Manteca
Shoreditch, London
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A collaboration between David Carter of Smokestak and chef Chris Leach of Petersham Nurseries, Manteca moved from Soho to Shoreditch in late 2021. There is a lot to admire about this venture – from its commitment to sustainability, zero-waste and locally sourced British produce to its repertoire of nose-to-tail dishes with an Italian accent, often cooked over a wood fire. The good news is that the team takes everything in its stride. A pig's head hangs outside as a statement of intent, while the sociable dining space is kitted out with pale wood panelling and pink marble tabletops. The open-plan kitchen boasts its own salumeria and the focus is on 'whole-animal butchery', backed by some of the best hand-rolled pasta in town. If you fancy ‘going the whole hog’, kick off with a golden-brown pig’s snout fritti, followed by punchy ciccioli (pressed cakes of fatty pork) with apple mostarda. To follow, a plate of fazzoletti with duck ragù and pangrattato breadcrumbs tastes like 'pasta on steroids, so good it should be state-sponsored,' according to one fan. Other superb offerings have included tonnarelli with brown crab cacio e pepe, and John Dory roasted in the wood-fired oven. Service is enthusiastic and wines are craftily arranged by category: adventurous imbibers should home in on the ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’ sections of the list. Prices start at £29.
