Redemption Bar is currently a tremendous trio of London restaurants offering a compelling argument that plant-based foods can be first delicious, and then also genuinely healthy, gluten free and vegan. No compromises necessary. Really so good? Colour me intrigued but sceptical. Lets eat the evidence!
Redemption Bar Comfort, Style & Service
The three Redemption Bar venues are in the super posh Notting Hill, the absolutely charming Neals Yard, Covent Garden and the uber hipster zone of Shoreditch. All are small, smart, neat. Their diminutive dimensions nevertheless provide enough table space to accommodate multiple dishes and they do not seem to get incredibly as noisy as many London eateries do.
Service is simply marvellous. Friendly people who appear happy and genuinely curious and passionate. On a visit to the Notting Hill branch one absolutely lovely server took a seat next to me and walked me through the menu highlighting her own favourites, on my request! All that I have talked to have shared that a big part of the reason they work at Redemption is their genuine love for the food.
Redemption Bar Free From
With the exception of a single food menu item, a vegan brioche served with the ‘Buff Burger’ dish for which a GF Burger Bun is also available, all food and drinks are 100% Gluten Free. The entire food menu is also vegan and the drinks menu is alcohol free! Wait no, come back, seriously!
After figuratively (see, this is where you use figuratively rather than literally . . . ) ‘grilling’ staff onsite, as a very cautious coeliac, I am personally convinced that brioche poses entirely negligible cross-contamination risk. It is handled as it should be and never comes close to other food and dishes. I rate the Redemption Bars among the most welcoming places to eat for coeliacs I have eaten at in the world, including London. I genuinely eat here in complete comfort and confidence and recommend that you can do the same.
Redemption Bar Drinks
Drinks? Almost never for me. I prefer to take up still water and save all my appetite and appreciation for food, glorious food. Especially dessert. If I even glance at the drinks menu it is to be able to report on whether there are gluten-free beers for others. Fancy tea? I like tea, but I have a cupboard at home with 30 types of the stuff. Great coffee? Nice, but I have a subscription to Workshop and I have plenty of skill with a pour-over kettle and a V60 drip filter.
Redemption is one of a scarce few places where I actually want to revisit in order to work my way through the drinks menu!. I have sipped upon the marvels that are the Blue Butterfly Pea Latte and the Love Handles Chocolate. So far their beautiful appearance and flavours have been equal match to the promise given by the enticing names. Next up . . . the Mood Enhancing Mocha! We have a date. Kisses!
Blue Butterfly Pea Milk Latte! Wooo!
Mood enhancing mocha! Whether or not the ingredients *work* it sure looks pretty :-)
Redemption Bar Food
Buddha Bowls bursting with rainbow colours are prominently featured in each Bar. You can build your own. Beloved child of Instagram and genuinely healthy and appetising as they can be . . . . they are pretty much what I eat at home. On my first online ‘drive thru’ of the Redemption Menu I saw lots that was familiar but nothing that really grabbed me. Kale Chips? Sure. Jackfruit in blue corn tacos? Yeah okay. Mushroom, Black Bean & Beet Burger? Feels like I have eaten these all before.
But the actual experience? Wow. I am in love with food. I make a point of eating at places renowned for great food. If I could buy a season pass to Redemption I would. It is absolutely a rare gem to which repeat visits to explore and experience more of the menu feel essential.
Some highlights?
A fellow diner offered me one of her chunky sweet potatoes topped with chipotle mayonnaise, spring onion and pomegranate. I ate just one. The rest simply vanished . . . . I think!
I ordered a sharing antipasto board, genuinely intending to share. A few bites in? Is this cashew cheese the biggest umami hit I have ever had? Am I sharing this? Heck no!
Soup . . . soup is just soup. Bread is ugh, barely even bread. Yet I would have gleefully accepted a bottomless bowl of the Kale & Parsnip Soup and Gluten Free bread I devoured.
Kimchi? Problem is I make my own so the stuff they serve in restaurants is just never . . . . . oh my goodness this is fantastic kimchi! More more more! Actually, the serve size is rather generous too!
There are more. To be eaten. Honest to goodness I have not even *had* a dessert yet. That is most unusual. I might have to visit just for dessert. Two desserts. Three.
The *best* kimchi I have eaten in London!
Sweet potatoes with Chipotle vegan mayo, spring onion & pomegranate
Soup is just soup? Perhaps, but this was gorgeous.
Sharing platter – smoked paprika & herb cashew cheese, char-grilled artichokes, marinated mushrooms, sunblush cherry
tomatoes and Italian olives & raw crackers
Redemption Bar Recommendation
Okay, so this is just going to be an outpouring of love. Redemption was open for over a year before I finally visited. I loved that it was a new safe and welcoming place to eat gluten free and vegan but just reading the menu did not inspire me. I delayed. I ate at other places.
It took family visit to get me along for the first time and that time was the beginning of something lovely. Redemption joins a very short list of the very best places to eat. It is the epitome of the rule that great food must first of all simply taste great. It should be sustainably and ethically produced too. The people involved should be fairly treated and paid. Then it should be healthy and gluten free and vegan. On all, Redemption has me convined.
More of the same?
Looking for more 100% Gluten Free venues? Visit my 100% Gluten Free Map of the UK for them all. I update it regularly but hey, if you spot something, tell me!
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Google, Take us to Redemption Bar!
You can find all three together with other special little small chain and indie places on my London Gluten Free Small Chains and Indies Google Map!
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