Archipelago

I made reservations about a week before and a day before our visit I got a call to give me a password. The mystery began there and lasted till we stepped out of the restaurant after our meal.
I can’t deny that I was left a little disillusioned as soon as we entered the place. The seating area with our table seemed a little crammed to me, but once we were settled, I was too involved in the rest of the experience to bother about space issues.
The menu is wild in every sense of the word — croc meat, kangaroo, locusts, python — didn’t I tell you — WILD! I have been to restaurants that serve exotic meat, but what was unique about Archipelago for me is that every meal is like a makeover for the meat. its not just a meat fest; there are several other aspects that add to the overall experience. Like the croc meat — it came wrapped in vine leaves, had some sweet honey poached plums and lovely pickled samphire.
We had croc and blue cheese parfait for starters, alpaca and chicken for mains, Ottomon Bake, Vietnamese coffee and «A visit from the Doctor» for dessert. The blue cheese and chicken were sober choices but even those were an experience with the plating, the various textures and yummy flavors. Must, Must, Must call for a «Visit from the Doctor» for dessert — you’ll know why once you order *wink wink*. Let’s leave some mystery here, shall we?
Drinks are nice — strongly, strongly recommend the Amarula-​based cocktail — a charmer that took me back to my holidays in Kenya.
Archipelago is not a place you can just walk into if you are hungry — its more than just food; its an adventure.

If you’re in London you MUST visit this place! Incredibly exotic cuisine and collection of worldly décor. Great atmosphere paired with a menu you can’t get anywhere else! I highly recommend ordering a few options so you can try the variety they offer.

I went here the other day for my birthday because I wanted to go somewhere a bit different. This place certainly succeeds at that, though not just for the sake of being different; they very much manage to create an entire experience and have great tasting food at the same time.
Firstly if I’m going to go out to a restaurant, then I like there to be a nice atmosphere, nice décor and good food presentation; otherwise I might as well just order a take away.
The minute you enter this place you are welcomed by a very warm and relaxed atmosphere with a myriad of weird and wonderful decorations; segmenting the restaurant into little areas so even if it were to be full, each part is almost insular with it’s own quirks. Decoration is tasteful though, with plenty to talk about. Would totally work as a date location as you couldn’t have an awkward silence sitting next to a fully sized peacock and opposite an alligator on the wall.
The service is great, very welcoming waiters who at every plate explained what is was we were about to dare put in our mouths in a very easy to understand way; seeing as there was lots going on in each dish, it was a nice touch.
So next and most importantly, the food. As that’s generally what people go to restaurants for…
Opening up the treasure box in the middle of the table reveals a set of scrolls which greet you with dishes such as snake carpaccio, crocodile and salad with added ‘wildlife.‘
Because there were so many exotic dishes, we each got a different dish and shared them so we could try as many things as possible. Every single dish is laid out with such care it is honestly art. The plates combined with how the food is presented was truly beautiful. Top marks for that.
Firstly to start we had snake Burmese embrace (snake carpaccio,) Crocodile, and Zebra Jerky. Out of all of these the snake was my least favourite. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice, but the others were insane. The snake was quite a dry piece and didn’t have as much flavour as the others. Quite subtle. Quite a novel piece and I’m glad I tried it but it’s not something I’d get again. The crocodile was absolutely gorgeous, melted in my mouth more than any other meat I’ve eaten and there was so much flavour going on in those vine wraps and the samphire it comes with is very well done too. Zebra jerky was quite ‘melty’ too but with more bite first and texture. Crodile was by far the best though. SO MUCH FLAVOUR in the crocodile and Zebra.
Mains we had Kangaroo, alpaca and Bison steak. I wasn’t a fan of the alpaca, the sauce tasted wonderful but I didn’t like the taste of the meat and the texture wasn’t great either, it’s similar to pulled pork in that sense. It was an absolute hit with the rents though so probably worth trying. The kangaroo skewers were exploding with flavour and had a very full texture. Not too much else on the plate if you want to be full, may want their coconut rice which tasted awesome to fill you up. Bison steak was out of this world, I’m a big fan of steak and it didn’t disappoint. Very fibrous but it wasn’t chewy, with a really rich flavour. It also came with lovely filled blue potatoes and the best ceasar salad I have ever had. No joke. Thoroughly recommend. For pudding we had an Acai, hybiscus & raspberry jelly, avocado custard and pistachio cream dish. Very sweet and tangy jelly, very smooth and the custard was so subtle and paired nicely texture was. The pistachio cream was unreal. If you like pistachios then that’s the dish for you. Brown butter ice cream and honey & butter caramel sauce. No idea who thought of that flavour for an ice cream but I’d like to congratulate them We all loved this one, not too sweet at all. Finally we had caramel meal worms with bilinis and a coconut sauce with vodka jelly. The mealworms were so good, I love the texture and it goes perfectly with the smooth creamyness of the coconut cream. Very rich dish. The jelly was gross though. The texture was like the texture of the blue jelly that you get in ice packs, but in my mouth and thoroughly unwelcome. The rest of the dish was splendid though and although it sounds horrifying, I do recommend.
This place is very pricey though and as the dishes are quite small I’d recommend getting some sides to fill you up, so be prepared to spend a fair bit.
TLDR; Great atmosphere, décor and service. Much to talk about. Beautifully presented food filled with many complimenting flavours and contrasting textures. Quite pricey and slightly small portions so advisable to get sides. Dishes to get: Crocodile, Bison steak or kangaroo skewers and the caramel mealworms.

