Founder Jenny Pagoni (pictured) is to open Ampéli restaurant on Charlotte Street in the heart of Fitzrovia next month.
Taking cues from the modern wine-focused restaurants of Athens, Ampéli will feature dishes inspired by both Greek and Eastern Mediterranean cultures. Accompanied by a list of indigenous wines from across the Greek mainland and its islands it has a strong focus on the innovative producers creating a stir in the country’s wine scene.
The wines at Ampéli have been curated by Greek Master of Wine Yiannis Karakasis. Entitled ‘The Indigenous List’, the selection has been built to champion native varietals and dynamic producers from emerging wine regions who are bearing the torch for modern Greek wines. Elsewhere on the drinks menu, there are classic native spirits such as Ouzo, Raki and Mastica, as well as barrel-aged Tsipouro.
The kitchen will be lead by Head Chef Oren Goldfeld who has previously worked at Nopi and Tel Aviv’s acclaimed Toto restaurant. Oren has worked closely with Jenny to bring her favourite Greek dishes and family recipes to London. At lunch and dinner, guests can begin with social plates, perfect for sharing over a glass of wine.
These include feta saganaki with tomato jam; okra and goat’s cheese fritters; and smoked cod’s roe dip with lavash crisps. Next, there are plates inspired by the food of the Eastern Mediterranean coastline, such as spiced potato brik with soft egg yolk, brown shrimp and harissa mayo; herb and Nabulsi sheep’s cheese manti; and braised cuttlefish with orzo and Moroccan red pepper sauce.
For something heartier, there’s pan-fried Welsh lamb sweetbreads with Jerusalem mixed spice, a punchy blend of cardamom, cumin, turmeric, allspice and paprika, served with almond sauce and pickles; or a comforting short rib stew with quince and date molasses. The desserts include poppy seed loukoumades – doughnuts with Greek mountain tea syrup; and an indulgent chocolate mahlab mousse with hazelnuts.
Pagoni’s enthusiasm for indigenous Greek wines, combined with Karakasis’ extensive knowledge, has resulted in Ampéli’s innovative, exciting wine list. A typical evening might start with a glass of Greek sparkling, moving on to new age Retsina before settling on a vibrant Agiorgitiko or elegant Xinomavro.
The list also features a wide range of Assyrtiko, a thrilling and intense grape which has boomed in popularity over the past few years. As well as crowd-pleasers, the list also features a section dedicated to new wave natural and low intervention wines from across the country, including skin contact orange wines.
Finally, Pagoni and Karakasis have included a section of ‘Discoveries’, rare native Greek varieties produced in very small quantities, a treat for the intrepid wine lover.
The restaurant is set across three floors with a total of 80 covers. Guests are first greeted by the wine bar, a cosy area filled with tables for two and four, while upstairs is a mezzanine where skylights fill the room with natural light.
Downstairs is a more intimate space. Interiors have purposely been kept simple, with pale green walls as a nod to the olive groves of the Greek islands.
Front of house will be led by Lorraine Abrahams, who joins after a decade in management at Corbin and King. Prior to this she also worked at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, Caprice Holdings, and General Manager of Mark Sargeant’s Rocksalt. Nick Gross, owner of F&B consultancy LanburyHundred, has over 20 years in the industry and has advised across all aspects of the Ampéli project over the past year.
Pagoni said, “After moving to London in 2004, I found that what I missed most about my home in Athens was the food and wines. My grandmother is an amazing cook and a wonderful host, and good food shared with friends and family has been a part of my life since childhood.
'Greek wine is currently undergoing an exciting renaissance so I’m really looking forward to introducing some completely new wines to London. Ampéli will be a place for people to gather and drink something new they might never have tasted, and share dishes that reflect the diversity of the Eastern Mediterranean.”