British chef, cookery writer and restaurant owner Yotam Ottolenghi’s vibrant, colorful food is rooted in his Middle Eastern upbringing. His dishes showcase a distinctive mix of Middle Eastern flavors -- Syrian, Turkish, Lebanese, Iranian, Israeli and Armenian -- with a Western twist. The first Ottolenghi deli in Notting Hill in 2002, with an aim to sell the best take away food in London. Three more gourmet delis opened in Islington, Kensington (which closed in 2013) and Belgravia (2007). His formal restaurant, NOPI, opened in 2011. Signature creations include butternut squash salad with red onion, roasted squash with tahini and za’atar, roasted aubergine with turmeric yogurt and pomegranate seeds, chargrilled broccoli with chili and fried garlic and enormous meringues. There is a big table in the back that everyone who wants to eat in can sit around, if you're lucky enough to find space.