The Natural Kitchen

Posted by Andrew
in Delicatessens, Specialist Shops

With all the hype surrounding the Whole Foods opening it is easy to forget that ‘other whole food stores are available’. Not sure how The Natural Kitchen will cope with the re-opening of the local Waitrose as a ethical store though…

“A pioneering slow food store, selling organic, wild and artisan foods… sustainability, seasonality, traceability, low food miles and animal welfare”

Products include everything from fresh fruit to takeaway foods from such suppliers as the River Cottage (wonder if they have their delicious liver paté), wines from organic specialists Vintage Roots and the Well Hung Meat Company. The store includes a café, a ‘wine cave’ and an ‘artisan tasting table’. Another must visit when I finally get round to a visit to London.

The Natural Kitchen
77/78 Marylebone High Street
London
W1U 5JX
020 7486 8065

Jun 18

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21 Comments The Natural Kitchen

Online Kitchenware

June 20th, 2007 at 8:24 am
1

I will have to pay this a vist when i’am in London next.
I come to see my brother in London so he will come along too. I am in to the fresh fruit and organic products and my brother is in to the wines etc. I think this would be worth a visit.
Steve Forbes

July 16th, 2007 at 11:59 am
2

This place is so great, its right in the center of town, and the selection of food and drink is excellent, hope it succeeds and there more of them around town…
Del Sole

August 20th, 2007 at 5:40 am
3

Marylebone High Street is my favourite in London. It show what forward-thinking landlords can do when they work together to improve an area by being selective about who they rent to and not just going for large chains every time.
Niall

March 10th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
4

The food here isn’t bad. Some things are quite good, some pretty average. What is really bad here, sorry to say, is the service.

The staff struggle to cope, which is a bit of a surprise, because there are enough staff around in the small place. The problem is that they deliberately avoid contact with the customers until they’re forced to. There are long waits before ordering, food arriving and getting enough attention to ask for the bill.

We had a 5 minute or so wait to be seated, which is fine, but the staff studiously ignored us during this time, very deliberately making sure not to catch your eye. I don’t mind a short wait, but they could have at least come over and asked for how many people and given us an idea of how long. If they had asked how many, they would have been able to see they already had a table for 2 we could use.

We ordered the breakfasts, only to have the waitress return about 20 minutes later to tell us that the all day breakfast was finished. We got the menus to pick something else, then had to again drag a waitress kicking and screaming over to make a replacement order. Which then took about another 20 minutes to half an hour to turn up, during which time the orders of people who arrived after us were being served.

The bill never actually arrived - after making eye contact with a waitress who actually returned the eye contact, smiled, then turned and walked away, I was so frustrated with the whole experience that I just put the money on the table and walked out. The staff were so out of touch that no one even realised we hadn’t asked for the bill, let alone paid it to anyone, so all we got on the way out was a “thank you”, which was pretty much the only voluntary communication we’d had from a staff member the whole time.

I’m not the type to go to McDonald’s and rant that the staff weren’t in bow ties, serving Michelin starred food. I’ve had plenty of bad food experiences before, but never been so frustrated as to just put money down and walk out. It’s also the first time I’ve ever been so annoyed that I’ve written a bad review of a place. Normally I’d just file it down as “not going back.”

The menu states that the food is sourced from the shop downstairs, so if you like the food, just buy it and cook yourself. Otherwise go to Le Pain or some other place along there where the staff are somewhat competent.
laurence

June 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
5

This place has improved spectacularly and the cafe is now very busy all morning. Agree with most of what Niall has to say re service previously being patchy but think there has been a big change recently. Certainly the cafe menu has changed completely and the staff are now much slicker and more attentive.

I had the scrambled eggs and sausages (from the butcher downstairs i guess) on toast from the breakfast menu. Was delicious and served very quickly.

Whole place looks a bit different, much less cluttered and somehow less clinical.

And finally the takeaway food section looks really good now, have not tried everything but can recommends the quiche.
nick

August 8th, 2008 at 11:14 am
6

awful breakfast….served a disgusting sausage sandwich in old frozen panini..this place is such a rip off and a con.
AVOID.
oll

August 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
7

Hi - just wanted to say the meat in this place is about to get really good. Even good enough to rival the Ginger Pig round the corner. I overheard a conversation about it between two of the staff the other day. They are going to start making there own bacon - nitrate free - and sausages, assosiate themselves, with the rare breads trust, be fully traceable and also do full butchery from carcas.
leah

September 13th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
8

what is happening with this shop- we noticed that he lower ground is being emptied out. and the ground floor is nearly empty at the back- are the closing?
Laurence

November 20th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
9

Not sure about Leah’s comment but perhaps they were restocking. I see that they have changed a lot of their lines and suppliers (more Natural Kitchen branded stuff now like chicken kievs and fishcaskes) as well as getting the new butchers in (butchers counter really groaning with meat now and new guys seem very friendly and knowledgeable - think they came from Borough Market before).

Store has been really busy last few times i have been in over weekend and at lunchtimes and food to go counter seems really popular with soups, salads and pies (!) as well as sandwiches etc.

Downstairs has changed a lot; used to be a bit quiet at times but now busier and still got the excellent selection of wines and beers as well as books. There is now a lot of Xmas gifting type stuff as well for foodies (i bought a pasta stirrer - just what i needed) as well as a present wrapping service. Looks like it is doing well and is definitely a good place for gift ideas for hard to please relatives.
Jess

November 22nd, 2008 at 7:12 am
10

Food upstairs here in cafe is really good - there is frequently a queue (good sign) at weekends but service is quick and it’s worth the wait. I really enjoy the eggs benedict on the breakfast menu - made with a delicious ham. There is also an eggs royale with smoked salmon - lovely!

