The latest London opening to catch our eye is restaurant and wine bar Verden in the ever-blooming East London neighbourhood of Clapton. We know we don’t usually stretch that far East, but with a kitchen team whose CVs site the likes of Scott’s we couldn’t keep this little gem to ourselves.

Taking inspiration from two of the world’s coolest design countries Japan and Sweden, Verden’s look is chic and largely monochrome. Dark walls meet with clean lines, asymmetric furniture and neon strip lights.

Verden’s staple menu will show off the best of the world’s cured meats, salamis and cheeses made by artisan producers (as well as some on site), and to match its fabulous wine list. The charcuterie is available to take away too and is displayed in a dramatic, vaulted cold room.

There’s a simple light lunch menu, two courses for £10, consisting of ham hock and quail’s egg salad; chorizo and white bean stew; parmigiana; roast salmon with green beans and herb aioli and chocolate and salted caramel in a pot. Meanwhile, in the evenings, the menu follows on with more modern Mediterranean fare and shows off head chef Tom Fraser’s love of nose-to-tail cooking – it sees the likes of lamb cutlets with braised neck served with squash and cime di rapa (an Italian vegetable that translates to mean ‘turnip top’).

Verden also hosts pop-up themed dinners every so often, and this Thursday it’s all about seafood, with a feasting menu featuring rock oysters; beetroot cured salmon; grilled octopus; scallops with celeriac; cod and cockles, and a gin and tonic jelly to finish. The six-course menu costs £35 and tickets are still available. Next month Verden will be all about Game.

Pop-up dinners

Seafood dinner – 23rd October, 8pm
Six-course menu for £35, (with matching wines an extra £20)
Buy tickets

Game Dinner – 13th November, 8pm
Six-course menu for £35 (with 6 matching wines an extra £20)
Buy tickets

verdene5.com