The Gate (Islington)

Owners Adrian and Michael Daniel have been running London's most successful vegetarian restaurant since December 1989. The cooking at The Gate reflects the diverse cultural background in which they grew up – an Indo-Iraqi Jewish mix. Their grandmothers blended Indian and Arabic cuisines with the traditional Jewish food. It became perfectly natural that Adrian & Michael should apply the same principles at their restaurant. The food they serve is the food of their childhood, modulated by French and Italian influence. When they opened the Gate, they had had no formal training and knew nothing about running a restaurant – they were just a couple of guys who knew what they liked to eat – but they both knew that food was sacred and should be celebrated. At The Gate, they try and celebrate the food. This means, amongst other things, sourcing all ingredients with care; and then intensifying flavours by careful cooking and combining ingredients in unexpected ways, resulting in dishes that are as visually pleasing as possible, that taste really good and served in a fun and relaxed way.