"The experimental vegan food at this tasting menu restaurant in Shoreditch doesn’t have a mysterious chunk of fake meat in sight. Plates plays with seasonal ingredients, hot sauces, and chilly granitas—and it adds up to a truly delicious meal that stands out from the crowd. Come to this warm, countrified little restaurant when you fancy switching up your usual special occasion rotation, but still want to wipe a plate of mung bean lasagna clean. It’s worth trying your luck with same-week cancellations. Input all the dates you want and join the waitlist for an email if a cancellation pops up. For those that don’t suffer from full inbox anxiety syndrome, you can also sign up to their newsletter to be the first to know about new reservation slots. Alternatively, they’ve been known to have space for solo diners so give that a try too." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager, sinead cranna