Holy Carrot has been all over social media: think micro-influencers, reclined against curved walls, eating plant-based dishes, at one of London’s latest sustainable restaurants. Formally operating as a pop-up and supper club, Holy Carrot found a permanent home in Notting Hill last July and a very beautiful one at that. The weekend my companion and I visited was the debut of their brunch menu and I was excited to see a plant-based take on this meal, which puts sustainability at the heart of its ethos.
This spaceship of a restaurant sits on Portobello Road, with smooth, concrete walls, mid-century modern furniture, and a shiny metal bar. Designed by Al-Jawad Pike (also known for slickly chic stores like Aesop and Burberry) and decked out with a range of bespoke ceramics, this corner site was envisioned by owner Irina Linovich, previously a producer of Vogue Ukraine. Apart from incredibly tasteful watercolour illustrations that could easily become my next iPhone wallpaper, it’s completely monochromatic. You almost feel like you’ve been transported to a grey-hued Santorini.
Holy Carrot put sustainability at the heart of their ethos and centre their dishes around fresh produce and seasonal ingredients. As mentioned, my companion and I were trialling their plant-based take on brunch. Given so much sounded tempting and we were recommended three to five between two – which ended up being definitely more than needed – we shared a few dishes.
First up, White Bean & Walnut Dip with Focaccia (£11). The dip was wonderfully creamy, infused with a herby green oil and studded with toasted walnuts. Full of flavour yet light, the fluffy focaccia alongside was a perfect complement. That’s one tasty Snack.
Next, Iberico Winter Tomatoes, Almond Ricotta, Pickled Seaweed and Ancho Dressing (£13). Though billed as a small plate, this fully loaded tartine is generously portioned. Thanks to the seaweed and ancho dressing, it’s full of umami notes that will have you mopping up every last bit of the tasty residual oil on the plate. Though we’re in the depths of mid-winter, these tomatoes were singing with flavour and sweetness – they had me craving for Summer even further.
Finally, Stracciatella, Persimmon, Bitter Leaves, Nahm Jim (£11). The star of this dish is the coconut-based stracciatella, hidden beneath these bitter leaves. The plate was a surprise hit and the vegan stracciatella offers all the creaminess you wouldn’t expect from dairy. Like the other dishes, this was beautifully presented, bursting with colour and made with high-quality ingredients.
We finished our meal feeling satisfied without feeling heavy. Though we’d also ordered the Shakshouka with Koji Cured Tofu (£14.50), we ended up cancelling this dish given the size of the portions here. Having seen other orders of this hot plate coming out, though, I’d definitely return to sample this, alongside some of the sweeter offerings for brunch (think, babka!). Though the service was a tad slow, Holy Carrot are doing exciting things with veggies. This is vegan food with oomph, a menu filled with punchy flavours, complexity, and the occasional wink of indulgence.
Holy Carrot, 156 Portobello Rd, London W11 2EB
Website: https://www.holycarrot.co.uk/
Rating: ****
Yumtini 