Plates is an intimate plant based restaurant at 320 Old Street in Shoreditch, led by chef and co-founder Kirk Haworth with his sister Keeley. Its warm, natural interior matches a cooking philosophy that treats ingredients from the earth as the starting point for an ambitious fine dining experience.
Guests choose between structured multi-course tasting menus rather than a conventional list of starters and mains. House laminated sourdough with cultured butter leads into closely composed dishes that combine vegetables, fruit, grains, seeds and plant based ferments in varied textures.
The current menu includes barbecued maitake mushroom with black bean mole and kimchi, English tomatoes with strawberry and shiso, and caramelised lion’s mane mushroom with aubergine, cucumber and gooseberry. Desserts continue the vegetable and botanical focus through combinations such as chicory root, sour cherry, macadamia and cacao.
Wine flights and a separate botanical pairing give diners different ways to follow the progression of the food. With a small dining room and counter seating, Plates is suited to guests who want to give a tasting menu their full attention, including people who are curious about plant based cooking rather than already committed to it.
Address: 320 Old Street, Shoreditch, London EC1V 9DR, England