Honest, fresh and healthy food in a friendly and comfortable environment. That was the promise. I wasn't disappointed. 




I stumbled upon KIN in Fitzrovia in a bid to both explore a new area of London and find a place for a lunch date. I loved this place so much that I really wanted to share it with you. Initially, I didn’t plan to blog this, so the photos (taken on my iPhone) really don’t do this place justice.

I believe that KIN is relatively new. It offers a changing daily menu including vegetarian and vegan dishes with a gluten-free offering. There are also fresh juices, coffee, teas and sweet treats.

I’d describe the environment as fairly minimalist, but still relaxing with utility/ rustic décor. Reminiscent of my beloved kiwi cafes coupled with background dub, the chilled atmosphere really made for a lovely relaxed lunch experience. It started to get quite busy when we arrived, so I suggest getting there early to ensure you get a table (although takeaway is an option).

As I didn’t plan on reviewing this café, we both chose the same delicious dish of savoury baklava made with warming beets, root vegetables and brazil nuts with a crispy almond topping (one with salad too) and we both chose the #1 blackboard juice made from kale, apple, celery and broccoli. I loved that the juices are served in cute glass milk bottles as food presentation is key for me and it made all the difference.

Daily Salads

#1 Kale, Broccoli, Celery and Apple

Savoury Baklava

Sweet Treats

There was definitely a service with a smile and they were also keen for feedback. We felt really welcome, and they took the time to provide an overview of each dish and gave us recommendations when we asked. It was just a shame that we were not there long enough to try some of the other options and give more of a comprehensive review, but I’ll definitely be going back.

Coffee is a major passion of mine, but after having just had my second double espresso of the day, I didn’t try the coffee (this month from Notes).  Check out their coffee blog here though. They rotate the coffee monthly, so let’s hope they get AllPress (not biased at all) on their list soon.

In my opinion, another big plus is that their business is fuelled by their environmental and social sustainability beliefs and they actively support other start-ups and small businesses too.

Vegetarian food isn’t for everyone, but since my meat-loving kiwi husband both survived a completely meatless meal, enjoyed it and even raved about the kale juice, this place can’t be bad. Brunchcrush gives KIN a thumbs up and I strongly recommend you check this place out today.

My father was recently diagnosed (after a very long process and misdiagnosis) with coeliac disease and although I’m not coeliac, I also tend to feel much better by avoiding gluten where possible.

For those of you who don’t know, coeliac disease is caused by a reaction of the immune system to gluten, causing a wide range of symptoms from bloating through to weight loss, osteoporosis and skin rashes. Dermatitis herpetiformis can also occur, which is the skin manifestation of coeliac disease. Once diagnosed, you treat it by following a completely gluten-free diet.

I’ve made a huge effort to cook without the grain, and I’ve discovered some amazing alternative foods devoid of the added fat that free-from foods sometimes use to bind the ingredients together.

It’s so easy these days to prepare dishes that are free-from gluten and there are really no excuses, in my opinion, for not providing an alternative gluten-free option in all eateries. However, many places still don’t offer this and equally don’t know what's in their dishes if you ask them.

I LOVE eating out, but I find that it’s just as easy to prepare delicious alternatives to all your meals yourself. In addition to some of my own recipes, I often turn to the many food bloggers out there who prefer the gluten-free lifestyle and whom I find are excellent and inspirational starting points for anyone who is starting the gluten-free lifestyle, or who has a gluten-intolerant family member. Here is my edit of my top 4.

Gluten Free Goddess

Featuring great photography and delicious baking, Karina’s blog is a great starting point for any gluten-free novice. My favourite (watch the waistline) recipe is Karina’s Wildly Rich Chocolate Cake.

Wuthering Bites

This is a blog for “experimental cooks”. With a fantastic name and equally great content, Sarah’s blog is well worth a read, especially for those based in Bristol. My favourite recipe is Gluten-Free Strawberry Sangria Ice Lollies.

Celiac Chicks

This US-based blog provides a good combination of facts, chat and gluten-free meals. Check out this new (to me) Banana Flour.

Gluten Free Mommy

What’s for dinner this week? This blog shares simple stand-by dishes and hosts a menu swap initiative for busy families. Check out the simple, yet delicious Thai Chicken Wraps.

To find out more about this really quite debilitating disease, the symptoms, diagnosis and the treatment and support available, check out www.csaceliacs.org (US) and www.coeliac.org.uk.