A BAKERY that serves delightful artisan pastries by day and a riveting menu of handmade pasta dishes by night? It can’t be true. And yet it is. Head to Pophams Bakery in London Fields, a recent addition to an airy, industrially-scaled building on Richmond Road, where some seriously good cooking is happening.
Starting out as a standalone bakery in Canonbury in 2017, the rave reviews of its sourdough and croissants led the way to this, Pophams second proper venue. Now, with a dinner service, it feels like a perfect example of all-day dining done really well.
Pophams Bakery
Large, communal tables take up the centre of this elegant one-room restaurant, framed by a chef’s table bar on one side, where you can watch the kitchen in action, and a bakery counter on the other, where you can drool over the trays of incredible-looking pastries that are lined up fresh out of the oven. Charming, breezy staff whizz around, attending to the steadily growing crowds.
Weekend brunch is a great time to get a sense of the place, and there are handily a few tables outdoors if you can’t immediately snag a seat inside. Make sure to pair your pain au chocolat with a few of the other items on the menu: maybe a Greek yoghurt bowl with pecan butter and poached fruit, or a pumpkin and sage tartine.
There are some interesting toasties on offer as well, which show off the superstar sourdough that is the underlying star of Pophams kitchen.
A Malt Custard and Pear pastry at Pophams
And then comes the pasta. If you make it back to Pophams in the evening, which you should, you’ll experience some fantastic dinner dishes in a space that has somehow been transformed into something that is now more cosy and discreet.
The menu makes a strong case for high-quality starch – there’s little else on there, and no-one’s complaining about it. There are some fantastically innovative offerings that still reveal excellent, traditional craftsmanship.
Try the rich oxtail ravioli or sweet carrot trinagolotti served with crumbling goat’s cheese. The taleggio cappelletti, which literally everybody talks about, is a subtle winner, accompanied by macerated grapes and hazelnuts. For dessert, it’s back to basics with sticky toffee pudding, but this one is the best version you’ll ever eat – in your life.
Sweet treats at Pophams
Hackney can often feel a little too cool for school. Pophams is an important addition to the East End dining scene, with its unpretentious, high-end dishes that boast superior ingredients and a real wow factor.
by Derby Jones
Pophams Bakery, 197 Richmond Road, London E8 3NJ
For reservations, email: bookings@pophamsbakery.com
or call +44 208 525 1416.
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