With Greek cuisine all the rage in London and cooking over fire here to stay, the arrival of two separate restaurants named after the Greek word for fire may be not be altogether surprising.
This week saw the opening of Pyra in Queen’s Park, billed as a ‘love letter to the Mediterranean’ and featuring Greek favourites including spanakopita and slow-cooked leg of lamb along with Hispanic offerings such as pan com tomato and paella. Formerly known as Lula, its kitchen is run by ex-Ivy Collection and Novikov chef Mattia Caddeo, and it will soon have an upstairs vinyl bar called The Loft.
Meanwhile, Fitzrovia’s guest-chef showcase Carousel will next month (March 4-15) host Greek chef Yiannis Mexis as he previews his long-awaited open-fire project ahead of its opening at Borough Market – and it, too, is called Pyra.
Yiannis is promising to reimagine ‘timeless Greek flavours’ with the finesse he mastered as a former head chef at Hide, with Elystan Street, The Ledbury and Petrus also on his CV. His menu includes dishes such as ‘Charred octopus, spiced red wine & yellow split pea’ or ‘Embered souvlaki, prunes, radicchio & sour apple’.
