Yum Bug is the capital cityâs first restaurant serving up edible insects. Its founders hope to bolster the reputation of bugs as a environmentally-friendly, high-protein food for diners in the West.
For most people, the sight of a bug elicits the reaction of screaming, running away, or maybe â for the drama kings and queens â a little cry. Most of us certainly wouldnât think of eating them.
In recent months, the founders of Londonâs new insect-based restaurant Yum Bug have been trying change that. Aaron Thomas and Leo Taylor launched their bug-based food business with a pop-up back in 2018, but have now opened up permanent eatery in Finsbury Park.
Yum Bug is an intimate dining spot, hosting around 20 people at a time. Its small-plate menu features tiny edible crickets, served up in various ways â sprinkled into roasted vegetable salads, tossed in a Bombay mix, stuffed inside taco shells, or powdered in caramel baklava.
Understanding the potential to be grossed out by the prospect of eating insect-based food, guests are given the opportunity to ask questions, allowed time to think over the information they receive, and finally, are asked to make a decision about what theyâd like to order.
So far, reviews of the restaurant suggest the flavours and textures are pretty banging. But why should we be considering eating bugs, anyway?