This month, the team behind much-loved neighbourhood restaurant Llewelyn’s in Herne Hill will open Lulu’s, a wine bar and shop just next door.
Danish-born Executive Chef Lasse Petersen will take inspiration from his time at Amass in Copenhagen as well as London’s Westerns Laundry and Moro to create classic and contemporary European dishes with a nod to new Nordic and Middle Eastern flavours.
By day, Lulu’s will be a shop selling top quality produce, sandwiches and salads to take away and by night, wine will be poured alongside Lasse’s ingredient-led dishes.
The weekly changing menu at Lulu’s will kick off at lunchtime with freshly made sandwiches using bread from The Snapery: ciabatta with mortadella, pistachio & rocket; baguette with jambon Prince de Paris, tarragon mustard mayonnaise & cornichons; and Wildfarmed sourdough with roasted carrots, sunflower seed and chimichurri.
Salads will be guided by the seasons: this winter will see chickpeas, chard, preserved lemon & guindillas; raw cavolo nero, Jerusalem artichokes, buttermilk, croutons & parmesan; and roasted pumpkin, radicchio, lentils, walnut and Perroche on the counter. For early birds, fresh pastries and Origin coffee will be served throughout the morning.
As the winter nights draw in, Lulu’s counter will be cleared, candles will be lit and guests can pull up a stool and order from General Manager Will Weir’s eclectic, experimental wine list, choosing between bottles from Slovenia, Georgia, Beaujolais and Tuscany.
Salty snacks such as gildas, Cantabrian anchovies with preserved lemon and chilli, Culatello, Rosette de Lyon and devilled eggs with trout roe will be on hand to eat alongside a glass of wine, a Martini made with orange marmalade or a Suze & tonic.
Larger plates will include the likes of beef tartare with pickled Jerusalem artichoke on toast; smoked eel, celeriac, egg yolk and horseradish; clams with Alsace bacon, Pernod and fennel; and Parisian gnocchi with wild mushrooms and Perigord truffle.
Cheeses from Fenn Farm and fresh bread will be a constant while the menu will always end on a sweet note: a simple crème caramel or a decadent Lulu’s chocolate and wild pepper pot.
Lasse said, “Lulu’s is very much Llewelyn’s fun, playful little sister. It will be a laid back, intimate spot where you can stop by for provisions, grab lunch to go or stay longer for dinner and delicious wines.
'We’re really excited to give all our existing suppliers a platform; we’ve really carefully chosen the produce that will be shining through our weekly menu, looking to champion fellow independent businesses.
'I love the idea that guests can take a little bit of Lulu’s home with them and I can’t wait to welcome south London locals, our wonderful Llewelyn’s regulars and visitors from afar through the door.”
Lasse, Will and their team have carefully chosen their favourite products and beloved recipes from Llewelyn’s to stock Lulu’s up with bits to buy and take home. House-made jars of pickles will line the shelves including smoky carrots, juniper pumpkin and samphire, with Llewelyn’s House Pickles making their retail debut.
Deli staples will include marinated olives, capers, cornichons, cheeses from Neal’s Yard and Provisions and vegetables from Shrub Farm and Natoora. Store cupboard items will also be on hand for those looking to stock up or buy gifts: Honest Toil olive oil, artisan Martelli pasta, luxury tinned fish from The Tinned Fish Market, Pump Street chocolate and Good & Proper tea and Jones’ crumpets will all make an appearance, amongst many others.
Looking over Herne Hill’s bustling station square, Lulu’s will be a bright, light space thanks to its large windows, and by night, a cosy spot reminiscent of warm, unstuffy Parisian wine bars. Working closely with local architect Matt Hudspith to design the space, the Lulu’s team have opted for a burgundy resin floor while the walls are kept pared back and lined with simple track lighting.
Matt noted, “We’ve worked hard to show that small, dual purpose spaces can exist in the UK in a sustainable and productive way. We’ve thought carefully about functionality, flexibility and ensured that Lulu’s can lend itself well to being a vibrant shop in the day and a warm, relaxed bar at night.”
(image: Matt Russell)