London’s Indigo Restaurant at One Aldwych Hotel – All Gluten & Dairy-Free (But Not Vegan!)

Indigo Restaurant within One Aldwych Hotel in London. Photo courtesy of One Aldwych.

The One Aldwych Hotel in London has a unique restaurant called “Indigo.” It’s the only restaurant I’ve ever heard of, in fact, that serves an entirely gluten-free and dairy-free menu. No, it isn’t vegan. There is meat on the menu, but no gluten and no dairy products. This is perfect for me, as I eat meat but try to avoid the other two. It was a pleasure not having to ask if there was milk or cheese in any of the dishes that interested me.

My dairy-free chocolate mousse and pistachio “ice cream” at Indigo in London. Photo by Melanie Votaw.

I haven’t had chocolate mousse in years because I can’t have dairy products, but I was able to have a delicious dairy-free chocolate mousse and pistachio “ice cream” at Indigo without being able to tell they contained no cream or milk. In fact, Indigo’s Executive Chef Dominic Teague cut the gluten and dairy from his menu quietly in the beginning, and diners didn’t even suspect it. The gluten and dairy alternatives used include almond milk, coconut oil, buckwheat flour, olive oil, and rice milk.

Dairy-free watercress soup with poached egg at Indigo in London. Photo by Melanie Votaw.

Indigo is located on a mezzanine floor where you can overlook the lobby. My friend and I sat in orange cushioned chairs and enjoyed watching the activity below. The menu includes items like gluten-free, hand-rolled gnocchi and dairy-free watercress soup with poached Burford Brown hen’s egg. Or try the Brixham monkfish braised in lemongrass, coriander, and coconut milk. Of course, the menu is seasonal and changes periodically, but everything we ate was excellent.

My chicken dish at Indigo in London. Photo by Melanie Votaw.

The author of this article received a complimentary meal at this restaurant but is dedicated to providing a non-biased assessment of her experience.

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Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.

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