December Food News with Eat with Ellen
Oh hello December! I promised myself I wouldn’t start with the festive stuff until we hit December 1 and now I am on it with a vengeance. I’m not even sorry, I know there are still weeks to go but I think I might love the build-up to Christmas even more than the day itself.
I mean, what’s not to like? Festive fun, hearty food, goodwill, Christmas cheers, pretty lights. I just love it. There is so much going on so I’ve just picked a few things out that I thought might be tempting.
Don’t forget to let us know if you go to them – and all your other December fun. Just tag Belle About Town on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and we can all get festive together.
Festive fun at Camden Market’s North Yard
If you haven’t checked out Camden Market’s North Yard, now is a great time to do it. As Camden Market celebrates its 45th anniversary, North Yard has been transformed into an illuminated North Pole complete with North London’s longest outdoor ice rink, a Santa’s grotto and plenty of fairy lights.
You’re here for the food, I know, and there will be plenty at the North Yard’s restaurants, cafes and delis. You could try the ‘Triple Ho’ vegan Christmas Burger from Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner, The Cheese Bar’s Festive Fondue Menu, or a boozy hot chocolate from The Camden Grocer.
If you’ve got the little ones with you, there’s plenty to do and even child-friendly ‘Christmas Mini Menus’. A good old festive family trip. For more information, ticket prices and to book visit www.camdenmarket.com/christmas
North Yard, Camden Stables Market NW1 8AH. Nearest stations – Chalk Farm, Camden Town
GrillJam, Peckham
From the same people who do the fab-sounding WingJam, GrillJam is a three-day, Christmas-themed wing and food festival complete with rooftop bar. Held at the Bussey Building in Peckham, it includes wings, barbecue, a Christmas party and winter beer hall.
Traders include Chicken George JR, Gurt Wings, Poor Boys, Greidy Wings And Strips and Yam Yam Chicken – all serving dishes for £1 a piece. If wings aren’t your thing, there’s a BBQ and grill featuring Tounge N Cheeck, Smoke anD Bones, Steak Haus and Squid Inc LDN.
Add to that a raclette bar, a Michelin chef demonstration and the chance to buy bucketloads of sauces. Oh and the beer of course. Don’t forget the beer.
?Copeland Park & Bussey Building, 133 Copeland Road, Peckham, SE15 3SN. Nearest station – Peckham Rye
Borough Market Kitchen
Borough Market is already a mainstay of the foodie scene in London and it just got better. In November, it introduced The Borough Market Kitchen. The new communal dining space welcomes more than 20 food traders including Arabica and Horn OK Please as well as JUMA Kitchen and the all new Batera pintxos bar from Mimo London.
At least 30% of the ingredients in every dish are sourced from the market itself, and you’ll enjoy them on long tables designed to encourage people to sit together. On top of that, The Borough Market Kitchen has been constructed from recycled sustainable materials and is entirely single use plastic-free.
Borough Market, 8 Southwark St, London, SE1 1TL. Nearest station – London Bridge
Lady of the Grapes in Covent Garden does Christmas
Looking for a food-lover’s Christmas Market paradise? How about the Lady of the Grapes Christmas Market in Covent Garden from 1pm to 5pm on Sunday, December 15. This is all about decadence, from artisan cheese to the fine wines that you can enjoy at Lady of the Grapes wine bar. Not only does the bar and shop on Maiden Lane shine a spotlight on women working in the wine industry, it is also a haven for lovers of organic, biodynamic and natural wines.
Wine’s not the only thing on offer at the market, with other artisan products including almonds, olive oil and Marseille soap. And if you get hungry, tuck into a cheese fondue with a glass of orange wine right there in the bar.
If you like the vibe at Lady of the Grapes, get yourself back there for their New Year’s Eve Feast. You’ll be able to tuck into an 11-course menu prepared by Chef Eliott Buchet including scallop, oyster, and cheese.
The Feast Menu is available priced £89, or £135 per person including paired wines. The full wine list and 23 wines by the glass will be also available.
To book a table visit: www.ladyofthegrapes.com or call 020 7836 4152.
Lady of the Grapes, 16 Maiden Ln, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7NJ. Nearest stations – Leicester Square, Covent Garden
