Last Updated on October 14, 2025
4.0 out of 5.0 starsIconic cakes and salads in Ottolenghi Hampstead’s light-filled space
Ottolenghi is both the man and the brand that changed the way many people cook, not only in the UK but in countries around the world, where he is hugely popular. The first Ottolenghi deli, co-founded by Sami Tamimi, opened in Notting Hill in 2002, introducing cakes and salads that became icons of the Ottolenghi style. Since then, Ottolenghi cookbooks have popularised items like za’atar, harissa, and preserved lemons, which one could previously only find in Middle Eastern stores. Nowadays, they are available in supermarkets and online from Ottolenghi itself. Over the past two decades, several Ottolenghi restaurants, including the renowned ROVI in Marylebone, have opened in London, alongside a proliferation of Ottolenghi Delis.
Invited to review the recently opened Ottolenghi Hampstead, one of the delis, I took a friend for lunch and a catch-up. The atmosphere was so convivial that we spent four hours there. Of all the eateries in Hampstead, Ottolenghi has the most attractive outdoor terrace, along with blankets for the cooler days ahead. We sat inside, our backs to the glass wall that overlooks the patio and the street beyond, where we were warmed by the afternoon sun. There are two adjoining spaces at Ottolenghi Hampstead. One enters via the deli section, where shelves are packed with spices, relishes, pastes, sauces, oils, cookbooks, cookies and more. You can do all your foodie festive shopping here, as everything is beautifully packaged. The cooks in your life will no doubt be delighted with any of the array of items available. The deli window features the iconic Ottolenghi deli display, showcasing gorgeous cakes. The deli counter displays a selection of the classic Ottolenghi salads.
The adjoining room is a light-filled space where one can enjoy a meal or a coffee and cake. It was packed at lunchtime. A long wall is filled with vibrant, original art and bright orange banquettes. Service is efficient and friendly. The lunchtime menu is small but offers interesting nibbles, a soup, a couple of fish dishes, one lamb dish, one chicken dish, and the famous salads.
We began our lunch at Ottolenghi Hampstead with a couple of non-alcoholic drinks. Botivo is a non alcoholic drink that has become very popular, and here it was mixed with ginger. My friend had an alcohol-free margarita with tamarind, which had a pretty orange hue and a salt and chilli rim. We nibbled on za’atar pita chips with yoghurt and chilli shatta – a fermented chilli sauce that in this case was mildly spicy.
The Ottolenghi Hampstead lunch menu had several options. There were four dishes served warm from the kitchen – a soup, fish, lamb or broccolini. Then there were three cold options – salmon, roast chicken or vegetarian quiche served with salads. Lastly, one could choose a selection of three or four salads from the seven arranged on the counter.
I ordered grilled sea bream served on a spinach and Swiss chard borani. The fish was perfectly grilled and served with tiny red cubes of crunchy, chard stems. I like the Ottolenghi philosophy of using every part of their ingredients, ensuring that nothing goes to waste. The borani was a pleasing combination of greens and garlic, adding textural contrast and good flavour to the fish.
My fish came with two salads from the counter, I selected roasted aubergine with black garlic tahini and herby giant couscous, along with hispi cabbage with chilli and garlic. The aubergine had been roasted to the perfect tenderness, and the black garlic tahini added extra flavour. The hispi cabbage had plenty of char, which gave it that lovely griddled flavour. It had some welcome heat from strips of dried red chilli and extra flavour from a generous scattering of fried garlic flakes.
My friend was presented with a most colourful plate. She selected a cold, char-grilled Loch Duart salmon with ranch dressing, along with two salads. The fish was a generous portion, a lovely orange pink with attractive sear marks. Yellow roasted cauliflower with mustard, capers and cherry tomatoes was tender yet retained some bite. It had a good dressing. Green beans with peach, pumpkin seeds and lime leaf dressing, brought vibrant green and orange colours with Thai flavours.
Portions being generous at Ottolenghi Hampstead, we took a break before addressing the important matter of dessert. I don’t always eat dessert as I prefer savoury dishes. At an Ottolenghi Deli, that would be a mistake even if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth. The iconic oversized meringues were on display naturally, but we were drawn to the cakes. What a selection, each more lovely than the next. Stumped for choice, we shared three cakes between us. Of course, it was too much, yet I have no regrets.
Vanilla financier with figs and berries was our favourite. It was beautifully topped with fruit – berries and figs perched above sour cream, which all cut through the richness of the moist almond cake. It was not overly sweet and was very well balanced.
Flourless orange and almond cake with chocolate ganache was another fabulous creation. A round cake, it had the glossiest ganache that was irresistibly luscious. It had a lovely texture, and the melange of almond and orange flavours melded with a ganache of dreams. It was, in essence, the best Jaffa cake one could eat.
Sicilian lemon, olive cake with bay leaf, was the third delicacy we could not resist. It was a mini-bundt cake, topped with a citrussy, Sicilian lemon and herb icing, which added zing to the cake subtly flavoured with bay. The cake was moist and not too sweet.
Ottolenghi Hampstead is a light-filled, inviting space serving the iconic Ottolenghi salads and cakes. It serves breakfast, teas, lunch and dinner. The deli shelves are packed with a wide range of Middle Eastern spices, relishes, pastes and marinades. From oils and sauces to cookies and flatbreads, the deli has a great range of gift items for the festive season and throughout the year. If you do not yet own the full range of Ottolenghi cookbooks, you will be spoilt for choice. Whether you are in Hampstead to do a spot of shopping, live in the area, or are visiting Hampstead Heath for a picnic, the Ottolenghi Deli will feed you well.
Ottolenghi Hampstead,
32 Rosslyn Hill,
Hampstead
London
NW3 1NH
T: 0203 7616960
We will be in Hampstead Heath on September 29th and would like to make a dinner reservation for six people.. Do we need to make a reservation? Do you offer drinks?