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LONDON | With Dry January and Veganuary over, it’s not shameful to want to drown in a bath of beer whilst simultaneously gorging on a burger. Well, only if you’re a cocktail swigging carnivore like myself that survived on mainly leaves and water for most of January. But who said you had to do “healthy” the hard way? Here are two words to break that thought for you, “Skinny” and “Kitchen”.
Founded in 2014, The Skinny Kitchen is the baby of Joel and Lois Belchem who combined their love of fitness and healthy food setting up the first site in San Antonio, Ibiza. Fast forward a few years, the duo have successfully opened up a Canterbury site and most recently, their biggest site in Islington.
Perched near the Business Centre, Skinny Kitchen almost looks like a mirage acting as a getaway haven for the cold bleary London weather. Upon entering, you are greeted with tropical, airy vibes, it’s almost as though you have stepped into a Miami or Ibiza café. The open kitchen allows for diners to see the chefs in action and the turquoise, sea blue and pink colour palette with gold tones mirror that of a high end 70’s Hollywood film set, you can’t help but feel like an A-Lister while dining here. The most eye-catching element of the decor is without doubt the tongue-in-cheek ‘I licked it so it’s mine’ pink neon sign emblazoned against the back wall of the restaurant which adds extra cool points to the space.
While there’s an opulent feel, the prices say otherwise. The vast menu consists of affordable creative healthy dishes with each calorie and nutritional content specified so you know whether you need to reign it in or re-fuel after that rigorous HIIT class. There’s an assortment of nutritional, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and meaty options with dishes such as tofu scramble, buddha bowls, pan-asian buckwheet noodle and rice dishes, Mexican style burritos to stacked burgers and even a good ol’ coconut curry to supplement your gains.
We tucked right in when we visited, opting for the peanut chicken bowl with tender chicken thighs swimming in a creamy satay sauce. The dish is complemented perfectly with the flavour of the coriander and Asian slaw which adds an intense kick to the spicy rice. The avocado fries – as painfully millennial as they sound – are insanely delicious. Deep fried avocado chunks in a light batter alongside a pool of siracha mayo sauce.
The clean and jerk rice bowl is spiced to perfection. Seasoned chicken thighs drenched in jerk sauce on a bed of spicy rice, charred corn, chill and coriander. The protein peanut butter and banana pancakes are nothing short of delightful too. Stacked high and smothered in creamy peanut butter, we demolished our fluffy guilt free tower less than twp minutes. For dessert, try the dairy free, warm doughy chocolate brownie. It comes covered in a smooth gooey chocolate sauce with fresh strawberries with a scoop of vegan ice cream.
Feeling thirsty? The cocktails and smoothies are hits here also. There’s breakfast cocktails such as Mimosas and Bloody Marys, along with wine and beer. There’s also protein and superfood shakes – excellent for a refreshing energy burst.
The food at The Skinny Kitchen is top notch, and the service is charming and efficient. The ambience has you feeling like you’re on Ocean Beach without having to spend a fortune. From the ultra cool interiors and vibes, this healthy food hangout is here to stay.
The Skinny Kitchen
52 Upper Street
London N1 0QH
United Kingdom
Telephone: 020 7288 6418
Email: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Sat: 9:00am to 11:00pm
Sun: 9:00am to 9:00pm