly” kale, avocado and toasted pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and hemp seeds.The price includes a dressing and there’s a large and interesting choice in small, separate bottles. We had the turmeric mustard (turmeric, olive oil, mustard lemon juice, black pepper and pink salt) which really added a kick to the salad.

The Cheezy Kale crisps are our favourites. Top tip -they are great for travelling.

Finally, desert…and Juicebaby does desert brilliantly. Don’t miss The Snix – layered almond shortbread, with gooey date caramel, roasted peanuts and homemade raw chocolate. It was amazing in both texture and taste.


The bill

Holy Kale salad £7.25
Cheezy Kale Crisps £4.95
The Snix £4.95
Green Glow juice £6.95

What made us glow

The massive choice of delicious juices and The Snix!


 

Jusu Brothers, Notting Hill

Jusu Brothers

Owned by the London Village Kids, a consortium of friends and business partners, Jusu Brothers is a blend of pan-asian food and freshly pressed juices.

It’s tucked away in a serene setting on the busy Westbourne Grove running through the heart of Notting Hill.

The setting

Jusu Brothers is at the quieter end of Westbourne Grove, far enough away from the hustle of Queensway and quieter than the busy shopping end of the road.


White tables with pale wood benches help create a calm and cool atmosphere along with fresh plants everywhere (even suspended from the ceiling) with industrial lights dotting the ceiling and bicycles and scooters leaning against the wall – all adding to the chilled out vibes.

The little things

Brimming with nature, Jusu has little cactuses perched on every table and huge wire baskets filled with bright red apples.

The walls are bare and whitewashed and there’s gentle music beating away in the background.

Jusu Brothers
Jusu Brothers

The menu is a healthy, creative twist on Japanese – think vegan sushi and an impressive menu of protein shakes.

The green and white teas on offer are extensive, including Sencha of Fuji (rich in antioxidants), Douceur Neroli (orange blossom), and Mistal Gagnant (raspberry flowers and grapefruit). There are also little ginger, beetroot, and wheatgrass and lemon shots on offer.

The green juice test

We asked for a veg-filled green juice and the friendly waiter suggested the Kyuri Cleanse – perfect for a hot London day. Bursting with cucumber, kale and celery, it was blended and pressed in front of us – simple but delicious!

What we ate

We came for an early lunch and there were plenty of free tables which quickly filled up as we sat. We tried the vegan sushi which was packed with veggies – rocket leaves, carrot, apple, sun-dried tomatoes, portobellos and avocados surrounded by tahini-dressed quinoa, all wrapped in a nori sheet and cashew dressing. It was pretty delicious!

 

We also chose an acai bowl which arrived in a beautiful turquoise blue ceramic bowl (they’ve thought of everything).

It included acai, guarana, blueberries, avocado, almond butter and topped with homemade buckwheat and hazelnut granola, pumpkin and chia seeds, bee pollen, goji berries and a squeeze of agave. Although we thought it could have been a little colder, it looked and tasted incredible.

Jusu Brothers

The Bill

£23.95

red smoothie bowl
vegan sushi
kyruri cleanse
+ 12.5% discretionary charge


What else?

The customers were an even mix of local residents and business people.

The big windows were wide open, fusing the chilled inside vibes with the warmth of London outside.

What made us glow?

The Kyuri Cleanse was so fresh and perfect for a hot summer’s day and free from fruit which was very welcoming! The staff were friendly and knew the menu which meant they could make helpful suggestions.

The menu is extensive and intriguing – the sort of place you would want to revisit to try everything!

Jusu Brothers