An interesting choice of name for a restaurant… Seeing the word Archipelago conjured images of a small chain of plates in an ocean of a table slowing floating into my mouth. However, after reading some of the other Unilocal reviews and looking at the pictures, it looks like I was in for some python carpaccio and crunchy crickets floating… or should I say jumping and slithering into my exotic-​taste seeking adventure cave, otherwise known as… my mouth.
Coming to Archipelago, you should brace yourself for a bit of culinary adventure. The interior is a dark jungle of all kinds of ethnic islander hodge podge and you will discover the map leading to gastronomic treasures (aka the menu) inside the small treasure chest on your table. After the local inhabitants cleanse your hands of London transportation grime with holy water and rose petals, you are almost ready to begin your trek into each island of flavour!
Obviously we ordered bottles of wine because unlike your luggage, alcoholism is something you can easily carry with you where ever you go sans an EasyJet baggage fee! After ensuring our survival through being hydrated, we ordered what we thought would be most thrill seeking: python carpaccio, crickets, crocodile, bunny chow, and other various forms of game meat from throughout the universe (although they didn’t have unicorn meat…)
Anyway, I thought most of the food was… well… as the local inhabitants might say or in English… aight. The croc was delightful with a strong green curry flavour, the python was like a nice soft snake jerky and the crickets more provide entertainment as you watch your friends either wince when your first bite creates an echo of crrrrunch, or chomp away those insect bites like meat had gone out of style. The meat dishes were just ok for me, but the omnivores at my table relished in raw gaminess of the wildlife flesh. Unfortunately, the dish I was really looking forward to, Bunny Chow, was the saddest culinary visit during our adventure. My first bunny chow was in a dirty kiosk of a mall in Johannesburg (B-​chow comes from South Africa) and although it’s preparation seemed slightly sketchy and the dough wasn’t fully cooked, it was the best bread versus curry combination I’ve put in my belly. However, the B-​chow served to me by the locals of Archipelago did not at all live up to the reputation of that dirty little mall kiosk. In fact, visually I wouldn’t be able to recognize it at B-​chow let alone the bland and bitter taste of it.
But all in all, we had a pleasant time during our adventure at Archipelago and can now forever seal our journals of our trip in the LonelyPlanet for Food, otherwise known as Unilocal.Oh… you didn’t think we would leave our journey without some sweets did you?! Obviously, I couldn’t leave without having some meal worm action! So as a dessert, which ended up being my favourite dish, I had the meal worm in peanut butter dessert. One bite from this produces a large and satisfied grin from my mouth, give or take a couple of mutilated worms mangled in my happy teeth.
So would I frequent another visit to this tropical exotic foreign food land? Probably not only because nothing was sooooo good to warrant another visit. But I would definitely recommend this place to those who are looking for something different… or if you just want to eat some good old protein rich crunchy bugs!!!

