IN SHORT:
Food: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
THE DETAIL:
I’ll admit it; until I visited Mallow, I’d never knowingly eaten at a vegan restaurant. Funny thing is, I also realised that I hadn’t eaten meat in over three days without even noticing. Maybe deep down, we just know it’s better for us and for the planet.
I’d passed by Mallow many times, so I was genuinely excited to finally step inside for the press launch of their summer menu. Mallow avoids labels by describing the menu as “100% plant-based,” a term that feels more welcoming than ‘vegan’ for omnivores like me.
The restaurant itself spans two bright, elegant floors on a corner site, complete with tall ceilings, and an impressive view of its neighbour, Southwark Cathedral.
We kicked off with an apple daiquiri crafted by Lewis Hayes of DropWorks Rum, who swapped out egg white for whisked chickpea water (or aquafaba as it is known). The result was silky, convincing, and honestly, worth ordering twice, just to be sure.
Head of food development, the very wonderful Sarah Wasserman, introduced the new menu with infectious passion and insight. Their aim is to serve food that’s seasonal, sustainable, and beautiful, drawing inspiration from across global cuisines, with the new summer menu taking cues from the Spice Road. Each dish was elegant, intricate, and visually stunning with carefully considered flavour transitions between courses. For £42 per person (minimum two), you share a series of dishes that together create a full, satisfying dinner. Wine pairings are also available if you’d like to elevate the experience.
I won’t dissect each course, but the menu speaks for itself, and I’ll let the photos fill in the gaps. So this is what you get:
Mojo rojo croquettes: peperonata, aioli – These have a gorgeous note of saffron, moist, subtle, very pretty
Swede & potato hash browns – red onion jam, horseradish aioli, almost cake-like and substantial
Hummus: salsa verde, chickpeas, fried capers
Escalivada: roast romano pepper aubergine & onion, kalamata olives, paprika oil
Wild-farmed sourdough, pita bread
Strawberry heirloom tomato fattoush: za’atar, basil, labneh
Roast aubergine: tahini yoghurt, sour cherry harissa, ezme
Oyster mushroom braised onion skewer: green chilli zhoug, red pepper cream, spinach cucumber borani, pistachio dukka – so much going on here, a great dish
Smashed potatoes: lemon mayonnaise, salsa verde – without any implied criticism of the rest of the menu, these potatoes were so good they were the standout dish of the evening.
Passion fruit tart: Olive oil base, passion fruit coulis, sesame snap
Pistachio pandan – ticking off sweet and sharp, crunchy and smooth, and fabulous
Tres leches – soaked pistachio sponge, pistachio anglais
Dark chocolate sea salt truffles – cubes of sin, each committed without remorse
Overall, there was not one loser in the line-up of dishes and the intelligence invested in each sang through. I left very well fed and, given the vast array of ingredients consumed, very well nourished.
Mallow is seriously good and seriously good value. This is a real treat, a restaurant to which I won’t hesitate to return.
Mallow is at 1, Cathedral Street, SE1 9DE
Monday to Saturday 9am – 11pm; Sunday 9am – 10pm