Store itself is much more appealing these days than when it first opened and deli food to go section offers really interesting salads as well as a choice of home made soups. Don’t think anywhere else in neighbourhood has anything like the quality of takeaway food so it is my lunchtime first choice most days.
Melanie

January 21st, 2009 at 3:49 pm
11

What’s happened to this place? I dined there today- it was horrendous, empty, its lost that relaxed feel it used to have and the most disturbing thing was NOT that they didn’t have any pastries at midday (how they dare to call it a cafe with no pastries) BUT that when i asked for a “still mineral water” - I was given a glass of water…..and no bottle!!!! When I asked for the bottle the rather hideously slow waitress said they didn’t serve the bottles when they served mineral water…..which made me wonder whether it was tap water………… I last went there in April 2007 and its a totally different place now - and not to mention one that has become a bit unapproachable ….precisely what organic food is not about- you would be much better off shopping and dining at Planet Organic or Whole Foods…..
Sophia

January 27th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
12

Absolutely love this place. Great for a healthy lunch, and if you want to treat yourself, they have delicious home-made cakes & muffins.
PS. Perhaps the previous reviewer woke up on the wrong side of the bed, as I find the staff fantastic.
bobby

January 27th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
13

Great food, great butchers, Great cafe. thoroughly recommend if you’re within the area of london.
just wish they would sell homemade custard. lol
Maja

January 27th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
14

This place is great. Visit every time I’m in the area. Last time I was havng quiche and salad sitting opposite Jason Donnovan, wow! Oh yes, the food was good too.
Andrew

January 27th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
15

Readers should bear in mind that comments - unless they contain swearing or other objectionable material - are unmoderated.

Comments left by ‘individuals’, especially those not linked directly to other blogs or websites, should be taken with a degree of scepticism. This is even more crucial on comments left within a few minutes of each other that swing one way or another in complements or criticism. There are other sites and blogs that offer more comprehensive restaurant and eatery reviews and should, perhaps, be taken more seriously than the comments left here.

We here at The Foodie List have not visited this establishment and thus cannot directly comment on the negative and positive comments that people have left.
Esther

May 26th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
16

I was introduced to The Natural Kitchen through a colleague. She thought it would be a good place for lunch as I am in a low carb diet.

The salad was nicer than it looked but the price of it was a tad silly!
Robert

July 1st, 2009 at 6:21 pm
17

The new Natural Kitchen on Wicklow Street near Kings Cross is a major disappointment.

It started off brilliantly, fresh food, beautiful dishes - now its fallen to poor quality, recycled dishes. I had a horrible salad there today, fresh food doesnt taste so good when its a few days old…

What happened?

R M
David Graham

July 11th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
18

Robert,

I am one of the owners of Natural Kitchen. Just trawling through reviews and stumbled across your comments. Apologies that you had a ‘horrible’ salad. Nothing has happened I believe. Like everyone, our staff have good and bad days. With all our stores, if you have a bad dish, please feel free to approah the staff - they are always happy to take constructive criticism face to face. I am confident they would have rectified the situation. Further to this, I can assure you that none of our food is few days old, and that I will pass your comments onto the crew Monday morning.

Regards,

DG
Sophia

July 12th, 2009 at 9:34 am
19

I get weekly deliveries from the new Natural Kitchen in Kings Cross (Wicklow st) and I have to say the sandwiches and salads we get are awesome. I ask the last reviewer whether they commented to the staff about the salad? I ask because they seem to really care about what they send out. Anyway they make a really tasty sandwich made with really tasty ingredients. I have checked out their new website and I see they have a new store in New Street Square. It has a restaurant which is new but if its as good as their original place in Chelsea it’s going to be good. These guys are doing something really positive in an otherwise glum London. Keep going.
Charlotte

September 4th, 2009 at 10:47 am
20

I was first introduced to the natural kitchen when my colleage brought their sandwiches into the office, and had been meaning to check this place out ever since. Finally got around to it this week, and was not disappointed!
Headed straight up to the cafe, and after a short wait, was seated by a very nice waiter. My flatmate and i both went for the carrot and orange juice, which was delicious, and made us feel healthier from the first sip! Foodwise, I went for a lasagne (on the specials), which was amazing….generous portion, but too good to leave any. My pal choose the thai curry, which looked equally good, so i had to try a bit. Was a little on the mild side for me, but still very nice, with lots of fresh vegetables as well as the meat.
The cafe itself was buzzing (perhaps not the best option for a quiet meal), and by the time we had finished there were more people waiting for a table, so we headed downstairs to look around the shop. In the basement there is a cosy little wine cellar, not cheap, but the bottle we got was well worth the price. In the ground floor shop, we picked up chicken kievs and salad, so left the place not only full, but sorted for dinner! Excellent!
Hilary Williams

September 5th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
21

I first heard of the natural Kitchen when my family received a wonderful food hamper as a Christmas gift. The traditional wicker hamper was packed with a great range of organic wholesome goodies. Being British,living in Singapore it was a real treat. So when in London this summer it was on our must do list. We were not disappointed! Arriving on a Saturday morning we ate a late breakfast which fortified us for the whole day. The staff were welcoming, knowledgable and the service excellent. I am planning to use their hamper service via their website for gifts to family and friends in the UK.