Our favourite ethical restaurants
These restaurants make an effort
Ethics are tricky buggers.
Let's take the humble beefburger... Is it good to fly in beef from the Sudan because it supports their ailing economy? ...or is it bad because it racks up rather a lot of those pesky food miles? ...after all they produce beef in neighbouring Essex, Sussex and Middlesex too? And should we be eating beef at all, anyway? What about animal welfare?
Yet if we scrutinise the ethics of everything and their incumbent consequences would we end up eating anything at all apart from the lowly garden pea? And do garden peas not deserve their own rights?
It's a minefield. Most importantly though, it's about balance and consideration. So here's our list of restaurants that we believe have put an awful lot of thought into the ethics of serving up something jolly tasty on your plate.
Itadaki Zen
139 King's Cross Road WC1X 9BJ
Japanese
Opening Times
Photos
The menu at this Japanese restaurant is vegan and pretty much every element of the décor has been made by hand or rescued from somewhere. The name refers to the Japanese philosophy of sustainability and self-sufficiency, and this ethos is evident on the eco-friendly, seasonal menu.
Roganic
19 Blandford Street W1U 3DH
Ethically ethos, Michelin-star food - what's not to like?
Open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea, the menu is kept short and changes daily to ensure freshness. Ingredients are organic wherever possible and sourced from small producers, and chutneys, pastries and breads are made on the premises.
Food, wine and beer are all organic at this pub, the only one in the UK to be certified by the Soil Association. Ingredients are sourced from small, local producers, and the chefs even pop into local schools to help teach pupils how to run a kitchen.
Leon
7 Canvey Street SE1 9JA
The owners of Leon co-founded the Sustainable Restaurant Association, a non-profit organisation which acts as an advisory body to restaurants where issues of sustainability and eco-friendliness are concerned. Leon’s healthy fast food menu uses free range, fair trade ingredients that are locally sourced wherever possible.
Clarke's
122-124 Kensington Church Street W8 4BH
Clarke’s has been serving Kensington’s smart set since 1984. The daily-changing menu features British dishes made with carefully selected ingredients, and no artificial additives are used in the shop’s range of products.
Eating at the Clink is quite an experience; it’s located within HMP Brixton, so to get through to the dining area you need to clear security and leave all electronic devices behind. The restaurant is staffed by current inmates, the aim being to offer valuable training and experience in the hospitality industry to reduce rates of re-offending. The menu is modern European, with dishes like ravioli with wild mushrooms and truffle foam.
