Lauded Herne Hill Restaurant Llewelyn’s Opens Deli and Candlelit Wine Bar Next Door

Outstanding Herne Hill restaurant Llewelyn’s is opening a self-described “little sister” next door. Lulu’s, a deli by day and a wine bar by night, will open later this month at 291 Railton Road, under the stewardship of Lasse Petersen, a former chef of the brilliant, now-closed Copenhagen restaurant Amass and head chef at Llewelyn’s since mid-2020.

The evening menu is a familiar litany of inventively snacky favourites, with devilled eggs and trout roe; snack du jour, the gilda; a beef tartare with pickled artichokes; and Parisian gnocchi in a tumble of wild mushrooms and Perigord truffle. It’s matched by a classic array of lunchtime sandwiches and salads, including Parisian ham with mustard and cornichons; and a winter salad of chickpeas and chard with preserved lemon and the spiky acidity of guindilla peppers.

Spaces that are capable of filling several functions in one are increasingly appealing to restaurants. The turn towards retail necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic has endured, particularly in more residential locations like Herne Hill, with the idea of using a wine bar or restaurant as deli or shop too now more embedded in diners’s consciousness. This leads Lulu’s to sell jars of pickles from the restaurant next door, olive oil, pasta, bread, chocolate, fruit, vegetables, and other staples.

Petersen says that “the idea for Lulu’s has been bubbling away for a while now.”

We’ve always wanted to open a fun little sister to complement what we do at Llewelyn’s. Opening in the current climate is of course something we’ve had to navigate and adapt to, but we’re seeing it as an opportunity to provide simple, top quality food to the local area that guests can pop in for on a more informal basis.”