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Plates

Review 5 stars and that is just for the bread .

Aromatherapy for the mouth .

Imagine edible aromatherapy, where your senses are pleasurably assaulted by a dining experience that will linger in your memory long after the last mouth-watering morsel has been savoured.

Let’s be straight I am not a vegan, though I totally respect people who are vegans. I have lived with a vegan and I enjoyed the food and as she is one of  my best friends we eat at Vegan recusants and it is great and add to Italian my favourites Mexican, Japanese and Thai .

For the record I am Pollotarian means I eat chicken fish turkey but no red meat or poultry it is very hard given my diet I do not eat cheese or shell fish to explain to some people that this has been a choice since I was 20 . The smell of pork makes me feel sick. People are often judgemental or do understand  vegans ,

Suprsingly the most difficult ritios people are quick to judge and even ignore . One peson “ I have done chicken for dinner “ when I opened there was pork and cheese in it “Scrape it off “ they said signing forgetting the list of what they will do and wont . Their assoiate “ In my day we were eat what we were given “ my regards to the victorain era. One friend at the womans vegan club said to me “ Are all these woman lesbians “ my eyes went to heaven ,

Kirk and Keely Haworth

But back to the review  my great pal andi have been desperate to dine at  the vegan church Plates Behind the extraordinary success of Plates, the UK’s first fully plant-based restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star, are brother-and-sister duo Kirk and Keeley Haworth. Kirk, the restaurant’s chef and creative culinary force, comes from an impressive gastronomic pedigree.

His father, Nigel Haworth, is a celebrated Michelin-starred chef, and Kirk himself honed his skills in some of the world’s finest kitchens, including The French Laundry in California and Restaurant Sat Bains. However, it was a life-changing diagnosis of Lyme disease in 2016 that transformed his relationship with food and inspired his journey into plant-based cuisine.

Kirk actually regularly serves at the tables

Together with his sister Keeley, who oversees the creative and business side of the operation, he has created something rather remarkable in London’s Shoreditch. Having been crowned Champion of Champions on BBC’s Great British Menu in 2024, Kirk went on to make culinary history when Plates received its Michelin star in February 2025. Yet perhaps his greatest achievement is demonstrating that exceptional fine dining need not rely on meat, fish or dairy to deliver an unforgettable experience.

We have waited a year to dine at Plates , in fairness it was not just that it is Alway’s booked up , we did get two other reversions it  clashed with travel arrangements.   But despite this time recovering from my and operation we made it . Boy I am glad I did it Plate is an experience of a life time and the tasting menue accompanied by the wines is something you will. Walks away feeling good and wanting

more

Plates is not in Mayfair or any syllabaries location it is in Old Street and it is the cuties of venues and everything is simple but stylish even the staff are dressed in a chic way. Now let’s start with the staff. You can not quite find such a great knowledgeable and attentive crew . Even the maestro  himself Kirk comes to the table and over sees everything .Though lunch was sold out and there was no space not even at the courtier It was very pleasant atmosohere that did not feel packed and we could easily chat .

We opted Plates – Tasting Menu paired with wines ( well worth it )

My best vegan friend

£125 per person

There was a little taster of barbecue tomatoed soap

1. Taco of sand carrot, fig leaf & kohlrabi just exploded in your mouth with tatse

2. House laminated sourdough bread, whipped cultured butter, green chilli & vadouvan

This is so good that I wished that had a bakery next to the restaurant.

3. Smoked almond ricotta, English pear & verjus

4. Barbecued maitake mushroom, black bean mole, kimchi, aioli & puffed rice

Being a huge fan of mushrooms I was expecting big things this was my least favourite of the day ,

5. Chioggia beetroot, pickled cherry, macadamia & frozen dill

This is not just food it was art I was sorry to eat it but it was fantastic

6. Kabocha & passionfruit cappuccino

7. Cornish potatoes, mint, sweet & sour apricot

8. Pineapple & carrot sorbet, Thai parsley, pearls

9. Caramelised lion’s mane, Bramley apple, cauliflower & pickled cucumber

They bring the lion’s mane around before cooking it

10. Rice pudding ice cream, jam, mulberries & poha rice

I wanted a bucket of this

11. Warm cacao sponge, parsnip ice cream & Buddha’s hand again out of this world

Now this was not just lunch and I am so glad I shared with someone who is not just a friend but someone I care for as it  is an experience not just lunch or dinner.  If you are not vegan I challenge you to dine here and not want to know more . it is the same price as West End theatre seat , but the meal last a little longer and will leave you buzzing a lot longer than mama mia .

My friend seized the moment to re book wise woman ,

Additional charges

There is a £2.75 per person surcharge for mineral water and an optional 13.5% service charge added to the bill.

https://plates-london.com

Steven Smith.'s avatar

By Steven Smith.

Steven Smith was born in Coatbridge in Scotland. He was brought up in Whitley Bay, before briefly moving to London. He then moved to the seaside town of Brighton, where he was first receiver recognition for his hairdressing skills. Steven moved to America for eight years, working in Beverly Hills, and on his return to London in the late 90s, rose to fame working in fashionable Knightsbridge. He has styled model Katie Price, actress Denise Welch, David Hasselhoff and the cast of Baywatch. Steven had his own column in The Sun newspaper advising on hair and beauty, and was a regular on the Lorraine Kelly show, transforming GMTV viewers into their favourite stars. He made over Lorraine herself, transforming her into movie legend, Elizabeth Taylor.

Steven has been a freelance writer for the last ten years, combining showbiz interviews and travel with his eye for styling. He has written two books: Powder Boy, looking at the dark side of showbiz, and an autobiography: It shouldn't happen to a hairdresser, offering a witty and sad look at his life. He is currently penning a third book to be titled Happy in Chennai.

He has a monthly column, Tales of a single middle-aged gay man that looks at not only the light side of gay life, but also darker aspects such as rape, addiction, and chem-sex. Steven also runs his own beauty/aesthetic blog and is a patron of Anna Kennedy online; a charity that not only supports the autism community but educates the public about those that live with autism.

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