Eating out: a snapshot of FLINTA+ chefs at London's hottest queer restaurants

Easting out in London has never been more enjoyable.

The culture of pop ups and guest chefs, make for a luscious and exciting culinary landscape, whether you stumble across a coincidental collab or your ear is firmly to the ground listening for the next rumbling of a residency. 

As with literally every other aspect of culture, queer people are and have been at the forefront of that vibrancy. From Bleecker Burger's Zan Kaufman founding the company in 2012, to musician Denai Moore’s vegan antics with Flaky patties, the LGBTQIA+ community is always serving (in vans, in market stalls, bars and pubs...) and right now the lesbians, queer women, and non-binary people are leading the way. 

But what is queer food? Does that question even make sense? And what’s lesbian food beyond tacos? (That line of enquiry is even less funny now that Hungry Dykes made that bad joke a delicious reality.) Could 'queer food' embody the authenticity and commitment delivered by Grace Lunn in Thai chive cakes at The Begging Bowl, or the flamboyance of French cuisine in the hands of the chefs at Flock?

So far, I’ve gathered some important points on what we mean when we talk about 'queer food'. It’s about commitment to the bit, helping each other out, hustle, and being utterly uncompromising when it comes to working with your ex. 

ZAN KAUFMAN (she/her) – FOUNDER, BLEECKER BURGER 

What if I told you the best burger in Britain was also gay as hell? Winner of the National Burger Award 2020 and 2024, Bleecker Burger, was founded by out and proud lesbian Zan Kaufman in 2012 from a van in Dalston. “The brand has evolved to be more gay and queer over the years,” says Kaufman, providing a platform to figure out “how we fit into society with a bit more power.” Over a decade in, Zan and Bleecker have established friendships with other queer food business owners in central London, like Meriel Armitage of Club Mexicana and Emma Reynolds of Tonkotsu. “Is it a community? It’s more that we know who the others are – we do collaborations and all try to help each other a little bit.” 

And if you want to know how you go from a food truck to 8 (yes, eight) brick and mortar restaurants in 13 years? Ask for help. “People will answer questions if you ask them. People just admire that kind of behaviour, it's only seen as ‘this person is someone who’s going places.’” 

Her other tip? “Hustle and grind as long as you can before taking on any kind of serious money.” 

Aside from raising money for Mermaids with a special edition milkshake, the gayest thing about Bleecker? The words “I learned to be gay in Soho” on the window of their new spot in Soho – a direct quote from Zan herself.

DENAI MOORE (she/her) – FOUNDER, FLAKY; AUTHOR, PLENTIFUL

Yes, that Denai Moore, the incredible genre-free musician, also has a pop-up vegan patty business and published, Plentiful, a vegan Jamaican cookbook. “Patties are the first thing that I eat when I land in Jamaica, it's embedded in me.” For Moore, the book, the music, the patties are all connected by her identity: “Queerness has impacted every element in my life. I’m at the centre of all my creative ventures and food is no different than any other expression for me.” 

Described as “your neighbourhood patty shop that’s also vegan,” Moore’s pop up patty shop, Flaky comes from her desire to bring that feeling along with authentic, Jamaican, vegan nourishment to London. “It’s a project that's very close to my heart and I have some exciting pop-ups coming in 2025!” 

So what’s this queer multi-hyphenate’s top bisexual spot to eat in London? “Toad in Peckham. It’s queer-owned and exudes this confident, playful, creative flair that no other bakery possesses in London at the moment.” The order? “Their dark choc soy sauce cookie is genius! A flaky, messy, elegantly crafted pastry and an iced coffee is the right way to start the weekend.” 

FLORRIE KICKHAM & LUCY TIMM – FOUNDERS, FLOCK 

“Julia Childs is our ultimate food hero,” agree both Flock founders, Florrie and Lucy. “Like her, we are not originally French but take French food very seriously – but not ourselves.” Self-described as “classic French dining but with more pizazz, elegance and flamboyance,” balanced with “humble, simple french cookery” Flock are part cream-topped Cherry blancmange in a sterling silver coup, part rotisserie chicken and fries at delightfully lowkey wine bar Bruno. 

Born out of an emulsion of belief and defiance, Florrie and Lucy flew the coop after a combined 20 years in kitchens. “We kept asking ourselves after having seen so many other talented chefs go off and do their own thing, why can't we?” Supported by partners and co-workers, they now find themselves back at what seems to be their spiritual home, the stunningly sumptuous Roses of Elagbalus, exploring dishes that are “more playful, queer and aesthetically it fits so well with their interior, vibe and feel” at the Dalston queer venue. 

Serving in such outwardly (Roses) and implicitly (Bruno) queer places, it's no surprise that queerness and food interact for Flock. “We believe queerness is community and community is vital when it comes to food. I think in times like these having a crowded table is really important and food is a great unifier.”

GRACE LUNN (she/her) – CHEF, THE BEGGING BOWL 

Alongside the queer people who have founded fantastic food businesses, there are equally brilliant queer chefs that are the backbone of countless kitchens around the city. Grace Lunn is one of those chefs, working her way up from kitchen porter at authentic Thai restaurant The Begging Bowl in Peckham. 

Kitchens and queerness are integrally linked in Lunn’s experience. “The confidence I’ve found through my queerness has definitely been there with finding my confidence in the kitchen. It takes a certain strength to be strong in your queerness and I feel the same goes for being in the kitchen.”

For Lunn, a career development is about authenticity and experience. “I need to see more of the world, I would love to travel more and experience different cultures and their foods. My current restaurant, the Begging Bowl in Peckham, has taught me so much about authentic Thai food – I’d love to have that amount of knowledge for different cuisines and maybe even bring them together in the future.” 

SOPHIA ROSSER (she/her) & ALEX ROD (they/them) – FOUNDERS, HUNGRY DYKES

Remember the pop-up lesbian fried quesadilla craze of 2022? No? Well you missed out. “It was kind of surreal.” says co-founder Alex. They remember “trans folks, lesbians, gays, even curious straights were showing up rocking Hungry Dykes shirts” and that feeling that “okay, this is actually something bigger than us.” Hungry Dykes comprises Alex Rod and Sophia Rosser, who are, in spectacularly predictable lesbian fashion, exes. 

After a wild sell-out run of collabs with the likes of Three Sheets Dalston and Wingnut Wines, Alex and Sohpia took a hiatus in which Alex traveled to Bali, but they are musing on a possible return to the frier. “Ah, the million-dollar question,” says Alex. “Sophia and I have had our fair share of 2am soul-searching chats about this.” It’s the kind of queer notoriety that must be hard to walk away from… “I’m not sure if Hungry Dykes is ever truly over,” adds Sophia. “We might have something in the pipeline…”

Their tips on the dykiest spots in London? Sophia’s vote is “Either of Dough Hands’ spaces – The Spurstowe in Dalston and The Old Nun’s Head in Peckham. Obviously La Camionera in Hackney." Alex has an addition: “I’d add The Sun Tavern to that list.”