About.com Rating

Yog, the pro-biotic frozen yogurt made with 100% fresh organic British skimmed milk, is billed as "the world's first superfood". I'd heard good things about it being tasty too so I visited the Charlotte Street store to see if its claims were justified.

A Superfood?

This is not your standard "fro-yo".

• Yog is made from fresh, organic, British skimmed milk:
  Frozen yogurt in the US often uses powdered milk. Yog is not reconstituted from powder and have they even teamed up with a British dairy farmer so they have a regular supplier of fresh milk and can maintain the quality. (You can see the actual cows which produce the milk on the 'Cow Cam' in store.)

• All natural ingredients:
  No preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors
• Rich in pre- and pro-biotics, which can improve digestive health (What's that?)
• Fat free
• Gluten free
• Only 110 calories per regular tub of the natural variety (Other frozen yogurt stores give the calories per 100g and not the serving size you actually receive)
• Only small amount of natural sugar added

How Does It Taste?
Good! It's tangy and not like ice-cream which is good thing. (I'd choose ice-cream if that's what I wanted.) There are always two yogurt flavors available: natural and a seasonal flavor.

Any Toppings?

Oh yes, there are plenty! There are always over twenty topping choices with lots of fruit options including strawberries and blueberries and the more unusual options such as pomegranate and figs. Plus, there are the less healthy (but lots of fun) options such as mini marshmallows and mini Oreo cookies. There are even a selection of superfood toppings such as goji berries and mixed seeds.

Prices depend on the size of yogurt (Regular = 160ml and Super = 240ml) and how many toppings.

Hot Toppings
Yog was the first frozen yogurt company to introduce hot toppings in the UK in Winter 2008, so as I was visiting on a cold November day I chose to try a seasonal hot topping and can report warm mince pies go very nicely with cinnamon frozen yogurt.

Any Drinks?

Only yogurt smoothies (freshly made) or bottled water. My companion would have loved a cup of tea but it's not available.

Staff

Staff are friendly and welcoming and are able to make suggestions on taste combinations. And there's always someone in store who can answer health questions about the product.
Charlotte Street Store

Yog is the brainchild of British entrepreneurs Rebecca McGuire and Es Salih and they are opening more branches all the time in and around London. The Yog Charlotte Street branch, which opened in September 2009, was their first stand-alone store and has arrived on a street that is already a popular dining destination, close to Tottenham Court Road tube station.

It's quite a small store, just one room, but there is space to eat inside on the bench seating and stools in the (fake) grassed area. The walls are shiny white and the company leaf design is reproduced on the ceiling. My daughter loved the pink cube tables which glowed and the 'Cow Cam' was a big hit. This is a projection on the wall so you can see the actual cows who produce the milk for Yog frozen yogurt, plus some dancing fruit which my daughter copied.

Funky music sets the scene and as the store is open all evening too they can adjust the lighting and volume to suit the time and mood. In the summer months the front window folds back to maximize space and allow seating outside.

Customers
Yog feels fun and relaxed and is popular with local workers and shoppers in the West End who want a healthy snack in a fun environment. Families are coming in more as children love the food and the store interior, and by the evening it has a more 'hip hangout' feel.

I'll certainly be going back and I'm looking forward to the summer months so I stop off whenever I'm in town.

Address:
Yog
43-45 Charlotte Street
London
W1T 1RS

Tel: 020 7580 7990

Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 11am-11pm
Sunday: Midday - 10pm

Official Website:www.yogyogurt.co.uk