The original Dan's in Dalston
25/8/23 - updated with the opening date
The people behind Dan's wine bar in Dalston are getting ready to open something new in Exmouth Market. This time, rather handily in keeping with the current Barbie zeitgeist, the new place happens to be called Ken's.
The Exmouth Market wine bar is going to be a fair bit bigger than the original (it takes the space from what used to be an NHS pharmacy). That means they'll have a bigger wine selection (the cellar is described as "huge") and a much bigger food offering than before.
In charge of that food is their chef/director Fergus Shields, who's previously been at Sessions Arts Club, Noble Rot and Quo Vadis - an impressive CV for sure. Here, he'll be pulling together a seasonal menu with lots of Basque influence. You can expect a selection of small plate and larger sharing dishes, with plenty cooked on their Koro grill. We'll have more about that menu closer to the opening date.
For the wine, expect a similar ethos to Dan's. So there's a focus on smaller producers with plenty of natural wine available (although there isn't a sole focus on natural). They tell us that the new space means they can serve more of the "iconic, classic leaning wines that we've been squirrelling away waiting for this kind of site"
As for the look of the space, they'll have a large bar running the length of the room, lots of banquette seating and a couple of larger tables for groups or communal dining. Those banquettes will be covered in the same antique parquetry from France that you might have seen as Dan's, so expect a similar vibe to the original.
We're very much in favour of London's growing wine bar scene, and this sounds like a great addition to Exmouth Market which will now have two excellent wine bars with Quality Wines and now Ken's.
More about Ken's
Where is it? 51 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL
When does it open? 30 August 2023
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @kens.ldn
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
