SOFT LAUNCH: Legare will offer 50% off food only on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th October (reservations only).
Pronounced “Le-Ga-Re” and meaning ‘to bind’ in Italian, the restaurant is located a short walk from London Bridge station and the capital’s iconic Tower Bridge. The first solo restaurant venture from Jay Patel (previously GM at Barrafina Adelaide St & Koya City) and talented young chef Matt Beardmore (previously senior sous chef at Trullo), the duo have a simple mission: to bring the much-loved seasonal food and flavours found throughout Italy and the wider Med to London, alongside envious experience earned at some of the capital’s most revered restaurants.
The broadly Italian menu reflects the best in seasonal and locally sourced produce and features a short, changing menu of crudo, antipasti and fresh pasta dishes; drawing inspiration from the abundance of seafood, sun-ripened vegetables and fruit that grow throughout Italy and its surrounds. Jay and Matt will use only a handful of thoughtfully considered suppliers, such as The Ham & Cheese Company, Neal’s Yard Dairy and Kernow Sashimi.
The menu mainstay will see fresh pasta handmade daily in-house, using rich egg-based pasta doughs to create delicious dishes such as Tajarin with ‘burro e salvia’ (butter & sage); handmade semolina-based pastas from southern Italy including Orecchiette with fennel sausage & cavolo nero ragù; through to Stracci with crab, chilli, garlic, saffron & pangrattato and a house signature Agnolotti with Neal’s Yard goat’s curd & tomato consommé (individual pasta dishes from £10). Legare will also offer an indulgent ‘off menu’ whole large scottish lobster taglierini dish created for two to share, which diners will need to pre-order (priced at £50).
The remainder of the menu offers daily day-boat caught crudo dish option such as Gilt-head bream with citrus dressing & espelette pepper (£14) and Maldon Kumamoto oysters (£3 each). Antipasti options include Stracciatella with sobrasada, oregano & Incanto olive oil and Baby gem with gorgonzola dolce, pickled shallots & a hazelnut pangrattato (from £7.50). Each lunch time, the kitchen will serve a limited number of eat-in or takeaway sandwiches, made using house-made focaccia with combinations such as stracciatella, mortadella, finocchiona and pickled cavolo nero pesto. Rounding off the all-day menu will be a concise dessert list including fill-to-order, signature homemade cannoli with seasonal fillings (desserts from £5). A weekly changing specials board will also allow Matt and his kitchen team to develop and experiment with further seasonal dishes.
Accompanying the food menu will be a short and carefully curated drinks list, developed by notable sommelier and good friend Cameron Dewar (currently at Elystan Street & previously Londrino). Lead by natural and low intervention wines from small producers who follow ethical farming practices, the wine list will focus on Italian production and some interesting bottles from neighbouring countries.
Situated next to the river and the historic location of 19th century warehouses on the banks of the Thames, the intimate interiors at Legare draw inspiration from the pastel-washed walls commonly seen throughout Italy. Seating 36 covers, and allowing for reservations, walk-ins and solo diners, Jay and Matt have created a convivial and elegant space, true to the way they both like to dine.
Ahead of the opening, Jay comments: “The restaurant draws inspiration from the places Matt and I have worked at and travelled. We are not an out-and-out classic Italian restaurant, and do not pertain to be. Our aim has always been to find the most delicious produce, farmed in the most sustainable ways, from various farmers across Europe - and use those ingredients to create our version of the Italian food we love to eat. Having lived in South London all my life, I feel a sense of pride in opening Legare south of the river.”
On the menu, Matt comments: “The menu is based on beautiful Italian, British and European produce with a strong focus on vegetables, fruit and seafood. We have taken influences from the best of what the different seasons offer throughout Italy and the wider Med, putting flavour and quality first.”
Legare will open 14th October at Shad Thames, London.
SOFT LAUNCH: Legare will offer 50% off food only on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th October (reservations only).
Guests can now book online www.legarelondon.com.
Legare
Cardamom Building
31G Shad Thames
London SE1 2YB
www.legarelondon.com
@legarelondon
About Jay Patel
Jay began his career in graphic design, before moving into restaurants and becoming assistant general manager of the now closed Automat brasserie in Mayfair. He then moved to the renowned Barrafina, as GM at the Adelaide Street restaurant in Covent Garden, managing the restaurant as they won several industry accolades including the National Restaurant Awards, OFM Awards and more. Whilst at Barrafina, he also ran the front of house team at the inaugural #CookForSyria dinner alongside Instagram hero Clerkenwell Boy and Suitcase magazine founder Serena Guen. Following Barrafina, he joined udon noodle favourite Koya, opening the group’s Bloomberg arcade site as the GM of Koya City.
About Matt Beardmore
Matt Beardmore has worked in the restaurant industry for the last 12 years, first learning to cook at a local pub in Hampshire. Realising his passion, he then moved to private members club Boodles in St James’ in the capital, where he trained in classical English and French food. He then moved to the much-revered Trullo in Islington, sister restaurant of Padella, where he worked for four years, latterly as senior sous chef. At Trullo he developed a love of Italian food and produce and upon a chance meeting with Jay, realised a shared passion and desire to open their own Italian-inspired restaurant in London, and thus the idea for Legare was born.
For more information or to request hi-res images, please contact Paul Simpson at paul@toniccomms.co.uk
