Wine pub launches in capital
The venue, Alfi, offers small plates and a selection of European wines on tap at the pub space which opened on 1 December.
It is the brainchild of Ben Hodges and Alex Lewis, who together have 21 years of experience in hospitality.
The space is designed to feel simple and relaxing. The pub’s collection of mostly biodynamic wines come from small, organic farms across Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Germany.
The bar will also offer small bar plates such as grilled courgette, goat’s cheese & fried basil, and charred charlotte potatoes with chive crème fraiche.
Alfi will also offer draft lager and XPA from Five Points brewery along with a selection of bottles from other London brewers.
In early February, the restaurant part of the venue will open. Chef Lorenzo Brigandi – who has Michelin starred experience – will head up the restaurant. He will bring together European flavours with a lava stone robata grill at the heart of the kitchen operation.
Brigandi has several years of experience at gastropub the Hind’s Head in Bray, Berkshire, and at the Waterside Inn, before stints at Restaurant’s Story, Nobu and Coya.
There will be 10 wines on tap from Modal wines and Uncharted with a 40-strong bottle wine list in the bar growing to 100+ when the restaurant opens in February.
The wines on tap will include a certified organic and biodynamic Riesling from Nibiru owned by Josef Schenter and Julia Nather, as well as a Nero D’avola from a co-operative of 20 farms in Valibella, Sicily.
Hodges said: “We’re really enjoying turning the wine to beer tap ratio on its head by offering some really great wines in a more casual way.
“I love Lorenzo’s food and think the area will be all the richer for it. The bar food is just lovely - and the restaurant will be even better.”
Lewis added: the pair are “really excited” about bringing something different to Spitalfields and London – somewhere which provides some top-quality wine & food while being a convivial place to meet and hang out.
The bar will seat 68 people, with 108 outside overlooking the market. When it opens, the restaurant will have 54 covers and another 38 for al fresco dining.