I was really nervous to try some of the food on the menu, but we ended up ordering the python carpaccio, love bug salad (mealworms, locusts and crickets), fried zebra and dessert with bee included. It was all AMAZING. I would definitely come here again!!! Besides the fact that the menu has very exotic meat and strange items it was all extremely well cooked and delicious. Recommend for everyone!

Exotic food made to taste. My husband booked this place for my birthday and I was not very sure how this would be. I was quite apprehensive before going there, once I reached there, looking at the menu, ordering food. The apprehension disappeared when I ate what I ordered.
This place is a classic example of ‘it’s all in the mind’. However, I should specially mention the chef who has taken the time to create a dish out of exotic meat. Unless the chef is exceptionally good, it would be impossible to handle such complex produce and create some thorn spectacular out of it.
For people who want to try something new and different, this is your one stop. Everything here is different.
I totally loved their ambience as well. The service is obviously great.

Quirkly meal. For the ones who dare to go unconventional and love Bear Grylls. Had crickets which at first I expected to be a challenge, like I am in a jungle and trying out for «I’m a celebrity, get me out of here», yet it turned out to be nice crispy experience. Turns out that insects are full of proteins so Happy about this aspect. We also tried kangaroo which was tender and crocodile which was hmmmmm… not something I would be keen on eating again. We missed out on the python, which was 86-​ed. But Massman chicken two ways was pretty amazing. Never thought of befriending chicken and almond butter, but works like a charm. Prices are quite high but how often do you really eat such exotic menu? I’m pretty sure this place is more a ‘one time experience’ or ‘rather seldom’. However I encourage anyone to go and try for themselves. Decoy alone is something unique and the ambience is very unusual.

On my trip to London, I wanted to try some things, I can’t get at home. When I googled, I found this place — took a look at the menu and though– I’m in.
zebra, alpaca, python, crocodile, kangaroo, bugs
The prices are high, I admit that, but you get what you pay for. The service is excellent. They tend to your hand and feet. I was amazed by the little pill that turns into a towel when it is dropped into water.
The atmosphaere and decorations are very gorgeous and exotic.
They offer vegetarian options as well, so don’t worry.

Scoped out the adventurous menu one evening while strolling by and decided I had to try it the next night. SO glad I did!
Ordered the crocodile, zebra and green salad with love bugs. All three were very delicious and I’d recommend them to anyone wanting to try something a little different but not challenging on the pallet.
Service was great and the little touches of a warm hand towel experience (you’ll see what I mean when you go!) made it a special meal.
I especially enjoyed how they paired a spicy chili oil with the crispy bugs and served the croc with flavorful vegetable purees. If anything they could ease off the salt on the zebra but the zebra itself was tender and not very gamey.
Great work, Archipelago!

I wanted to take my boyfriend out for a meal which was quirky, fun, a little bit different but also super yum as we’re both foodies! Archipelago was PERFECT. It ticked all the boxes!
We shared the zebra jerky and alligator dishes for starter — the zebra is a must it was amazingly good! For mains, we shared again and we had the alpaca dish (little bit spicy but very good) and the kangaroo skewers. We also has a side of bug salad!
We had some cocktails too and the chocolate dessert.
The interior is very funky and decorated with Buddhas and exotic trinkets.
The ideal venue for a special treat!

