Street Kitchen, Broadgate Circle

A place where superb sandwiches are the star of the show...

'Slow food fast' is the promise of Street Kitchen, a gourmet 'grab and go' restaurant in the heart of the newly developed Broadgate Circle.

Focusing on sustainable food that's delicious to boot, Street Kitchen is a fab find for those who eat with a conscience. For those that couldn't care less where their food comes from or how it has been prepared, they can simply enjoy scrumptious, ridiculously fresh sandwiches that have been painstakingly made with love.

Launched by street food stalwarts Mark Jankel (The Food Initiative*) and Jun Tanaka (formerly of Pearl), Street Kitchen serves fresh, sustainable sandwiches and salads. Sustainability is at the very core of their ethos, which means that all foods have been vetted by Mark and Jun whom only work with suppliers that inspire them. 

You'd be hard pressed to find anyone more committed to the sustainable food cause than Mark, who spent a year visiting farms across the UK to meet the farmers first-hand. Given his ability to rattle off each farmer supplier by name, you become aware that this is an establishment whose founders really invest both their time and money into ensuring they are providing the best goods possible for their customers, all  while remaining true to their sustainable roots. 

Don't worry though, they aren't out to preach to others about the virtues of sustainable food, but they'll happily chat with anyone who shares their passion and is keen on learning more about the provenance of the food they provide. 

The sandwiches at Street Kitchen take centre stage, and rightly so as they've been made using a selection of beautiful breads sourced from specialist bakers across the capital – focaccia, pitta, challah, rye, brioche, you'll find them all here.

Sandwich fillings include options such as charred organic broccoli with free-range eggs, smoky mustard mayo, pickled red onions and Old Winchester cheese; and rare roast beef with caramelised onions, watercress, pickled cucumber and horseradish. During my visit, I sampled three amazingly moreish sandwiches.

Sandwich 1: Sustainable salmon fillet with watercress, beetroot with dill mayo and onion chutney on a brioche bun

Now I'll be honest, I don't typically enjoy salmon, but this salmon from Loch Duart was so flaky and fresh that I was completely won over.  The beetroot was a surprising addition that provided a sweet balance. My favourite sandwich hands down.

Sandwich 2: Chicken with tarragon mayo, red onion and gem lettuce on a poppyseed bun
This had a subtle Indian influence to it (thanks to the tarragon) and was a nice twist on a classic.  
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Sandwich 3: Rare roast beef, pickled onion, horseradish and watercress on ciabatta

The thinly shaved, premium Herefordshire beef was great quality and the horseradish provided a bit of a kick, without being too overpowering.

While there isn't really much room indoors to eat, (which isn't an issue as most customers take their meals on the go to eat back at their office), there is a large outdoor terrace with low tables and benches where you can perch with your sandwich, while watching the buzzy atmosphere of City workers in Broadgate Circle as they enjoy an al fresco spot of lunch or a post work tipple.

For those who like it hot...

Also available throughout the day are hot sandwiches such as roast chicken with tarragon mayo, smoked salmon with pickled red cabbage and lamb meatballs with tomato compote and spiced yoghurt.  In the evenings, you can also order salt beef and lobster rolls, which are amazing paired with a cool collection of locally-brewed craft beers from the likes of Camden Town Brewery and London Fields Brewery. If beer isn't your thing, you can opt for  a sprightly English sparkling wine. 

Enjoy a wealth of other fabulous foodie delights...

Farm-to-fork salad boxes 

Accompanying the sandwiches is a range of light and healthy, farm-to-fork salad boxes – both large and small (£3; £5) – packed with seasonal British ingredients such as home-smoked salmon with sweet pickled vegetables and dill dressing; spiced aubergine with hummus, roast cauliflower and pomegranate; beef and broccoli with pickled carrot and soy and sesame dressing; and goats’ cheese with sweet red onion, butternut squash and marjoram. 

Wake up with Street Kitchen's very own 'Java Joe' - Barista Joe Reed

If like me you need a jolt of caffeine to sort you out first thing in the morning, than coffee isn't an option, it's a necessity. As any coffee lover knows, there's good coffee and there's terrible coffee. Luckily, for coffee lovers, coffee is something of a culture at Street Kitchen, with dedicated barista Joe Reed expertly manning a La Marzocco coffee machine that sits up-front and centre in the open kitchen. 

Enjoy fresh roasted beans and artisan blends by AllPress

Artisan blends by AllPress ensure springs-in-steps from morning ‘til night with beans roasted daily together with a selection of luxe leaves from the likes of Mangajo Green Teas and Equal Exchange. Prefer something a bit softer to set you up for the day? Drinks from Karma Cola and juices by Chegworth Valley should hit the spot. 

Dine al fresco on the outdoor terrace with a spot of people watching...

Man Vs. Food sized portions - Introducing the 24-inch sandwich...

For those with a substantial appetite, Street Kitchen also specialises in 24-inch sandwiches (£4-7) served ‘by-the-inch’ and measured against bespoke boards inlaid with vintage yardsticks for quirky ‘cut-to-size’ ordering.  If tackling a beast of a 24" sandwich sounds like it's fit for Man Vs. Food, you're right on the money.  

Food eating competition legend and TV host of Man Vs. Food and Man Finds Food, the amazing Adam Richman, recently popped by the shop to enjoy the signature sandwich. Being slightly obsessed (OK really obsessed, with both food programs and Adam Richman - my weird celebrity crush), I couldn't help but love Street Kitchen just a little bit more after hearing that Adam had also graced it with his presence. Quite frankly, if it's good enough for Adam, it's good enough for me.

Viva la sandwich revolution!

Street Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner (7am-9pm) Monday through Friday. For more information or to find other London locations, visit http://www.streetkitchen.co.uk.

Street Kitchen
42 Broadgate Circle
London
EC2M 2QS 


Follow Street Kitchen on social media:
www.streetkitchen.co.uk 
@streetkitchen 
#BroadgateCircle 
facebook.com/streetkitchenuk

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy some of our other food reviews: 
Herman Ze German - Traditional German food in London 
The best London restaurants to enjoy dim sum in the evening

A.A. Miln


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