Yotam Ottolenghi's flagship deli-restaurant in Islington helped transform how England eats vegetables. The front display of piled-high salads and cakes is always spectacular. The sharing plate approach to vegetable-forward Mediterranean cooking has influenced a generation of British chefs and home cooks.
Ottolenghi is the name both of a chef — Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israeli-British author and food writer — and of his group of London delis and restaurants that have exercised an outsized influence on how England eats. The flagship deli on Upper Street in Islington opened in 2002 and became immediately distinctive for its spectacular window display of mounded salads, roasted vegetables, and elaborate cakes. The style of cooking — Mediterranean and Middle Eastern in inspiration, vegetable-led, boldly spiced, generous with herbs and pomegranate — has influenced a generation of British home cooks and restaurant chefs. The delis in Islington, Notting Hill, Belgravia, and Spitalfields operate on a similar model: self-service salads and dishes by weight, excellent pastries and cakes, and a lunch counter where complete meals are assembled from the day's selection. Ottolenghi Nopi and Ottolenghi Rovi are the sit-down restaurant versions, with full table service and a more elaborate menu. Prices at the delis are reasonable by London standards; the sit-down restaurants are in the mid-range bracket. The influence of Ottolenghi's cookbooks on the British public's vegetable eating since 2008 is difficult to overstate.
Location
51.5390, -0.1023 View on map
Highlights
- Spectacularly abundant deli counter with roasted vegetables, salads, and elaborate cakes
- Pioneer of vegetable-forward Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking in England
- Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbooks have reshaped how Britain eats vegetables since 2008
- Multiple London deli locations alongside sit-down restaurants Nopi and Rovi
- Self-service salads and dishes by weight available all day at all deli branches
Tips for visiting
- The Islington flagship has the most characterful setting and consistent deli selection.
- Arrive before the lunch rush (before noon) to get the widest choice of salads and mains.
- Nopi and Rovi offer a more complete sit-down dining experience than the deli format.
- The cakes and pastries — meringues especially — are exceptional and available to take away.
- Ottolenghi cookbooks available in-store are among the most useful culinary gifts available in London.
Accessibility
The Islington deli is accessible at street level. Accessibility varies across other branches; the narrower counter-service format of some delis may be challenging for wheelchair users. Nopi and Rovi are more spacious. Specific accessibility information for each branch is available on the Ottolenghi website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Ottolenghi delis and Nopi or Rovi?
The Ottolenghi delis in Islington, Notting Hill, Belgravia, and Spitalfields operate as counter-service and self-service spaces. Nopi and Rovi are full sit-down restaurants with table service and more elaborate menus, though they share the same culinary philosophy.
Is Ottolenghi suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
Ottolenghi is one of London's most vegetarian-friendly restaurant groups. While the menus are not exclusively vegetarian, the vegetable dishes are the stars and many complete meals can be assembled without any meat or fish. Vegan options are clearly identified.
Do the Ottolenghi delis take reservations?
The delis do not take reservations and operate on a walk-in basis. Nopi and Rovi accept reservations and table booking is recommended, particularly for weekend lunches and weekday evenings.