Eclectic, exotic, eccentric and not for the faint of heart, nor for the light of wallet.
Have you ever had the unwavering urge to eat bees, mealworms, or python? No? Nor did I– especially given that I am too squeamish to even touch a worm. However, there is something about this South African safari inspired establishment which supplies you with the right blend of bravery and foolhardy courage. Or maybe it was the copious amounts of wine before they served our appetizer?
The menu is texturally well thought out, with elements of crisp crunchiness, liquid/​soft, and chewiness on each plate. Brilliant in its pairings such as the crispy plantains and buttermilk jelly accompanying the jerked alpaca as well as the vodka jelly and coconut cream along with peanut buttery meal worms makes for a taste experience that transcends mere shock value. There are several chicken and fish items for those with a less exploratory palate.
Appetizers: Crispy zebra jerky; sweet-​chili python carpaccio; crocodile in vine leaves with poached plums
Mains: Marinated kangaroo skewers; jerked alpaca; Bison rump steak
Dessert: brown butter and baby bee ice-​cream; caramel mealworms with bilinis; chocolate covered locusts
The staff at Archipegalo are helpful at giving you some information about what exactly you are ordering, as (unsurprisingly) not everything will be familiar. They do a wonderful job of introducing the various things they bring to your table. A wonderful experience to experience with friends though the bill can get impressive. And they make you book in advance and charge you the full amount if someone is unable to come. Also there was a minimum spend of 50 quid for our group which is a bit steep.

I wanted to go here for so long and when I finally got the chance to go I was so impressed! It was absolutely worth the wait. The menu is fantastic and the quality of food was exceptional. The décor of the restaurant is also quite spectacular, beautiful colours and cosy setting. Can’t wait to go back!

The food was absolutely brilliant. We tried croc, camel and alpaka and kangaroo burgers for starters, followed by bison steak and jerked chicken as mains and it was yummy! My advice would be to go there for dinner though, because during lunch hours we were waiting almost an hour for our order. (To be fair I need to say it was 6 of us, although the order wasn’t that big)

We went to this restaurant for a friends 40^th birthday as she wanted to go somewhere a bit different.
As we had a large group booking on a Saturday night we had to pay a £10 deposit in advance.
The décor is great — very quirky and makes you feel like you’ve gone to a foreign land.
We were sat downstairs, which didn’t get very busy, but it still suited us fine.
We were choosing from a set menu which I think cost about £30−35.
The whole point of the dining experience is to eat different meats and try something a bit bizarre. Think crocodile skewers, bison steaks, kangaroo meat etc.
There are some chicken dishes for the faint hearted and vegetarian options too.
I choose well, luckily. I ate crocodile for my starter and had a delicious main of slow cooked alpaca. It came with a buttermilk jelly and a chili strip which the waiter explained could be used to stir in to the meat if I wanted to make it creamier or spicier.
Lots of the boys paid a little extra for the Bison steaks which they all ordered rare and came out as tough as old boots. A couple is them complained and were told this is how the meat naturally is. I think they should have been told this when ordering. A lot of the steaks were left after a mouthful or two, which is a shame what paying £35 for dinner.
They had a great range of delicious cocktails, so we indulged in a couple.
I think we ended up paying about £50 each, on top of the £10 deposit, so it wasn’t cheap but you go knowing that you’re paying for the strange meat dining experience.
Oh, we also ordered some grubs and insects to try. Which made everyone giggle.
A fun experience, but kind of pricey. I’d still recommend as a fun treat though,

Delightfully quirky — the place to go if you want to try some more unusual cuisine! Some great vegetarian and fish options too. I cant wait to go back to try some other unusual (but generally delicious) food!

Love this place sooo much and its where my husband proposed (when it was down Whitfield st). Such a unique menu with dishes from all over the world. Great place to go if you want to impress someone. If your feeling adventurous they offer chocolate covered scorpions and meal worms! Plus the doctors cocktail is a fun way to end the evening. This place has such quirkiness with no glass matching to the menu like a treasure map! You must try this place at least once in your life!

