Dominic Hamdy, founder of Crispin in Spitalfields and Bar Crispin in Soho, has announced plans to open a new restaurant concept - Bistro Freddie - in Shoreditch, this summer.
Located between Shoreditch High Street and Old Street stations, in the space previously occupied by Turkish restaurant, Oklava, the new 45-cover restaurant will have a distinct classic bistro feel, offering generous old school London hospitality and a menu featuring the best produce of the British Isles. Bistro Freddie will retain the same ethos as Crispin and Bar Crispin, focusing on small and predominantly independent producers and growers, whilst the restaurant’s aesthetic will be more classic than its siblings. The new site comprises 33 seats for banquette and table dining and a further 12 at the kitchen counter, with some outdoor dining spaces during summer months.
The food menu at Bistro Freddie will be overseen by talented head chef, Anna Søgaard who joins the Crispin Group from revered Manchester restaurant Erst (of which Jay Rayner sighted ‘one of the best of meals of the year’ in his 2021 review), as well as time spent training in Copenhagen kitchens in her home country of Denmark. Anna’s menu will offer classic, unpretentious, and comforting bistro-style dishes - some familiar, some a little surprising, but all seriously satisfying.
In anticipation of the project, Anna comments, “I have admired the ethos of the Crispin group for a long time and feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity and to work with such a wonderful and supportive team on such an exciting project. London, and particularly east London, has such a thriving food scene that I have long enjoyed visiting, so it feels somewhat unreal that we are now about to open a new restaurant alongside some of my favourites in the capital. The menu at Bistro Freddie will consist of the kind of food I genuinely love to eat - robust, hearty dishes with soul, that leave you full and satisfied. We can’t wait to bring the whole concept to life when we launch the restaurant in Shoreditch later this summer!”
Whilst Anna’s launch menu is still in development, guests can expect dishes such as ‘Grilled pork loin, leek soubise & trotter broth’, ‘Fried skate wing, curry sauce & capers’ and a hearty made-for-sharing ‘Rabbit, bacon & apple cider pie’. Alongside superlative snacks including ‘Stewed Montgomery cheese on toast with pickled walnut’ and ’Pork crackling & housemade rhubarb jam’. And for dessert, a nostalgic ‘Steamed marmalade pudding & vanilla custard’.
The classic all-French wine list will be curated by the Crispin Group’s head of wine, Alexandra Price - who currently oversees the lists at both the Spitalfields and Soho sites. Alex will be taking inspiration from her time managing the old cellar at Annabel’s, which boasted a notoriously extensive French collection.
Ahead of the opening, Dom comments, “This project has been a long-time coming and I am thrilled to bring it to fruition. We want to do this site justice with an optimistic design and a team to match it. Anna is an exciting chef who brings an ambitious dedication to Bistro Freddie. My dad, Freddie, taught me hospitality, to have a warm plate and a glass of something for anyone who walked through our front door. I want to emulate this generosity through deeply delicious menus and the warmest welcome in an impressive yet familiar space. This is a project close to my heart.”
The team will once again partner with designer-of-the-moment Jermaine Gallacher (responsible for the zig zag candlesticks and triangle mirror loos at Bar Crispin). This time, Gallacher will opt for a more pared-back approach to the interiors, delivering a classic old-school bistro feel, with starched white cloth & paper, bespoke leather banquettes, a lacquered wood bar, and works from artists such as Ben Burgis adorning the nicotine-yellow walls, alongside signature JG accents and a few surprises!
BISTRO FREDDIE will open in Shoreditch this summer.
Please follow @bistro_freddie for further updates regarding soft launch and official open date and reservations.
