Seven Sisters – that patch of North London that was named after a circle of elm trees (not female siblings, nuns, or people doing it for themselves) – has landed itself a neighbourhood gem.
It’s called Pasero, and it’s just a short walk from the tube station along West Green Road. It’s one of those 3-in-1 projects that just ticks every box; tripling up as an excellent restaurant, wine bar & café that’s a real scoop for locals, but more than worth the trip up the Vicky line for everyone else.
Inside, it’s all very mid-century in design. The space is cocooned by a deep olive ceiling with about a dozen sphere pendant lights. The interior is jazzed up with a lot of warm, earthy tones; glazed terracotta tiling supports the padded wall seats, a mid-century sideboard greets you on your way to the loo, and behind the bar are large teak open cabinets decked out with many bottles of wine, unusual liquor & general deli delights (which you can absolutely take home). It feels like a laid-back a 1970s home… that happens to have waiters.
By day, Pasero offers freshly baked loaves, pastries, and cups of coffee while you answer some emails. Come the evening, it transforms into an intimate-but-not-too-intense date spot. And this is when the rotating roster of guest chefs comes to life: over the past few months they’ve welcomed in the likes of Ling Ling’s, chef-musician Denai Moore, and the legendary James Cochran of 12:51. Right now, however, Michael Bagnall is returning to the kitchen after a barnstorming turn on the pans last year – and you should absolutely try to catch him before he sets sail again in March.
His menu – chalked up daily on the restaurant’s blackboard – is a loving jaunt through Italian cuisine; a series of dishes that seemingly stems both from a love of the country’s culinary traditions, and purely a love of feeding people. Who could fail to be drawn in by a plate of fritto misto, vegetables blanketed in the lightest of batter; or the thick wodges of focaccia to sweep through olive oil harvested from small groves along the western coast of the Peloponnese? It all hits the mark as comfort food, but there’s elegance too in the hand-dived scallop, served in the half shell with a fiery hit of ‘Nduja.
Mains come in the form of fresh pasta dishes, cooked just to the al dente sweet spot and lavished with the likes of brown crab & pangrattato; fresh basil & pistachio pesto; or pork ragù. There’s a beef lasagna that seems like it could perk up the rainiest, most miserable day. And to finish – a heavenly scoop of tiramisu, or the olive oil ice cream swimming in vibrant green pools.
You may guess this from the number of bottles on display, but the Pasero team gets wine, too. And as anyone who knows their wine these days knows, the best stuff right now is low intervention wines. So, all that deliciousness can be enhanced or washed down with a glass of the Tuscan orange wine on tap, or a bottle of unfiltered fizz. But there’s also a fantastic menu of cocktails designed to fit in pre- or post-meal, from the delicate Verger no. 2 with crème de figue, Poire Williams, thyme and natural fizz, to the Cereza, with vodka, Lillet Blanc and Cherry Heering.
Doesn’t that sound good.
NOTE: You can find out more, and book a table at Pasero right here.
Pasero | 120a West Green Road, Seven Sisters, London N15 5AA
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