London is stuffed to the rafters with places to eat, but every now and then you walk into a restaurant that reminds you how food can be elevated to another level.
That’s exactly how I felt when I walked into Merkamo on historic Hanbury Street, just off the always-buzzing Brick Lane.
Read more below.
The brilliant Zinash, who some of you will know from her nine years trading at Spitalfields Market at her Merkamo stall, invited me to visit her recently opened restaurant. Merkamo has been on Hanbury Street for just over eight months, and in that short time it has become something truly special.
From the moment you step inside, it’s clear this is not your average dining spot. The space is warm, welcoming, and filled with the sort of exciting energy that only comes from people who care deeply about what they do. Zinash and her team have created more than just a restaurant. They’ve created an experience.
The menu is completely vegan and absolutely spectacular. Every dish bursts with flavour, colour, and care. Platters arrive piled high with rich lentil stews, vibrant vegetables, spicy salsas, dumplings, samosas, and some of the fluffiest, most tangy injera I’ve ever tasted. That injera is fermented over multiple days and you can taste the dedication and expertise in every bite.
It’s nutrient-dense food that doesn’t sacrifice joy. The spice blends have been perfected to a point where every dish stands on its own, yet still works well with everything else on the table. You’ll be pulling bits of injera apart long after you’re full, just to scoop up one more bite of something perfect.
The team at Merkamo are incredibly welcoming, making you feel like you’ve popped round to a friend’s place for dinner, only this friend happens to be a culinary genius. There’s even an additional dining space downstairs, making it an ideal venue for parties, group bookings, and celebrations of all kinds.
It’s not every day that you get to celebrate a new vegan restaurant doing something this good. Zinash, thank you for inviting me in and sharing your food and your passion.
Merkamo is a joy and I hope everyone who reads this makes their way down Hanbury Street to support this brilliant independent vegan business.
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Oh my days, that looks incredible.