Clapham’s Best Restaurants

Those who live in Clapham in South West London will be well aware of the gastronomic haven it’s become in recent years. From the Venn Street farmer’s market on Saturdays, to the pop-up Foodies Festival on Clapham Common (taking place on 24^th – 26^th July this year, if you fancy popping down) this pocket of the capital has something to satisfy even the fussiest of taste buds. And if you’re not already familiar with the area, it’s well worth hopping on the Northern Line and heading down here to explore if for yourself.

Having moved into the neighbourhood just over a year ago, I’ve spent a lot of time discovering the area’s best foodie destinations (much to the distress of my waistline and bank balance). And to help other food-lovers enjoy the best of what Clapham has to offer, I’ve written an article for The Culture Trip on Clapham’s Top 5 Restaurants. It was pretty difficult to narrow it down to just five, but these eateries really do stand out from the crowd. I hope you love them as much as I do.

Public Loo Turned Wine Bar – just one of the many delights Clapham has to offer © WC Wine & Charcuterie

On ‘Save it for Later Swans’

I’ve recently been thinking about ‘Save it for Later Swans’ as I like to call them, or ‘Doggy Bags’ as they are more generally known. This is one of those areas – a bit like, and I’m sorry to say it, the World Cup and being honest about our feelings – that the UK falls down on. Whenever I ask for my leftovers to be packaged up for me to take home I am usually met with bemused looks. Haven’t you had your fill? Their eyes seem to say. Should you really be dining at an establishment like ours if you need to take home the leftovers?

But why the derision? You’d have thought that with times being tighter Save it for Later Swans would be all the rage. That we’d all be carrying them neatly under our arms on the way home, nodding in appreciation of each other’s expertly crafted tinfoil fowl. Why leave the remnants of a great meal to waste when you can take them home for lunch tomorrow, or as a midnight snack later tonight? I am dumbfounded.

I can’t quite put my finger on why the people of Great Britain seem to get a bit twitchy about this kind of activity. But having been presented with an artfully fashioned swan at The Prince Albert Pub in Battersea recently, I am happily convinced that things can change. My swan was stuffed full of leftover chicken that had been roasted in lemongrass, lime and chilli – the perfect addition to a salad the following day, and far too good to be left to waste.

In the UK the average family throws away the equivalent of six meals per week – equated at £60 in value. This is down 21% from 5 years ago but it is still a staggering amount of waste. It’s more than 300 meals a year (and over £3000).

It’s high time we all began embracing Save it for Later Swans and started celebrating the eateries that provide them as a matter of course (and without any stuffiness). And if you’re looking to make your own, here are some helpful step by step instructions from That’s So Retro: http://orsonsretro.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/how-to-make-foil-swan-for-left-over.html