G
ood news for the health-conscious: a second outpost of independent west London café Portobello Juice has landed opposite punk pub The Unicorn.
They’ll be whizzing up nutritious shakes and serving up salads, build-your-own sarnies and homemade soups. Vegan? There’ll be plant-based goodies galore, with sweetcorn fritters, raw cake slices and intriguing-sounding hemp croquettes.
The main focus is juices and smoothies: “People love the Brazilian acai berry bowls – they’re kind of like frozen sherbert, yoghurty in texture, quite popular when it’s warmer,” says manager Daniel Santa.
We like what’s called a Passion – crisp apple, balanced with sweet pineapple and tart passion fruit (the seeds are thrown in for good measure adding a bit of crunch). Coffee, meanwhile, is courtesy of Austrian brand Julius Meinl, one of the oldest roasters in the world.
“In Portobello we’ve been doing quite a lot with Deliveroo, so we thought we’d try another location,” says Daniel. “I used to live down the road on Hillmarton, so I know the area. It’s the same kind of vibe, another ‘market town’, so we thought it would fit in well,” he says. “The prices are going to be a bit less here,” he adds.
Like its older sister out west, the exterior is super striking – eye-catching flashes of colour sit on a dark grey background. “It’s the work of a French graffiti artist,” says Daniel.
“Being on the corner, a lot of people pass through – the building stands out quite a lot, no one’s complained yet.” And yes, that is faux grass you can see.
The artificial greenery continues inside. “It’s a bit different and goes with the juice theme,” says Daniel. “We let pets come in, dogs like it,” he adds. “People can sit and do their work whilst they have a drink; we’re providing phone chargers and wifi.”
So take the laptop and hang out: nourishing thirst-quenchers and wholesome food await you.
