London Bodega

We found a deliciously delightful Bodega/restaurant on Yelp one block from the Imperial War Museum while searching for a place to eat. We were intrigued by the menu offerings, the atmosphere, and
it’s proximity to our flat, so off we went.

We had been extremely unhappy by the previous two meals on our arrival in London, not only by the food but also by their price. Both experiences left us disappointed. I wrote about that in another post here.

The walk from our flat was supposed to be a short seven minutes which was just the right amount time and exercise. We were hungry.

The walk took much less time than we thought.

Since it was early we took a chance and were right; Paladar seated us quickly without a reservation.

We were greeted by a cheerful, energetic staff. Paladar is relatively new, having been open only nine months. While we were early arriving (before 6 pm on a week night) we were not the first patrons there. It seemed that there were others nestled in the back, very comfortable in their surroundings—and with the menu. I assumed that they must have been regulars.

And as the night went on, the restaurant filled up with newcomers like us, as well as with established patrons. A London city councilwoman came for dinner with a guest. Others were celebrating milestones like graduations from medical school.

This restaurant attends to subtle details, making it more of an experience than just a dinner out. Each month a new South American painter is featured in the restaurant and their paintings are on display for purchase.

By the time we were enjoying this month’s painter in the cycle, several of the artist’s paintings had already been sold. The featured paintings stay up until the end of the month so that the restaurant has all of the paintings covering the walls for the entire month. This adds to the ambiance and intrigue of the atmosphere.

The mural on the back wall was designed and painted by one of the partners.

They have an open kitchen with an opportunity for guests to eat and sample right next to the chef’s creations in a private room off the main dining room.

They also have a garden area in the back and a basement where they are planning their expansions. I was eager to hear about their vision of the future.

They have so much enthusiasm and it exudes into their business model and everything they do. This is much more than just a place to eat. And the staff is so knowledgeable in the menu choices and options.

They also do take suggestion and critiques with grace and charm. The boyfriend and I made a suggestion after the meal and they were delightfully patient with us. I am not sure they will implement our suggestion but they were kind as we offered it, definitely showing their professionalism.


Everything on the menu was gluten free and nothing seemed forced. We had five dishes as recommended by our lovely hostess (and partner in the establishment). She seemed to know just what we would want. By the end of the meal we were full and so happy.

Everything was all so delicious.

The bill came in a Cuban cigar box. Just one of the many small touches making this a memorable experience. Bravo!


As we were leaving, the boyfriend said “one of my top five meals ...” and you know what had to be bumped from his ‘Top Five’ for him to say that.

So the next time you find yourself even close to Westminster or Waterloo or the Imperial War Museum, take a trip to Paladar. You will not be disappointed. Tell them the boyfriend and I sent you.