Second Morito restaurant to open in London

Morito on Hackney Road will open at the end of May where it will deliver a 'new experience, but with similarities and references' to its sister restaurant in Clerkenwell. 

Like the original Morito, which opened next to the Clark's first restaurant Moro in 2010, Morito on Hackney Road will focus on tapas and meze, serving made-to-order Moroccan breads as part of the menu. Lunch and dinner will be tapas dishes and larger family-sized plates.  

The restaurant will feature an open kitchen with the signature Morito textures and colours also appearing in the design. Artist Dillwyn Smith has helped design a horseshoe shaped marble topped bar and Samantha's handmade pottery and plants chosen by Samuel wiill also feature. 

Operations at Morito on Hackney Road will be overseen by Samantha Clark and Moro head chef Marianna Love while Samuel Clark, who has been involved in the new restaurant's creation, will remain at Moro.

They said: “We are very excited to be opening a neighbourhood restaurant in an area close to our hearts; we lived just off Columbia Road for many years and have happy memories of our time there. The new Morito on Hackney Road will have some of the food and design elements of Moro and Morito are known for, but with some exciting differences: inventive dishes, new ingredients, all served up in a fresh, colourful space with Samantha and our head chef, Marianna at the helm.”

Morito on Hackney Road will open nine years after the husband-and-wife team opened Moro on Exmouth Market.