From former sous-chef of the beloved Manteca, Francesco Sarvonio, comes The Elephant, a dining experience that follows the same nose-to-tail, sustainable concept but with a more casual vibe. Eating here, one has the feeling of being home away from home, as if having dinner at a friend’s house who happens to be a great chef.
Soft lighting adds intimacy to the restaurant, which is decorated with simplicity – lots of wood, exposed brick and whitewashed walls filled with movie posters from the 1950s and 1960s, a wink to its history as a former cinema and as a Victorian pub, which can be appreciated in the salvaged skylight. Traditional furniture and richly ornate porcelain crockery complete the retro trattoria look.
The menu is a combination of well-loved Italian dishes, some of which have been updated with the chef’s own twist. Whilst we perused it, we enjoyed a Rosita cocktail, a variation of Negroni that uses tequila instead of gin. I am personally converted.
Finding what to choose a bit difficult – everything sounded delicious – we asked Elleisha, our waitress, and Chef Francesco to choose for us. It was the best idea we could have had.
The ambience at The Elephant Hackney brings together Southern Italian warmth and East London’s creative spirit, featuring a
playful and theatrical decor that pays homage to its history as a Victorian pub and a former cinema.
To drink, Elleisha suggested a light chilled red from a female winemaker in Abruzzo, Iole Rabasco, who in the 2000s abandoned her career in law to dedicate herself to organically farming the 11 acres of vines and olive trees of her family. The wine, Vini Rabasco Cancelli Rosso 2024, feels like an explosion of fruit, complex in flavour with notes of herbs and digestive biscuit. It was ideal for our meal, which was going to include fish, meat, pasta and pizza.
We started with seabass crudo. The delicate, sweet flesh of the fish was perfectly balanced with the acidity of the tomatoes and the topping of salty olives and crispy capers, which also added texture to the dish.
Next came the ox cheek croquettes with anchovy mayonnaise. The crunchy exterior leads to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior from the gelatinous and fatty cheek meat, which is cut through by the tangy seafood sauce.
Left: Ziti Genovese ragù, which to me is the signature dish of The Elephant.
Right: Ox Cheek croquettes and Sourdough pizza with Nduja.
Our third starter was grilled squid skewers, served with Gordal olives (the really big ones), Friggitelli peppers (a bit like Padrón peppers) and salsa verde. A divine combination of smoky flavours from the squid, saltiness from the olives, sweetness from the peppers and the herbaceous freshness of the salsa verde.
Moving on. Time for pizza. Ours had light fresh burrata, ‘nduja spread and the chewiest fresh dough; so good that it could easily compete with any other famed pizza place in London.
The pasta (Ziti Genovese ragù) was even better. My family is Italian, from Tuscany, so we are used to eating excellent pasta. The smell of Chef Francesco’s ragù immediately transported me back to my childhood holidays there, sitting at my nonna’s table after a long day on the beach. The sweet, soft onions and tender pulled meat in harmony with the slight bite of the pasta, just al dente.
This was the perfect dish to finish a perfect evening. A nostalgia trip down memory lane that not only I won’t forget any time soon but will come back for time and again.
Author: Jade Maraviglia
The Elephant
43 Lower Clapton Road, Hackney E5 0NS
Reservations, HERE.
If you like high quality food in a casual setting, you may enjoy The Peacock Inn and 40 Dean Street.
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