Eclectic is probably the best word to describe this restaurant. I was looking to book a place for a work social and this place was recommended. It’s not easy trying to find a table for over 10 people in London! What was good about this place was that they had a £45 min spend but it could be with anything — including alcohol — and you don’t have to send your menu choices ahead of time. You do chose from a smaller group menu but they feature the most interesting selections and also a couple of less adventurous ones for the faint hearts.
It was really fun to get the drinks and food menu which were rolled up like a treasure map. While you wait, you get to look around at all the nick nacks on the walls and realise it is such an international collection of items. There’s no clear genre for this cuisine. Just like the décor it really is just a mix of everything possible. We were given a password but they didn’t really ask for it upon arrival!
I ordered the zebra which was really good. It did remind me of beef jerky but much more tender and milder in flavour. For my main, I ordered the alpaca which was spicy and really good but at least for me it was something I couldn’t eat too much of. I got a bit tired of it — even if you try and mix it up with the corn meal a bit — I felt it would’ve gone better if you had some rice or bread with it.
Then it started to become a bit of a fear factor show and out came the bugs. The love bug salad was okay — the worms and locusts were a bit crunchy but definitely nothing I’d care to eat again. The chocolate covered locusts were interesting but thought the carmelised worms were actually really good… but would’ve been just as good or better without the worms! Then came the dessert with the bee. Looks relatively normal until one of my colleagues was bullied into eating the bee. By the look of his face it looks like something he would never want to repeat… just sayin.
We ordered 2 visit from the Doctors… They are quite mysterious about it so I won’t say much. It was very entertaining and would recommend ordering at least 1 or 2.
So in summary, the food definitely a 3. It is quite expensive for something that taste just okay. The experience is a 5+. Such a fun and unique night out and really good for groups. This is a nice place to go at least once but at least for me not something I’d want to do regularly.

A meal of two halves. 5 star starters followed by 3 star mains, but still a good solid 4 star overall experience.
The obvious draw here was the unusual menu, but the experience was more than just that. The telephone call on the day of your reservation to inform you of the password for your booking which you need to provide upon arrival is a good indicator that it is going to be a less than ordinary restaurant meal.
Our table was booked for 19:30 and upon arrival after checking our password we were seated. The décor really works, the tables are garnished with unusual trinkets which serve no purpose other than decoration and this really adds to the ambiance. I felt like I was surrounded by the artefacts collected by an explorer, it was very Tomb Raideresque
I was torn with my choice of starters so I had two, the python and the zebra. Both were great, there was no reliance on the obscurity of the meat to make the dish interesting, both were presented well and were paired with other ingredients to make a dish which really worked. Even now looking back I couldn’t pick between them, I’d order both again.
For my main I had the alpaca. The waiter made a point of warning me it was super hot and spicy, for me this is like drawing a line in the sand. Don’t promise me something will be super hot and spicy if you can’t back that up with something super hot and spicy. It inevitably leads to disappointment, as it did here. When I called him out on this after my food had arrived he simply said it was the hottest thing they made, no offer to try and spice it up a bit more for me. Izy said her main was a bit cold, as though it had been sat around a few minutes before being served. Mine was nice apart from the spice issue but it seemed that as the place really filled up (20:30ish) the kitchen and/​or the waiting staff started to feel the pressure a bit and the quality slid as a result.
It was still a really good meal, I would go back for sure. A good place for those looking for something a bit less ordinary. 2 covers including service was £130, including £45 drinks bill.

Definitely a place to go for if you want that «wow» factor!
One of the most unusual and memorable restaurants I’ve ever been to. The place is filled with random relics and artefacts from various places and cultures around the world, and the food ranges from kangaroo, insects, scorpion, crocodile and zebra.
We tried the zebra which was delicious, and the site claims all the meat is organic and free range — it’s «either farmed or are part of a nationally recognised culling programme… nothing has been irresponsibly taken from the wild.»
Understandably pricey and totally worth it — use a Taste Card if you have one!