Nessa to open in Soho in March

A new, modern bistro is coming to Soho, developed by Maslow's Guy Ivesha (Mortimer House and Mortimer House Kitchen, Fitzrovia) and executive chef Tom Cenci (Loyal Tavern, Duck and Waffle).

Nessa will open in March 2023, residing on the corner of Brewer and Warwick Street. The menu will champion seasonality, serving classic dishes with a contemporary twist. The concept is inspired by the history and community of Soho, including Vanessa Bell and other artists and creatives of the Bohemian movement.

Drawing on both British influences and Cenci’s passion for global flavours, Nessa will be an expression of elegant and inventive British cuisine. The snack section will include the likes of oysters, hot sauce, crackers and hibiscus mignonette; and cheese and onion croquettes with grape husk mustard. Small plates of brioche with black pudding and brown butter noisette; celeriac carbonara, confit egg, Parmesan breadcrumbs and truffle – a nod to the British interpretation of carbonara; and steak tartare with beef fat pangratatto, raw egg and charred bread, with the suggested optional extra of homemade BBQ crisps, will also be available.

In terms of mains, guests can choose from bulgar wheat stuffed cabbage, parsnip purée and herb oil; and mussels, cider and parsley with a seeded garlic baguette – a British version of the bistro staple. There will be a large sharing section of the menu, featuring the likes of roast chicken with morels and chicken butter sauce; and Cenci’s iteration of a quintessential British comfort dish, the hot pot, in the form of the ox cheek hot pot with confit potatoes. There will also be whole fish on offer, including sole with pepper chilli pickle and herbs.

Desserts offer mixture of sweet and savoury dishes, with savoury options such Welsh rarebit with dark rye and truffle, and cheese mille-feuille with Baron Bigod and hot honey; served alongside old school, reimagined British puddings such as baked Alaska with seasonal fruit; custard tart with spiced creme fraiche; seasonal upside-down cake; Black Forest trifle and roly poly with custard. 

The 98-cover restaurant will be open all day, with a breakfast menu offering English muffin with a sausage patty, fried egg and cheese; banana French toast with caramelised banana and maple pecans; crab benedict with poached eggs, a crumpet and béarnaise sauce; Ttasted crumpet with marmite butter; and egg n’ chips.

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