For those who are curious, it’s pronounced ‘soon-ah’.
And you should get down there soon-ah rather than later, and then go again later. Because this is a truly wonderful restaurant.
The fact that it’s truly wonderful isn’t really a huge surprise either, given that the driving force behind it is the biodynamic duo of Honey Spencer & Charlie Sims. Honey is a sommelier, who has most recently taken the reins at The Palomar and all its sibling restaurants as their wine director (as well as putting together the lists for places like Sager + Wilde, and Noma Mexico). Charlie, on the other hand, is a restaurant manager who has handled places like Noma (the world’s No1 restaurant while he was there), and Mãos (which kept its Michelin Star while he was there).
Basically, they know what they’re doing. And they’re doing it here.
You’ll find Sune by the gently lapping waters of the canal right at the foot of Cat & Mutton Bridge going up to Broadway Market. Inside it’s perfectly charming, with an ambience that straddles the line between rustic charm and elegant chic thanks to dark wood floors, an exposed wine shelf (which we’ll come back to later), and the warm glow of candles to add a touch of intimacy. Over the speakers, you’ll hear the feelgood beat of a great playlist which – importantly – you can still talk over without shouting.
In charge of the food is Michael Robins, fresh from the kitchens at Pidgin, Acme Fire Cult, and Akoko. He’s cooking up a menu that uses broadly British ingredients, but which plucks liberally from food cultures across the globe (and what could be more British than that?). Thus you’ll find ‘our daily bread’, which includes a fluffy grilled yoghurt bread with horseradish cream & trout roe, before standout starters like the pan-roasted scallops with preserved lemon, or raw scarlet prawns with a prawn head cocktail. And then, on the mains, the real big hitter is the lamb neck with apple mustard and a peppercorn gravy. It’s sensational.
Washing it all down, you’ll find a nicely curated list of both wines and sakes (courtesy of Honey Spencer), which is broad enough for you to find something that suits both palate & wallet. You’ll find everything from classic vintages to offbeat natural wines. They’re all up on that wine shelf, which we mentioned we’d be coming back to.
And you’ll probably be coming back, too.
NOTE: Sune is open now, Wednesday to Saturday. You can find out more at the website right here.
Sune | 129A Pritchard’s Road, E2 9AP
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