Inside Holy Carrot
What can you tell us about Holy Carrot?
It originally started life as a series of supperclubs and pop-up, set up by Irina Linovich in 2020 with a sustainably-focused and plant-based approach. With this new opening, the first permanent Holy Carrot, Irina has brought in Daniel Watkins as the executive chef, best known for his work at Acme Fire Cult (and who is now solely concentrating on Holy Carrot). While Acme was not specifically plant-based, we had noted during our visit there, that there was a strong vegetable showing on the menu. So he turns out to be a great fit for this fully-vegan affair.
This is what you're looking for - and note they have outside tables on the other side of the building too.
Where is it?
You'll find it on Portobello Road, where it's taken over from what was a Patty&Bun - so that's already a considerable change of use right there. Although it looks small from the outside, it's a deceptively large restaurant, with a few outside tables too. The nearest station is Ladbroke Grove, but it's also a short 15-minute walk from Notting Hill Gate.
Where should we go for a drink first?
We ended up in the closest pub, just across the road, the Duke of Wellington which is decent enough. On the opposite corner, Trailer Happiness is worth a look for cocktails while it's a short walk to Naked and Famous for more cocktails. Near that is Franklin's Wines if you're after a more laid-back wine bar.
That all said, one of the best bars in London, A Bar with Shapes for a Name (🔶🟥🔵) is behind the cocktails at Holy Carrot. So wherever you go, you'll also want to make sure to start with a cocktail here. As with the bar in Haggerston, the cocktails are all pre-mix so you won't be waiting long.
Two of the Bar with Shapes for a Name cocktails, the non-alcoholic Fastel (Clarified rhubarb juice, raspberry syrup & recomposed lime for £8.50 and also available with gin as the "Pastel") and a dill-infused martini (gin or vodka, £15).
Where should we sit?
There are two distinct spaces and we'd say the light-filled front of the building is where you want to aim for (although you do see the chefs at work the further back in the room you are). The counter scene is also good here, so another good spot would be to perch up at the bar.
And what about the food?
As mentioned, it's all plant-based, and with a secondary focus on sustainability and local sourcing. In addition to that, they're avoiding preservatives, additives and refined sugars and have a no/low waste approach.
It's the second restaurant to open this month which has brought truly inventive plant-based cooking to the London dining scene. As with Plates, there's a lot of effort put in to create such new, interesting takes on dishes that any underlying need for meat, fish or dairy just doesn't come up (assuming you're not already adopting a vegan lifestyle, of course).
There are also some similarities in approach between this and Acme Fire Cult, both in the use of cooking over fire as well as employing plenty of fermentation methods. As for the menu itself, it's a mix of snacks, and small/large plates. Here's what we had to give you a feel of what's on offer:
Koji flatbread, chilli ragu & smoked mushroom (£9) - the best dish we had by a strong margin, with a real depth of flavour throughout. A must-order.
Sweet potato hummus, bhel puri, focaccia (£10) - that focaccia is excellent and you can order it on its own to mop up more of the sauces throughout the meal.
Cuore Del Vesuvio tomatoes, almond ricotta, kombu, fine herbs (£13)
Coal-roasted leeks, corn, almonds, aji chilli (£12)
Hen of the woods, tofu soubise, mala sauce (£19) - We asked for more about this amazing dish which also gives you a feeling for the efforts the kitchen takes. Apparently the mushrooms are grilled, then brushed with a mushroom shio made from koji and mushroom stock. It's finished with the soubise, pickled kombu and mala dressing.
Smoked carrot, harissa sunflower seed butter, chickpea puree (£17) - Obviously, if a carrot dish is on the menu, you absolutely have to order that too. The bed of chickpea puree is a great touch here.
And for dessert?
We had a lovely vanilla amazake with strawberries - but really this is the dessert you need to have:
Matcha tiramisu, coffee kombucha, candied pecans (£8) - the "cream" is lightly cultured before whipping, the coffee kombucha is made from spent coffee from the restaurant which is soaked into the sponge. It is all excellent.
How about other drinks?
Ania Smelskaya, of sustainable wine consultancy April Wines is behind the list here - she's worked with Sager + Wilde, Silo, Akoko and Osip among others. As with the food, low/no waste and sustainability are high on the agenda and there's a focus on smaller producers. Wines start at a pretty reasonable £30 for a bottle of Bourgogne Aligote (which we think goes with pretty much anything you can throw at it) but you can go into the £100s if you're feeling spendy.
It's also worth noting that there's also a small section on low/no alcohol sparkling wines here as well as a strong selection of softs and Lucky Saint in both lager and hazy IPA.
Overall thoughts
Irina Linovich's Holy Carrot seems to be opening at just the right time. Extremely busy when we visited on the first day of opening, it's clearly already found an audience in London which is on the hunt for a plant-based menu that pushes what's possible with vegan food without feeling like boundaries have been set. Daniel Watkins was already doing interesting things with vegetables at Acme Fire Cult and he's really kicked things up a notch here. This will do very well.
More about Holy Carrot
Where is it? 156 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W11 2EB
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @holycarrotrestaurant.
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Holy Carrot. Prices correct at time of publication.
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