As Highbury locals ourselves, you'll have to forgive us for focusing more on the fact that actor Theo James is also apparently our neighbour, than the news that he's opening a restaurant here. But if we stop wondering why we've never seen the White Lotus star out and about in N5 and look instead at what he's actually involved in, then Lupa does sound rather interesting.
First off, Theo's got himself a solid business partner in Ed Templeton. Ed is the co-founder of Carousel on Charlotte Street, and he's also a local, so he'll bring loads of restaurant experience to the table. The third element in the project is chef Naz Hassan, who used to be head chef at Pidgin in Hackney, but has also worked at places like BiBi and Clipstone.
Lupa is going to be a Roman-style neighbourhood restaurant. There'll be antipasti like fried courgette flowers stuffed with anchovy and burrata, and the Roman street food Supplì al telefono (think deep fried rice balls with meat sauce and a mozzarella filling) and plenty of hand rolled, fresh pasta on offer.
Other dishes we're promised include:
- Slow-roasted Porchetta
- Carciofi alla romana - stuffed artichoke hearts
- Polpette al Sugo
It's a teeny space (locals will know it as the former Highbury Arts Club, opposite St Joan of Arc church) with room for 28 diners. And they're already warning us that "tables will be tightly packed but the service, unhurried." Usefully, on match days, they'll be serving up porchetta sarnies to take away.
"Theo and I are both Highbury locals and share an ambition to open an enduring neighbourhood classic," says Ed. "It's taken eighteen months to make it happen, but we knew it was a special corner of Highbury from the start." As a space that used to be a much-loved old-school Italian deli, back in the day, it's nice to see it return to its Italian roots.
More about Lupa
Where is it? 73 Highbury Park, London N5 1UA
When does it open? Late June 2025
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @lupa.restaurant
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