Naïf’s: What is it?
A posh-ish vegetarian and vegan restaurant in the trendy surrounds of Peckham (where else?), with an ex-Vanilla Black chef at the pass. Think bistro-quality food, but in a laidback setting – exactly the way we like it. The restaurant is currently mainly family-run, by chef Tom Heale, his partner Anne Stokes and two his brothers, all of whom hail from a small town in Cornwall, setting the scene for a neighbourhood restaurant that values community, good food and good company.
Naïf’s: What to order
Naïf’s offers a succinct yet sophisticated menu that takes inspiration from Heale’s experience at highly regarded high-end veggie favourite Vanilla Black. Every starter sounds as delicious as the last: plates of squash with labneh cheese and butter made with vadouvan (a blend of spices a little like a French take on a masala); fried artichoke with miso and potato; and aubergine fritters with honey and spenwood cheese custard. Yuuuuum. They’re designed for sharing, but they’re so good you might find that a bit difficult – so make sure you keep your main all for yourself, whether that’s goats curd ravioli with radicchio and Jerusalem artichoke butter, or celeriac with smoked apple and mustard.
Naïf’s: How sustainable is it?
Naïf’s has loads of ethical initiatives designed to make sure the restaurant is as sustainable as possible, and the team are planning to implement more in their reopening post-covid. The restaurant works with First Mile on its waste disposal, a recycling service with a zero to landfill policy and that sends food waste to make renewable energy. Cleaning products are as sustainable as possible, and team constantly review their choices make sure they’re choosing the best option. Veg is sourced from Pale Green Dot and Nama Yasai, both brilliant suppliers – and even the toilet paper hails from ethical brand Cheeky Panda.
