London operator opens site with pastry take-away counter

Ask For Janice, overlooking London's Smithfield Market in Farringdon, is set over two floors and offers 40 covers in a basement bar and 75 covers on the ground floor.

The site has an open kitchen and is open Monday to Friday for all day dining.

Breakfast options from the counter include grapefruit and sugar (£3) and toast and spreads (£3.50) and from the kitchen treacle cured bacon and banana pancakes; avocado, chili and coriander on sourdough toast (£7) and baked eggs, merguez sausage, roasted peppers and yoghurt (£10.50).

Menus have been created by executive chef James Browne. The lunch menu includes  a bar offer featuring chicken crackling (£2.50); deep fried sprats (£4.50) and lardo on toast, peppers and pickled chilli (£4).

It also offers  large and small plates including chorizo, sherry and sourdough (£7.50);  grilled sardines, chermoula and saffron Jerseys (£7.50), T-bone steak with smoked butter and bone marrow (24) and cheeseburger, potato bun, fries and pickle (£14).

The evening menu features sharing boards of cold cut and British cheese.

Ask For Janice is serving over 45 London gins, 50 craft beers and 20 wines by the glass as well as focusing on artisan coffee from Coleman Coffee Roasters – a small batch coffee roaster in Southeast London.

Director of Urban Leisure Group Hezi Yechiel said: "We are very excited to be joining some amazing operators in this great part of London."