Neal's Yard Salad Bar

KMG

Hit and Miss 22nd July 2009

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Now I love Neal's Yard Salad Bar, and I go there more than any other vegetarian/vegan place because of its handy location, but it does tend to be a bit of a hit-and-miss affair.

Decor is wonderful: bright, eccentric and eclectic - and the restaurant fills almost all of Neal's Yard. Wonderful atmosphere.

My primary problem is the service. Sometimes you have to go and hunt down a waiter to get you a table. If you get a takeaway, they always frown at you and are very apathetic. One thing I cannot stand is bad customer service - lived in London all my life so I should be used to it - but there's no need to be rude.
Upon being seated a guy comes up to you and asks if you 'plan to eat'. (Strange, seeing as it's what they specialise in...) He then asks if you plan to use cash - they don't take cards which is really inconveient in an area where there are so many cash point queues! Sometimes orders are taken wrong and you don't get what you asked for. Some waiters are really lovely and are very welcoming to regulars- it's totally the luck of the draw.

It does a great range of vegan desserts, which are well priced - chcolate prestigio cake is a wonderfully moist chocolate/coconut vegan cake. (For quite a price you can order a personalised whole one for birthdays etc which they very kindly prepared for us) Ginger and berry tart is wonderfully balanced in taste - though often served hot and cold (too little time in the microwave I think). Mango truffle is another gorgeous vegan dessert.

Similarly starters are delicious - vegan bruschettas are gorgeous, fried kibe balls are yummy, and so is the spinach quiche. The vegan pizza is peculiar. Very sweetcorny, and uses too much vegan mayo for my taste. The base is always rock hard as well. Sometimes served hot, sometimes cold.

Mains and drinks are very very overpriced. Almost £4 for juice (though pineapple and mint is a must-try), even tea is more expensive than it should be. Milkshakes are nice, so nice they're almost worth the price. There isn't a lot of choice for mains. There are generally about two vegan choices, feijoada is nice but £11 (which I consider pricey), and meal of the day tends to be same-y - lot of veg and starchy food cooked into a slightly stodgy stew.
Sometimes they serve noodles, and a fruity curry which are so tasty - but this is once in a blue moon. Generally it's risotto or couscous, which are so similar I can't tell them apart. The salads for which they are famous tend to be really rather bland and expensive, and avoid pumpkin and pole.nta pie - to dry and stodgy to swallow without a lot to wash it down.

In my advice - go for a wide range of starters and sides - go for two rather than a main meal - it'll still be cheaper - and then enjoy the desserts. Alternatively, brave the stern-faced man behind the counter and get a takeaway and eat in the Yard itself - it'll feel the same as one of the tables outside.

nip_and_nosh

Unimpressed 28th October 2008

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I went to Neil's Yard excited about the idea of a salad bar... Maybe this was my mistake, expecting there to be salad - but can you blame me, with a name like that?

Upon going in, I saw that salad bar actually meant 4-5 different mayonaise-filled concoctions.. To me, salad has lettuce.. and lots of other nice vegetables or meats added to it.. typically, salads should be quite light and healthy... It just wasn't the case here nor was it my expectation.

We sat upstairs and the table service was some of the slowest I have ever received in London. We ordered some hot food and it was bland and lukewarm... and still took such a long time to get to us even though it looks like there isn't much that is made on the spot (sort of premade offerings, like a cafeteria style).

I would not recommend this place unless you just want to come in the summer months to take advantage of their nice location and tables outside... I'd also stick with things like smoothies and coffee just to be on the safe side... anything else is at your own risk!

sue at 29/10/08

What is it with the British and their mayonnaise obsession. Yuck!

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nispero

Neal's Yard 22nd August 2008

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Neals Yard Salad Bar is placed in a lovely place and is located very central in the heart of Coven Garden.
The square is full of colours and plants, and the ambient is very calm. That’s hard to find so being so close to Covent Garden market.
They have many tables inside and also outside, with heaters in case it gets cold.
Any kind of juices, smoothies and cafes are available, and of course, tasty desserts to go with them. They also have more food, but I haven’t tasted yet. The prices aren't cheap and don't accept credit cards with is a mess.

counterfest

Give it some Credit 16th April 2007

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So far this little cafe has been given bad reviews so I am giving it a good one:

I went there on a very hot april day with my best friend, the buzz is wonderful, the colours of the walls surrounding the cafe were beautiful.

I had a lemon and rum tea and my friend had a cafe latte and we shared a carrot muffin which was loverly, we were so relaxed that we could have fell asleep there.

The price was good as well we managed to afford all of this with our spare change. I really enjoyed it and it was the highlight of the day.

belinda

Flashback - 1995 2nd November 2006

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Back in 1995 when I first visited Neal's Yard I thought it was pretty cool. 11 years on and sadly the food has remained in the 90's, the cool crowd has moved on to be replaced by tourists looking for the cool crowd.

I found the food to be nothing but flavourless mish-mash and with a bill equal to a four star restaurant.

Sadly Neal's Yard has had its day and it survives on its reputation for something that is no longer there.

jo104 at 29/03/07

I must say I tend to agree with you Neal's Yard does not have the same buzz or great food as it used to have.

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Buraco

What a salad! 22nd July 2006

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First thing's first - this place aint cheap. Especially if you're used to Brazilian prices, but even if you're working on the London norms, your wallet will not like this place. However, your taste buds probably will. Even avid meat eaters like me found plenty to 'mmm' about in the predominantly veggie/vegan menu. The portions are generous, meaning you may be able to split a large main course between 2 and the options available are not your average fare. Its run by Brazilians so there's a healthy influence of 'comido' on the menu, though I couldn't bring myself to try the vegan feijoada (I mean the crazy hunks of unidentifiable meat is the point of feijoada isn't it?) or the ludricrously overpriced fresh fruit juices (£4 a pop). Despite the price factor, though it is all-in-all a very pleasant place to enjoy a tasty meal on a warm summer day. The sheltered outdoor location is a funky, yet tranquil haven in the midst of the Covent Garden craziness, so why not swing by and check it out. Nice bogs n'all!