Ever sat at a restaurant, devouring some seriously delicious food, and wished you could take that magic sauce/house-made bread/fiendishly difficult-to-source fish home with you? Well, at these restaurants you can, whether it's a pasta dish, a sandwich or a steak.
Begone, days of trying to imitate your favourite dishes with ingredients that don't quite make the cut, and enter a new world, where your friends will be amazed by your kitchen skills and say your dish tastes just like what they ate at that cool new restaurant last week.
Maybe – we can't be held accountable for your cooking...
Our favourite restaurants that also sell produce
Meat takes centre stage at this Broadway market 'cookshop', and understandably so – it's housed in a butcher specialising in organic and free range meat sourced directly from farms all over the UK. The expert team of butchers smokes all the bacon, makes all the sausages and cooks up pies, marinades and charcuterie, as well as a deli-style section with cheese and complimentary wines. Come evening, the site is transformed into a buzzy 25-seater restaurant where you can sample everything mentioned above. If you want more, you can visit the Hill & Szrok Public House, a pub (obviously) serving up its butcher-led fare on North London's East Road.
Photograph by Tom Bowles
Islington's Upper Street has long been a go-to for North London foodies, and nearby Prawn On The Lawn is one of its most-loved establishments. Its beginnings as a seafood bar and fishmonger mean it only has an A1 cold food licence, but the 16-seater basement restaurant has turned this to its advantage, putting together a creative menu featuring the likes of scallop ceviche, seared tuna and Prawn On The Lawn's classic dish – appropriately named, er, prawn on the lawn, which consists of prawns on smashed avocado on toasted soda bread. Venturing (much) further afield? It's just launched a second site in Padstow.
The clue is in the name at this new deli-cum-restaurant, which specialises in home-smoked pastrami, freshly made sandwiches and seasonal salads. It boasts an airy, two-floor dining area, catering for quick lunches at its counter or intimate meals in the basement.
It's pretty obvious that the fresher food is, the better it tastes, and this is particularly true when it comes to fish – something that Stoke Newington-based Sutton & Sons knows very well, as its restaurant is located just over the road from its fishmongers. There's all the usual fish-and-chip-shop favourites, alongside Cromer Crab and Maldon Oysters, as well as pickles and cakes that are homemade by Mrs Sutton. Not at the same time though, obviously.
Not much draws us in like a bounty of real Italian meats, cheeses and breads. Whether you want to get your fill of antipasti – we're looking at you, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and 16-month-old parmigiano reggiano – in Valentina's stylish surrounds or at home, this family-run collection of restaurants and delis are up there when it comes to scoffing delicious food from our chic continental cousins. Currently run by third generation family members, it stocks only the finest products and dishes up delectable Italian favourites, as well as hosting educational events in its various local communities.
