London's hidden gems

10 April 2012

Top chefs don't traipse round supermarkets. Oh no - they simply do their food shopping through work. If you run the restaurant, you can raid the larder and badger suppliers to deliver kitchen essentials straight to your home. Easy.

So, when a chef heads off somewhere special - to get a certain type of olive, for instance, or the perfect chocolate - you want to know the name of the store. ES has persuaded some of London's premier chefs to share their secret addresses. Read on, and you'll never visit a soulless hypermarket again.

Ruth Rogers The River Caf?
Ruth Rogers, co-chef owner of The River Caf?, says she would travel across London and three continents to buy the cheeses stocked at La Fromagerie in Highbury. 'Patricia, the owner, is passionate about sourcing cheeses and has the most knowledgeable selection in London. I love her Robiola di Langhe and Gorgonzola Dolce, and her Parmigiano Reggiano is the best. As far as I'm concerned, she sets the standard everyone else should follow.'

A self-confessed chocoholic, her favourite shop is Rococo on the King's Road. 'They have unusual varieties like chocolate with cardamom, geranium and lavender. I love their truffles and bitter chocolates, too - all their flavours are made with the best quality cocoa.'

For pasta and other Italian basics (though she uses her own olive oil), Ruth is a regular at Luigi's in Fulham Road. And for that daily necessity... 'The best bread shop is Baker & Spice behind Harrods. The bread is made on site and is fresh and delicious, but it's the sourdough that keeps me coming back. That and the brilliant chocolate chip cookies.'

Mark Hix The Ivy
Mark Hix, the chef-director of The Ivy, J Sheekey and Le Caprice, gets all the key stock for his kitchen from his suppliers. However, when he's entertaining, he takes his inspiration from Booths. 'It's in Borough Market and always gives me ideas for dinner parties. It specialises in wild mushrooms and is ahead of the game with seasonal vegetables like samphire, sea kale, and so forth. The owners know everything there is to know about vegetables, and if you want some advice, ask for Tony. I often send friends to shop there.'

Mark is also a big fan of Brick Lane. 'I live close to the Taj Stores on Brick Lane which stocks every Asian vegetable imaginable, as well as fruits, like alphonso mangoes when they're in season and ripe guavas - a rare find in shops. Go there for all your Indian spices and ingredients and look out for its weird little frozen fish - I use them like whitebait in a fritto misto.

Another of Mark's tips is to venture further north to Hackney. 'I love stumbling across shops down the back streets that are used by the local community, which is how I came across the Vietnamese supermarkets up the Kingsland Road and on Mare Street. These are a must if you're entertaining Oriental-style.'

But for the ultimate in secret addresses, how about a place that hasn't even opened yet? According to Mark, Maida Vale's Fishbar and the adjoining Fishshop, opening early next month, are bound to become a favourite on the gourmet London map. 'You'll be able to get takeaway lobster and chips and steamed and grilled fish from the Fishbar - or have it delivered. The fishmonger Fishshop will sell seafood and game, as well as bespoke sauces, salsas and wild mushrooms.' Start forming a queue now.

Ed Baines The Ifield
It Boy chef Ed Baines, the man behind Fulham favourite The Ifield, is another chocolate fan. 'Theo Broma Cacao in Chiswick is a wonderful French chocolatier where everything - from exquisite flower-flavoured chocolates to the huge chocolate sculptures - is handmade on the premises. His recipes are a closely guarded secret.'

Ed is similarly enthusiastic about bread. 'Tadim is a fantastic, authentic Turkish bakers. The restaurant in the back has a roof that they lift off on sunny days - and suddenly you're not in Camberwell anymore. The bread stall on Northcote Road Market in Clapham is also good. Every weekend this huge stall offers a wonderfully diverse selection of breads and cakes.' And it sells out fast. 'Arrive early to avoid an empty stomach,' he advises.

What about a bit of cheese to accompany that bread? 'There are two wonderful cheese shops that specialise in my favourite mouthwatering smelly cheeses: Paxton & Whitfield, a traditional shop in Mayfair, and the French cheese man in Greenwich Market who brings his bounty over from France every weekend.'

Sam Clark Moro
Sam Clark is the chef behind Moro, the Spanish restaurant in Exmouth Market. He's a regular at Gazzano, an Italian deli just round the corner from there. 'It sells excellent authentic Italian ingredients. I like their cured meats, sausages and always try some of their unusual Italian cheeses.'

Sam also rates Ridley Road Market in Dalston. 'It's one of my favourite London markets. It's always a pleasure to visit and has a great atmosphere. There are good bagel shops and vegetable stalls, but an added incentive to make the trip is the Turkish Food Centre. I always come away with Turkish breads, herbs like rocket and dill, and fruit and vegetables imported direct from Turkey. They have really obscure things like sumac, a sour berry that is used in cooking in Eastern Mediterranean countries, and you can buy Iranian pistachios and walnuts by the kilo.' Sam also recommends Michli & Son in Haringey, a real treasure trove run by an eccentric Cypriot. 'Michli sells vegetables and plants that he imports direct from Cyprus.'

Allegra McEvedy ES
ES's own chef, Allegra McEvedy, raves about specialist shops where the owners really care about the products. 'Birgit, for example, who runs The Spice Shop in Elgin Crescent, knows all there is to know about spices and sells every kind of seasoning imaginable. The spices come in small 100g bags so you finish them up while they're still fresh. Just round the corner on Portobello Road is Kingsland Butcher, which specialises in rare breeds and sells excellent organic meat. Wednesday is the best day to go in, and ask for Phil. For a Middle Eastern browse, go to Damas Gate on the Uxbridge Road. As well as meat, vegetables and spices, they sell big bunches of fresh parsley and coriander. Check out the jars of strange fruits and bottles of rose water - a few drops taste delicious in rice pudding.'

For fish, Allegra uses The Fish Shop attached to Kensington Place restaurant. 'They only have seasonal produce, so everything tastes great, but the sea bass and cod are stunning. It's all prepared right there in front of you. Thursday is the best day to go, and if you have any questions, speak to Clive. It is a bit expensive but it's worth it.'

Ross Burden TV Chef
Television chef Ross Burden says the shops he seeks out again and again have a lot do with the attitude of the staff. 'So many places are incredibly snooty and huff and puff if you ask for anything out of the ordinary. Even I feel intimidated in Camisa, an Italian deli in Soho, and they know I'm a chef. Whereas at Lina Stores on Brewer Street, they think it's marvellous when you speak to them in pigeon Italian. I go there for proper Italian pasta, pulses and mozzarella. They are really helpful and don't mind if you just want a bit of this and that. It's like being in Italy. And the Iberian deli Garcia on Portobello Road is fabulous for olives stuffed with anchovies and baby squid in olive oil. I always buy the end of their Spanish hams - it's great in stews and cassoulets.'

For booze, Ross suggests you forget the chains. 'Try independent places like La Reserve Wines. 'They only buy in small quantities so their wines are more expensive but always taste delicious. Lea & Sanderman, a really old-fashioned wine shop in Notting Hill, is another great shop. The last time I was there they had an island of cases of old Vouvray at tombola prices. I picked up three bottles of Castermarle 1973. We came to a gentlemen's agreement of £17 a bottle. The wine was sublime and easily worth four times that amount.'