5 New Restaurants To Try This January

Da Terra

Following the departure of Lee Westcott’s Michelin-starred Typing Room last summer, foodies have been anticipating the second relaunch of Bethnal Green’s Town Hall Hotel’s restaurant (the same site originally hosted Nuno Mendes’ Vijante). Enter Da Terra (‘the earth’ in Italian), a new project from the team behind Michelin-starred San Sebastián restaurant Amelia. This forthcoming spot will be headed up by Argentinian chef Paulo Airaudo (The Fat Duck, Amelia) and Brazilian chef Rafael Cagali (The Fat Duck, Fera, Aulis), and will focus on Latin-American cuisine with Italian inspiration. While details are currently being kept top secret, we do know that food will be served via a six- or nine-course tasting menu for £65pp and £95pp respectively. We can’t wait to hear more.

8 Patriot Square, Bethnal Green, E2 9NF; opens 23rd January

F!LTH

Award-winning food writer Gizzi Erskine and model turned nutritionist Rose Ferguson, have launched F!LTH, a plant-based burger joint offering fast food without the junk. Located within Dirty Burger in Shoreditch’s Tea Building, the three-month residency builds upon the success of their debut at Tate Modern and appearances at Street Feast. The pop-up challenges the maxims that fast food cannot be healthy, and that healthy food cannot taste great. Case in point, the signature FILTH Burger is made from black beans, black quinoa, Non-GMO soy mince and a special blend of umami paste, and comes sandwiched between a beetroot and sesame bun. It’s served with crispy fried onions, beetroot ketchup, roasted garlic aioli, romaine lettuce and cucumber pickles. Elsewhere on the menu expect to sample the likes of sweet potato fries with seaweed miso dust; kale, broccoli, lemon, almond and cashew umami salad; and a range of smoothies, such as the ‘salted chocolate cacao nib thick shake’, made with Booja Booja ice-cream. We’re sold.

13 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA

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Stem + Glory

Veganuary seems an apt time for this award-winning Cambridge restaurant to open up in the capital. This week, Stem + Glory began serving its delicious plant-based food in the new Bart’s Square development in the City. A bright and contemporary space with a chef’s table, the open kitchen will serve vegan breakfast, brunch, lunch and an evening small-plates menu. Of the evening dishes, we like the sound of mango and celery root pickle ceviche with vegan tiger milk, baked sweet potato, red onion, black sesame, dehydrated beans and germinate corn; and quinoa paella with nori majada dressing, peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, olives, green beans, squash, shiitake mushrooms, lemon and garlic sauce, with nori seaweed. As per the Cambridge original, where events sell out in hours, the venue will host regular tasting-menu nights – perfect for anyone wanting their first sample of how flavoursome vegan food can be. The restaurant also has an extensive vegan bar, offering craft beers, wine, cocktails and mocktails.

60 Bartholomew Close, City, EC1A 7BF

Visit StemAndGlory.uk

Pucci Mayfair

Pucci is the latest addition to the Mayfair dining scene, led by Tilly Turbett, formerly of the Gordon Ramsay Group. Within, the decor is bright and inviting, combining exposed brick and modern art with the charm of a traditional Italian bistro. The restaurant serves a modern menu of small plates, alongside thin crispy pizzas inspired by the now-closed King’s Road institution Pucci Pizza (Pucci’s son, Rufus Albanese, joins Tilly front of house). A colourful menu sees influences from countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, with Italy, Turkey and Lebanon at the forefront. Seasonal small plates are designed to be shared, mezze style: highlights include glazed duck breast with pomegranate molasses and sweet potato; wild sea bass crudo with orange and pink peppercorn; and baklava millefeuille served with honey cream, pistachio and rose. Then there’s those thin and crispy pizzas, which are piled high with the likes of mozzarella di bufala, mascarpone, wild mushrooms and black truffle. We can’t wait for summer, when we can definitely see ourselves perching on the terrace with a pizza and a tipple or two.

39 Maddox Street, Mayfair, W1S 1FX

Visit PucciMayfair.com

EartH Kitchen

Village Underground’s Auro Foxcroft and Chris Gillard, previously exec chef at St John Group, are set to open EartH Kitchen in new arts venue EartHackney. Located in a former art-deco cinema in Dalston, the restaurant will be housed in the former foyer, a light-filled, contemporary space which will be filled with a sculptural mirrored ceiling, polished plaster walls and brightly coloured melamine-topped tables. Simply prepared plates for will draw on earthy flavours, think griddled mackerel, beetroot, leaves and horseradish; pork and duck rillettes, cornichons and toast; griddled ox heart, chips and house ketchup; and vegan dishes including crispy polenta, roast carrots, fennel, radicchio and salsa verde. With a strong emphasis on music throughout the building, EartH Kitchen will play its part with a line-up of everything from Thursday jazz nights to low-key Sunday DJ sets has been curated by artists involved in the project. In the evening, EartH Kitchen’s cocktail bar will be an ideal spot for those wanting one more for the road.

11-17 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 8BH; opens in late January

Visit EartHackney.co.uk