[Updated 9 February 2012]
We're loving the sound of an upcoming opening over in Broadway Market in March. Market Café will apparently "recreate the spirit of the classic Italian “formica” café of the 1950’s". It's a labour of love for Hugo Warner, one of the founding members of Benugo.
"Often dismissed as greasy spoons and poor relations to their continental counterparts, these working class, formica cafés once lubricated and nourished a whole postwar generation of writers, artists, musicians and crime lords, and galvanized British cultural life,” Hugo explains. “These places were where ordinary people could afford to eat and experience what was in its day exotic food, the first espresso based coffee and handmade ice cream.”
Market Café will have a 60 cover dining room as well as a 40-50 cover cafe/bar area. The design is in the hands of local East London architect Joe Hagan, who's responsible for the look at Bocca di Lupo.
The food will be London Italian so as well as hand cut tagliatelle and meat sauce, there'll be steak and kidney pudding, truffled Rarebit, doughnuts and hot chocolate and homemade icecream. Hugo is also currently negotiating a site for a butcher, which as well as supplying the meat for the café will cure and smoke its own range of charcuterie.
In the kitchen will be chef John Adams who comes here from the River Cafe having honed his skills at Fifteen and St John.
Market Café will open in March 2012.
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