Member Article

Top 10 weirdest restaurant concepts in London

During my time as Bdaily’s South East editor, I’ve written about the openings of several bizarre food outlets in the city (albeit most of which are in Shoreditch). The London restaurant scene is evolving, with more pop-up outlets opening than ever before. From cereal to circus acts, here’s a round-up of the weird and wonderful treats on offer in the capital this summer:

• Ikea Breakfast in Bed Café - Earlier this month, I reported on the opening of a pop-up ‘breakfast in bed’ café at Ikea’s East London branch. Breakfast is served from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.; from noon to 3 p.m - with beds are reserved “strictly for napping”. The thought of napping in a bed shared with several others that day is not for me, but who am I to deny you swedish meatballs in a FJELL?
• Cereal Killer Café - You’d have to be living under a rock to have not heard of the Cereal Killer Café. Brainchild of identical twins Alan and Gary Keery, the second breakfast place in my list is situated on Brick Lane, and serves over a 100 kinds of cereal with 13 different kinds of milk (not all at once, but I imagine they probably would if you asked.)

• Burger & Lobster - Now this is more like it, Burger and Lobster currently have five venues in the city serving only burger or lobster - £20 each. A simple but seemingly effective, the group recently celebrated the opening of its latest restaurant on Threadneedle St with an immense launch party.
• Dans le Noir - Literally meaning ‘In the Dark’ (knew that French degree would pay off eventually), Dans le Noir offers diners a ‘sensory’ experience, as they are encouraged to eat all courses wearing a blindfold. The restaurant boasts ‘blind guides’ who will “lead you through our gastronomic and pedagogical journey” - i.e. stop you falling over.
• Frank’s - Opened in 2008 by bartender Frank Boxer and chef Michael Davies, Frank’s is located on the roof of an abandoned multi-storey car park in Peckham. Serving a minimalist menu, the flagship architectural commission of non-profit commissioning art organisation Bold Tendencies was designed by renowned architects Practice Architecture.
• Hurwundeki - Situated a stone’s throw away from Cambridge Heath Station, Hurwundeki is where you go on that rare occasion in which you are both hungry and in need of a hair cut. The Korean venue was founded by Ki Lee, calls itself a ‘premium hair styling concept’ and takes pride in its use of only natural ingredients, both in the salon and the kitchen
• Circus - Covent Garden’s Circus is a cabaret bar with a twist; offering a pan asian menu, the venue boasts an interesting arrangement of entertainment for guests including acrobats, circus performers and dancers.

• Inamo - Gadget heaven in the heart of Soho, Inamo offers a truly interactive experience. With touch-screen menus, the Oriental fusion restaurant allows diners to order food, discover the local area and even order a taxi home from the comfort of their seats.
• Archipelago - This Fitzrovia venue proudly serves some of the most usual dishes in the country, from crocodile wrapped in vine leaves, to pan fried chermoula crickets (and that’s just the starter menu) - Archipelago promises a truly exotic experience.
• The Melt Room - Ending on a high with man’s finest culinary invention: the cheese toastie. The Melt Room, which opened in Shoreditch this month, serves a wide variety of the student favourite, including with slow-roasted lamb shoulder with Swiss cheese and full English breakfast grilled cheese sandwiches on the menu.

What are your favourite restaurant concepts in London? What would you like to see pop-up on the streets of the capital? Let us know in the comments below!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .