Appalachia, a new restaurant on Nile Street near Old Street in London, is serving authentic Appalachian regional cooking, a cuisine previously absent from the city's dining scene. Chef Ali Borer, formerly of Smoking Goat and Guy Ritchie's Lore of the Land, is not Appalachian himself but is dedicated to the food of the Scots-Irish mountain settlers who preserved and smoked whatever they could in the sparse eastern US region.
A Unique Dining Experience
The restaurant occupies a reclaimed old saloon bar, where diners sit at the counter watching Borer prepare dishes like cheddar and jalapeño cornbread madeleines, which are described as 'good' and 'cheddary, fiery, served hot.' The space is not particularly comfortable, but it feels authentic, much like other hip indie spots that make the best of their surroundings. Downstairs is a whiskey and cocktail bar called Lowcountry, named after South Carolina's coastal region, offering drinks like banana pudding sazerac and bacon fat-washed bourbon cocktails. The non-alcoholic options are also noteworthy, including Jörg Geiger's fruit fermentations, Saicho sparkling teas, and an alcohol-free paloma.
Menu Highlights
The menu is a single, seasonally changing sheet reflecting Borer's nerdy devotion to authenticity. Dishes include chow-chow mignonette on British oysters, pot liquor poured over East Sussex mushrooms, and kilt salad with hot bacon fat. The butter-brined half chicken with miso grits and black pepper gravy is described as 'the star of our meal,' reminiscent of 'Sunday dinner on performance steroids.' The fried green tomato salad on pickled ginger gravy base is praised as one of the best things in London, while the pimento cheeseburger with thick-cut fries is popular. The tongue and head skewer with oyster sauce glaze exemplifies the kitchen's zero-waste ethos. However, the beef tartare tostada was overly spicy, and the banana pudding choux bun had chewy bananas that might actually be plantain.
Final Verdict
Appalachia is not a theme bar or a joke; it is a serious, proud representation of Appalachian regional cooking. It is described as 'one of the absolutely hottest, most interesting spots in town.' The restaurant is open for lunch on Saturdays only (noon-2:30pm) and dinner Wednesday to Saturday (5-9:30pm, last orders). Prices are about £40 a head à la carte, plus drinks and service. The weirdness is delicious, and it is the best Appalachian food in the UK, if not the only.
