Eat

You cannot walk very far in central London without running into one of these fast, self-​service shops. They have a decent variety of salads/​sandwiches/​drinks/​etc. that are available for grab-​and-​go. It’s pretty convenient and fairly well-​priced. On this day, we had just finished a tour of the Tate Modern (which is just down the street) and it was around lunch time. This location is great because it’s right on the river and creating a picnic by the river on a sunny London day seemed like a fantastic idea. We selected 2 sandwiches: 1 Crawfish with arugula and 1 egg salad — both on wheat bread. Both were delicious and something we would order again.

Katya and I visited this place together on our trip to London. It was a nice place to duck inside on our way to the Tate Modern. There were several varieties of pies, which I hear are not traditional, but were delicious and interesting, which both count for a lot. And they emphasize seasonal ingredients, which is awesome.
The thing I disliked about place was that it was set up almost like a take-​away restaurant in an airport. There was a cooler for beverages, you ordered and paid at the counter, and you went and sat at a table with your tray of food. I can’t think of a better way of executing what they are attempting, but at the same time, it put me off.
Regardless, I would go back.

This place is part of a chain of breakfast/​lunch restaurants that serves sandwiches, snacks, soups and basic deli-​style meals made fresh on-​site. They have a range of hot and cold offerings, and they even serve pies.
Strictly food-​wise, it seems that the place takes the most heat about the pies, in fact. They are decidedly NOT traditional meat pies, and my London friends were staunchly divided on whether or not it was a certified travesty that I had visited this shop and eaten a pie. In my defense, I have also had the traditional version, and there’s absolutely no comparison. They’re completely different things.
That said, I loved the pie I had here (goat cheese and sweet potato). This restaurant was the only chain I visited in London, because it happened to be the quickest thing available near everything else I wanted to do at the time. For that reason, I even stopped here twice in one week (for shame)! And I hate to admit that I ordered the same pie both times, because it was completely off the chain. It also ranks in the Top 3 Foods I Would Kill to Have in My Home Country… along with the shoyu ramen from the shop near my old place in Japan and the pork dumplings from the night market in Hualien, Taiwan. Seriously.
Also, for the record, that pie is at least 90% responsible for the five stars I’ve given this place. Arbitrary! Yes! Does this have much more to do with the awesome power of goat cheese than it even does with this shop? Probably!
Not that the place has nothing to offer. I like the clean, straightforward, efficient atmosphere because I almost always have better things to do with my time on when I’m in this part of London. I also have a soft spot for all things utilitarian. So this isn’t the spot if you want indulgent or luxe. It’s pretty much the Subway of the UK, if Subway were limited to one metro area and followed the Starbuck’s business model.
So, yes — here is my blasphemous five star review for EAT. If you prefer, feel free to consider it a five-​star review for how much I love goat cheese. That is probably equally (if not more) true!