[Updated - for the opening preview deal details - click here]
A bit like James Goldsmith's saying about mistresses, whenever Russell Norman opens a restaurant he creates a vacuum for London foodies to start obsessing about what he'll do next. So the minute Mishkin's opened its doors in Covent Garden, Twitter began to buzz about where he'd go next. Well this morning we have that answer for you - Russell's heading East to Smithfield.
The busiest man in the London restaurant scene may have been quiet for a while - he was writing his new book (POLPO – A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts) published by Bloomsbury on 5 July 2012) but his latest venture is the much-rumoured Polpo Smithfield. It's the furthest from his original Soho opening and his first on the outskirts of the City. "We have always loved the unique character and atmosphere of Clerkenwell and have been looking for the right site for over a year," says Russell of his next opening.
Heading up the kitchen is Libby Greenfield, who has previously worked at Zucca and more recently as senior sous chef to Florence Knight at Polpetto (which will also be announcing its new Soho location soon). The new restaurant will feature the same core menu as both the original and Polpo Covent Garden (the restaurant formerly known as da Polpo) along with daily specials and a new express lunch menu - ideal for those busy City types.
As well as space for 70 indoors and at the bar, there will also be space for 20 to sit outside. And following on from the original Polpo's Campari bar, Polpo Smithfield will have a basement Negroni bar.
As for the all important question of "can you book a table" - it'll take reservations between noon and 5pm and after that will have the usual no-reservations policy of the other two Polpos. If you want to eat at the bar, that will always be free for walk-ins.
Polpo Smithfield will open on July 30 at 3 Cowcross Street London EC1M 6DR. Opening hours will be Monday to Saturday: Noon to 11pm, Sunday: Noon to 5pm.
