The Best Restaurants In London For Gourmet Fried Chicken
Red Rooster
Marcus Samuelsson, the man behind Red Rooster in Harlem, is renowned for creating Barack Obama’s favourite fried chicken. Dubbed ‘21st-century soul food’, Samuelsson’s cookery takes classic American dishes and gives it a modern twist – and the hits on his Shoreditch menu are no different. Groups should order the ‘Bird Royale Feast’, which includes a whole fried chicken, waffles, southern biscuits, mac ‘n’ greens, cabbage and Rooster sauce. Well, if it’s good enough for Obama…
45 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3PT
Visit RedRoosterLDN.com
Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen
We first sampled the delights of Zoe’s kitchen at last year’s Bestival. As the rain poured and the main stage was shut, we took shelter in one of the food tents. Within, it was Zoe’s ‘Box of Everything’ that caught our attention and the mound of fried chicken, spicy jollof stew and okra fries warmed us right up. Now she’s taken over the kitchen at the Institute of Light, a bar-cum-cinema in Hackney Fields. An extensive menu covers kelewele (spiced and caramelised plantain), whole fried tilapia – a highlight – grilled sardines and that must-order moreish fried chicken.
The Institute of Light, Arch 376, 10 Helmsley Place, E8 3SB
Chick'n'Sours
From the genius minds that brought us Chick ‘n’ Sours, Chik’n is the newest addition to the collection, serving up ethically sourced fried chicken to poultry loving pundits. The buttermilk burgers are immense, and come with a choice of straight up, BBQ, hot or classic with melted cheese and crispy bacon; or for smaller appetites, there are wings, bites and tenders that come in small or large bucket form. Make sure you save a little room for a few of its quirky cocktail sours.
134 Baker Street, Marylebone, W1U 6SH
Visit Chikn.com
Bao
With locations in Soho, Fitzrovia and a small street food-style shack taking residence in Netil Market, Taiwanese steamed bun experts Bao yield the best in the capital. There’s always a queue outside, so be prepared to wait, but once you’re in, you’ll forget all about it. Its signature buns come stuffed with the likes of tender pork belly with peanut powder and pickled lettuce; and lamb shoulder with coriander sauce, garlic mayo and soy pickled chilli. The Soho restaurant also serves up a fan favourite: soy milk-marinated fried chicken with kimchi and Sichuan mayo.
53 Lexington Street, Soho, W1F 9AS
Visit BaoLondon.com
Mother Clucker
As of May 2018, this street-food favourite now has a bricks-and-mortar site in Exmouth Market. Within, diners can grab a selection of buttermilk fried chicken, either in the form of a ‘Cluckwich’ – fried chicken thigh sandwich, served with pickled pepper, iceberg lettuce, hot sauce, lime mayo – or the Texas toast: brined, buttermilk breast strips; or a combo of strips and Cajun skinny fries.
6 Dray Walk, Exmouth Market, E1 6NJ
Visit MotherClucker.co.uk
Randy’s Wing Bar
Brunch fans, this one’s for you. Every Saturday from 12-6pm, the Aldgate branch of Randy’s Wing Bar serves a bottomless beer and buffalo wings brunch (you can upgrade prosecco, if beer’s not your thing). Across the full menu expect five flavours of wings, two types of chicken strippers, buttermilk burgers and loaded fries. The restaurant is partnered with Traditional Norfolk Poultry (TNP), so you can guarantee that you’ll be tucking into free-range wings.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, E15 2GW and 30-33 Minories, Aldgate, EC3N 1DD
Visit RandysWingBar.co.uk
Carte Blanche
This might be a newcomer (it opens on 13th July), but we already know it’s going to be cracking, as the project comes from Andy Taylor, the man behind popular street-food truck Le Bun. Located on Mare Street, the 50-cover restaurant will serve ‘gluttony-emboldening dishes’, that combine household staples across the Midwest and Southern States with an appreciation for Gallic flavours – we’re looking forward to trying Nashville-style ‘lip-burning’ hot chicken in a soft white bun, and the fried chicken with caviar. An all-natural wine list will complete the offering.
175 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 3RG
Visit CarteBlancheLDN.com
Kricket
Combining the best British seasonal ingredients with authentic Indian flavours, aromas and spices, Kricket is a casual approach to east-meets-west dining. Dishes are designed to be shared and change depending on the season, but you can always expect to find its signature Keralan fried chicken with curry leaf mayonnaise and pickled mouli. It’s some of the crunchiest in town – and so moreish that we recommend ordering one per person, rather than sharing.
12 Denman Street, Soho, W1D 7HH
Visit Kricket.co.uk
Nanban
One of our favourite spots in Brixton, former MasterChef winner Tim Anderson’s Nanban offers a quirky take on Japanese dude food. Alongside umami-laden dishes such as ‘Addictive Cabbage’ (torn hispi cabbage with addictive ginger vinegar sauce and crushed white sesame), plantain katsu curry and spicy peanut ponzu udon with crab, there’s his toothsome chicken karaage: crispy marinated deep-fried chicken thighs with honey-miso mayo. Delicious with a cold Brixton Electric IPA.
426 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LF
Visit Nanban.co.uk
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