A review of self-described plant-based pioneer The Gate Islington.
Rating: 4/5
After walking past The Gate Islington to get to university for over a year, I finally decided to book a table there when my mum came to visit.
The Gate prides itself on being a plant-based pioneer. So, as someone who enjoys both meat and vegetarian food, I was very excited to try the food.
At around 5pm, the restaurant had already started to fill up as we sat at our window-view table. The simplistic wooden furniture accompanied with glowing tea lights transformed The Gate completely as soon as the sun went down.
The food
For starters, my mum had the crispy marinated tofu and I had couscous and feta fritters. The food was fresh, tasty and presented elegantly. The fritters were very tasty, as was the tofu. There were no complaints from either of us so far.
After our starters were cleared away, our next dishes quickly came to our tables, piping hot. I had the beetroot ravioli, which was scrumptious. My mum ordered the tagine with courgette, pumpkin, chickpeas, and couscous salad. I had a mouthful, and it was full of flavour.
The atmosphere was relaxed, and the waiting staff were more than happy to help. It was an all-round lovely place, full of good food and good decor.
We both finished off our plates and we were left full and satisfied. The food was very filling, so much so that I simply couldn’t eat another bite. The desserts sounded amazing, so next time, I’ll be sure to save some room.
Final thoughts
I loved The Gate. It was a great place to go after a busy week of studying. Although out of a student’s price range, if you ever want a posh place for a special occasion, this is the place to go.
If you need one more reason to go, signing up to their Plant Your Rewards scheme gets you points every time you visit, a bottle of prosecco on your birthday, and a free dessert just for joining!
If you do end up visiting The Gate, make sure you get the chunky polenta chips.
Happy eating!