Coming this spring: July.
Which, as we all assumed when we read that, is the name of an Alsatian-style restaurant & wine bar coming to Fitzrovia this April. And, once again for clarity, when we say ‘Alsatian-style’, we’re referring to the wine-rich region on the Franco-German border, and (fortunately? Unfortunately?) not the dog.
So what’s the deal? Well, it’s opening on the restaurant nucleus that is Charlotte Street later this month – and Nudge Members are getting a secret soft launch when it does, with 50% off the food bill from 25th – 27th April.
© Safia Shakarchi
The duo behind it include French-Swiss food writer Solynka Dumas, who has a dozen years of journalism under her belt as well as couple of popups and a cookbook, and her co-founder Julian Oschmann, who’s moving into hospitality from the tech world. They got started by hosting lockdown supper clubs in Berlin, and have somehow segued that into a central London restaurant, which is no mean feat.
And it sounds like they’re going to continue that feel of an intimate dinner party here, with good music and candlelight setting the scene. Dressed in rustic tones, July will very much fit into the European wine bar mould, with wooden flooring, vintage lamps, and a showstopper mural across the back wall, hand-painted by artist Orfeo Tagiuri.
© Safia Shakarchi
And speaking of talent, the founders have bussed in head chef Holly Hayes to man the stoves. She was the former sous at the excellent 40 Maltby Street, and now she’s stepping up to run her own kitchen. Her equal parts French and German menu will involve the likes of lamb hearts with white asparagus and hollandaise sauce, as well as lashings of charcuterie and cheese. To wash it all down, they’ve enlisted the help of Honey Spencer – AKA the woman behind Sune, AKA the hottest sommelier in town right now – to put together a low-intervention wine list.
And as one last twist, they’re swivelling their attention away from Sunday Lunches in order to do big, feasting-style Saturday lunch and dinner instead, including a whole roast Fosse Meadows chicken with homemade mayonnaise. Sunday roast on a Saturday…
…and July in spring.
NOTE: July is set to open on 25th April – you can find out more here. Nudge Members are getting a secret soft launch with 50% off the food bill on 25th (dinner), 26th (dinner) and 27th April (lunch and dinner). Check the Members’ box above for details.
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July | 10 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LT
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