Restaurants

The concept of furnishing the city’s time-poor, health-conscious lunch-breakers with a quick-fire menu of Mediterranean superfoods is clearly a hit. Recognition of Leon’s righteousness has over the years allowed it to expand into a nine-branch London wonder. The cafés are tiled in primary colours and teem with artfully rustic tat – coffee grinders, wooden crates, empty honey pots. Praise has been heaped on the firm, although our recent visits have hinted that complacency may have crept in. Vegetarian roasted mushroom and plum tomato breakfast baps were satisfyingly rich yet had dry, unappealing bread. Portions of the lunchbox superfood salads seemed rather small when opened in the office. A recent sit-down dinner presented us with a ceaseless stream of let-downs: from an overpoweringly lemony houmous and rubbery sliced chorizo, to a meagre main of moroccan meatballs and another of dried-out Devonshire Red chilli chicken, the latter whipped away by over-eager staff while the last mouthful was still being mulled over. A cracking concept this may be, but more love and attention is needed.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009