6 New Restaurants To Visit This February
Padella, Shoreditch
After opening in Borough Market in 2016, Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda are set to open a second Padella in Shoreditch. Famous for hand-rolling pasta in the window of the restaurant every morning, the new restaurant will feature a terracotta-lined open kitchen where chefs will cook pasta daily. The menu offers a succinct selection of simple, high-quality antipasti, followed by pasta dishes and a choice of three classic puddings. Lengthy sheets of pasta will be stuffed and twisted each morning ready to be turned into Padella classics, including pici cacio e pepe; pappardelle with eight-hour beef shin ragu; and fettuccine with cured nduja, mascarpone and lemon. Interiors will take the lead from the sleek and functional design of the original site: marble will continue to be a key feature of the space, this time with richer tones of ochre and burgundy to contrast with the raw concrete.
Phipp Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4PS
Visit Padella.co
Mambow, Shoreditch
Mambow, from chef Abby Lee, is set to be a home-style ‘mama’s kitchen’ in Shoreditch. Open all day, Abby will be serving up seasonal breakfasts including daily frittatas, coconut yoghurt bowls and vegan porridge along with coffee from Hackney Wick’s The Roasting Shed. For lunch, seasonal ‘bowls of soul’ will be on offer, including black rice with za’taar sprouts, roasted beets, orange miso, spicy grilled chicken, salsa verde and leftover pickles; or farro tabbouleh with raw and grilled fennel, charred spicy broccoli, beetroot patty, mixed tamari seeds and harissa. A weekend brunch will take cues from Abby’s upbringing in Singapore and Malaysia. Expect nasi lemak – Malaysian fried chicken with coconut pandan rice, fried anchovies, sambal, achar pickles and a fried egg – plus a sourdough toastie packed with house kimchi, taleggio and cheddar. The restaurant will also be hosting a series of evening supper clubs, where diners sit elbow-to-elbow for a feast of family style dishes themed around different cuisines.
75 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6BD
Visit WeAreMambow.com
Larry’s, Peckham
The team behind Salon and Levan is opening Larry's in Peckham. Taking cues from the corner bars, diners and cafes of New York, Larry's will be open all day, kicking off with coffee and pastries, serving deli-style sandwiches for lunch and offering a concise menu of sharing plates for dinner. Larry’s is named for 70s dance music pioneer and DJ Larry Levan, and will stay open late into the night, playing music from its vintage sound system while guests settle in for dinner. Evening dishes will be inspired by NYC’s diverse dinner scene: think devilled crab, brown crab mayo, pickled fennel and bruschetta; clams with cabbage and XO chilli sauce; and pig’s head ragu with pappardelle and szechuan pepper. Best of all, there’ll be a daily changing cheesecake, gelatos made in house, plus babkas, doughnuts and pies all on rotation.
12-16 Blenheim Grove, Peckham, SE15 4QL
Visit LarrysPeckham.co.uk
Hoppers, King’s Cross
Hoppers is launching its new restaurant in King’s Cross. Taking cues from landmarks along the scenic coastal route of Sri Lanka, the interiors incorporate features from the Bentota Railway Station and the Coat of Arms Bar at Jetwing's Lighthouse Hotel in Galle. The lighting will imitate the Dutch influences throughout the town of Galle, with cast-iron framed-glass lanterns illuminating the main dining room. Staying true to Hoppers’ philosophy of family style feasting, the menu will feature all-new bar bites, seafood grills and beachside snacks. New dishes include the likes of negombo crab kari; black pepper curry leaf prawn skewers; and quail kari. The bar will be much bigger than the Soho and St Christopher’s Place sites, and will feature a selection of beers on tap. We’re intrigued by the coconut IPA inspired by toddy, a fermented coconut drink from Sri Lanka.
Pancras Square, King’s Cross, NIC 4AG
Visit HoppersLondon.com
Ampéli, Fitzrovia
Ampéli is a new eastern Mediterranean restaurant on Charlotte Street. Taking cues from the modern wine-focused restaurants of Athens, Ampéli serves dishes inspired by Greece and its neighbouring cultures. The kitchen is led by Oren Goldfeld, who has previously worked at Nopi and Tel Aviv’s acclaimed Toto. On his menu, guests can begin with hot or cold sharing plates such as barrel-aged feta saganaki with cherry tomato jam; spiced potato brik with runny egg yolk, brown shrimp and harissa mayo; and manti with seasonal greens, naboulsi cheese and yoghurt sauce. For something heartier, there’s pan-fried Welsh lamb sweetbreads with Jerusalem mixed spice served with almond sauce and pickles; or a short rib stew with quince and date molasses. The restaurant is set across three floors and interiors have purposely been kept simple, with pale green walls nodding to the olive groves of the Greek islands. The walls will act as a canvas for artwork from a rotating line-up of artists – first up, you’ll find the works of watercolourist Leonie de Lange and Greek sculptor Vasiliki Maliopoulou.
18 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 2LZ
Visit Ampeli.london
Gymkhana, Mayfair
Although not quite a 'new' opening, Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana will reopen its doors later this month following a highly-anticipated refurbishment. Inspired by the elite clubs of India where members of high society socialise, eat, drink and play sport, the restaurant has been synonymous with contemporary, boldly spiced Indian food since it won its first star in 2014. The redesign – which follows a fire last summer – sees jade green, polished dark timber and metallic accents paired with rich printed fabrics. Taking influence from the residential mansions of Kolkata and Pondicherry, the space will still house its intimate booth seating. Jitin Joshi will continue to lead the kitchen, adding pan-Indian flavours to classics such as chettinad duck dosa with coconut chutney; wild muntjac biryani; and duck egg and langoustine bhurji with malabar paratha. Guests will also be able to enjoy a new cocktail menu showcasing Indian ingredients and flavour combinations: think dirty martini garnished with an olive brine poppadum.
42 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, W1S 4JH; from 18th February
Visit GymkhanaLondon.com
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