Nama, Notting Hill ★★★★★

In her Culture Whisper list of the best raw food restaurants in London Deliciously Ella says: 'this is an amazing raw restaurant with some of the most beautiful, inventive food I’ve ever eaten. I’m obsessed with all their raw desserts, the kale salad, fermented blueberry cheesecake and all the breakfast options. If you’re going to visit just one place on this list then I would go for Nama, it’s pretty perfect.'

Nama calls itself a 'raw food oasis', and for good reason. Nestled in the heart of Notting Hill, it offers everything from delicious meals to cleansing programmes and raw food cookery courses in London.

Tried and tested

Nama have recently revamped their menu, so we dropped by to check it out. Their cold pressed juices are worth the visit alone. We’re hooked on the Internal Harmony, which combines carrots and cucumber with the zing of lemon, turmeric and ginger to kickstart you on even the most lethargic of days. As our most recent visit was on a particularly chilly November evening though, we decided to switch it up and go for a Golden Latte; a blend of fresh immune boosting turmeric and almond milk.

First on the food agenda were dainty Indian samosas with the most divine mint cashew chutney. Next up we went for a classic of raw cuisine – the raw Lasagne. Layers of intense dehydrated tomato sauce, macadamia ‘ricotta’, courgette pasta, basil and almond ‘parmesan’ worked in harmony to make this a deeply satisfying and comforting dish. We also adored the Pad Thai, with its spicy kick and tangle of rainbow noodles. The generous amount of sprouted mung beans provided more than enough protein to make this a satisfying main course with no need to miss the meat or dairy.

Never the type to skip dessert, we loosened our belts and ordered Nama’s most famous dish; the Blueberry Cheesecake with live cultured cashew cheese, sprouted sunflower seed base and berry coulis, and the Tiramisu with coffee soaked activated almond base and coconut ‘mascarpone’ cream. Both were incredibly rich and filling, making it hard to believe the ‘guilt free’ label!

If we can give you one piece of advice when visiting Nama it’s this – arrive hungry! Many people have preconceptions about raw, vegan food leaving you unsatisfied, and if anywhere is going to prove you wrong it is Nama. The prevalence of fat and protein rich nuts especially make it easy to find satisfying options. Next time, we want to try the intriguing vegan Cheeseboard, a selection of live cultured nut based cheeses with sprouted crackers, chutney and other treats.

Other vegan destinations like In Spiral and Mildred's may have been around for longer, but we think that Nama wins the crown for most sophisticated vegan dining by a mile.

Raw food cookery courses, Nama

If you want to recreate your experience at home or for friends, why not try one of their raw food cookery courses, made for aspiring as well as accomplished raw food chefs. We’re particularly keen for a place on the next fermented food course, which is sure to be the next big food trend.