I lived in London for ten years before moving down to Paris, and still go up once a month to visit my family. It is amazing how much the city has transformed to reflect a more sustainable state of mind, and how many eateries and boutiques have popped up or transformed to embody the greener good. Though there are more than just the places on this list to enjoy while exploring London’s nooks and crannies, I thought a list of my favourite conscious businesses in the city would be a good way to get you started.
EAT
NATIVE
An award-winning London Restaurant Serving British, Foraged, Game, Rare Breed, Local and Seasonal Produce, they also support regenerative farming.
PETERSHAM NURSERIES
Maintaining their long-lived passion for responsibly sourced ingredients, Damian Clisby and The Petersham’s Head Chef Joseph Fox, have together developed the Afternoon Tea menu that changes seasonally, and it’s magical. They also serve dinner, but when in London, you must experience at least one high tea, and this is it. The high tea is only offered Thursday – Sunday from 3.00pm – 4.30pm, so I recommend booking ahead to ensure a spot. There are two locations, one in Soho and one in Richmond.
FARMACY
Notting Hill holds the latest addition to the green living movement with a menu free from dairy, refined sugars, meat, additives and chemicals. The menu is made on recycled hemp paper and their entire menu is organic and tasty with a selection of cold-pressed juices, cocktails, and wines to go along with it.
CANVAS CAFÉ
Head to the café and creative venue, Canvas Café, for one of their homemade ice creams made with coconut milk and banana and then blended with almond milk to make a delicious milkshake. They then add raw, vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free homemade cake, with options of – raspberry, beets, coconut, matcha, chocolate, avocado and dates and nuts. They also have a delicious menu of food, freshly made daily, with plenty of vegan options to satisfy your needs.
TINY LEAF RESTAURANT
Tiny Leaf Restaurant is London’s first organic, zero-waste restaurant, turning surplus
food donated by local food suppliers into gourmet vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free
dishes. With its daily changing menu, the food and drinks are creative and delicious,
creating a culinary experience which is both conscious and unique.
DAYLESFORD ORGANIC
Sit for an organic meal at their restaurant, with each meal produced through regenerative organic farming, sourced responsibly and produced with zero food waste. This restaurant/storefront also offers zero waste and responsibly packaged groceries, as well as sustainably made kitchenware and homeware.
DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE PUB
Britain’s first, and only, certified organic pub, offers all the traditional British pub experiences, with a clean conscience with food supplied by Devon organic farm, Riverford.
SHOP
THE GOOD PLACE
In the heart of Chelsea, The Good Place brings a new kind of luxury to the shopping
experience, with each product telling a story that does good, for people and the
planet. Their consciously curated collections offer a constantly changing selection of
beautiful ethical brands from around the world, ranging from fashion and accessories
to homeware and gifts, that contribute to the planet and its inhabitants in a positive
way.
LABOUR & WAIT
An enchanting collection of carefully selected new and vintage heritage style designer homeware, stationery and clothing items. Labour & Wait offers an eclectic and affordable option for unique souvenirs to bring home.
NEAL’S YARD
Hidden in a cosy corner of Covent Garden, Neals Yard Remedies was one of the first natural, holistic and organic, cruelty-free beauty brands in London, opening its doors in 1981. They bring the expertise of apothecary to health and beauty, creating a beautifully British brand that offers sustainable souvenirs to last you months, and in some cases years to come.
69B BOUTIQUE
With a strict policy on transparency when you shop at 69b boutique you can be sure each item you encounter has been made in an ecological and ethical way. It’s a wonderful way to discover new brands while exploring Broadway market.
THE KEEP BOUTIQUE
This cozy boutique has been around since 2012, promoting brands with a touching tale. It is a one-stop shop offering a curated selection of stylish ethical fashion pieces worth perusing.
BEYOND RETRO
A vintage clothing treasure trove with multiple locations around London, sure to hold the perfect sustainable souvenir.
STAY
GOOD HOTEL
goodhotellondon.com / @goodhotelgroup
Good Hotel offers a premium hotel experience which gives back to the local community. It uses a social business model which re-invests all its profits into the local community.
MY HOTEL
The MyHotels began greening themselves several years ago by joining forces with Healthy Planet and Friends Of The Earth which led them to put recycling bins in all of the rooms, use eco-friendly toxic-free cleaning products in all their hotels, and even adding a honey beehive to their rooftop, to bring awareness about the importance and current plight of the honey bee. Their concierge works with Green Taxi, any printed paper is done so on recycled pulp and they use energy saving lightbulbs in their hotels.
DO
ROYAL ALBERT HALL
One of the most beautiful venues in London, The historic Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington. If you make it to London in the summer or early fall, get yourself a ticket to the Proms concerts. (£5), which have been held annually since 1941.
KEW GARDENS
The botanical gardens in any city are always top of my list, and I’d argue Kew is one of the most magical places in London that I know of. The oasis of green offered is a UNESCO heritage site and has been running with a commitment to conservation since they opened to the public in 1840. They offer a plethora of exhibitions, events and tours, all built around guiding each one of us to fall back in love with nature.
GO BOAT
GoBoats are sustainably produced in Denmark and are powered by low emission rechargeable electric motors. The table is made from sustainably sourced forestry kebony wood. The foam kernel is made of 80% recycled PET – the equivalent of about 600 plastic bottles!
THE SHARD
There’s probably nothing green about the shard, but you can save money by going up to the Orbit Bar instead of the official ‘viewing’ area, to get a load of the beautiful view. Just grab yourself an organic beverage from the bar and enjoy a few quiet moments away from the bustle below. I recommend going during the day on weekdays (if you can) over nights or weekends.
QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL ROOFTOP GARDEN
On top of Queen Elizabeth Festival Hall is a hidden garden with cocktails and snacks, surrounded by a garden which was built and is maintained by volunteers including leaders from Grounded Ecotherapy, a recovery group for adults who have experienced homelessness and mental health issues. It has a beautiful view of the Thames and the bustling Southbank below, a peaceful oasis above the city that is both unique and relatively unknown.
TOAST BEER
A visit to Britain isn’t complete without a pint, but you can green up that pint with Toast, produced by Hackney Brewery in East London, as part of a partnership with food waste charity Feedback to create a quality pale ale that’s made from surplus loaves of bread. You’ll find it in craft beer shops and restaurants throughout London.
THE ETHICAL LONDON APP
Just before posting this, I found out about this new free app called Cogo App which is an easy way to find ethical and sustainable businesses near you, while also indicating to each business on their app what aspects of conscious living matter to you most. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
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