Soho's Alphabet Bar chooses Islington for long-awaited relaunch

Formerly located on Beak Street, Alpabet is owned by the 16-strong Redcomb Pubs group, and closed in 2013 having become a favourite location for the media and creative crowds.

Launching on 15 August on the former site of Brazilian restaurant Cabana, Alphabet’s second incarnation will have 180 covers, serving a Mediterranean-inspired menu and a list of 26 cocktails.

Heading up the kitchen at the new Islington restaurant will be Yaz Khadiri, who will serve sharing dishes inspired by her Moroccan family upbringing including zaalouk salad of aubergine, chilli and sesame; spicy merguez sausages with roasted tomatoes, rosemary and fresh lemon; flatbreads with toppings such as Iberico ham, sobrasada, manchego, and sun dried tomato; and kebabs with sumac, coriander salad, harissa, hummus and pickles.

Larger dishes include the ‘lazy wife’ spiced marinated lamb with spinach and rosemary yoghurt and turmeric potato and lentil with harissa, tomato and mint; and a selection of salads.

The drinks offering has been curated by bartender Chris Edwards, co-founder of bars Shrub & Shutter in Brixton and First Aid Box in Herne Hill, as well as cocktail consultancy Salts of the Earth. Edwards has created a list of re-imagined versions of drinks from the original iteration of Alphabet.

A £600,000 refurbishment of the Upper Street location has seen the introduction of a private drinking area, stripped-back urban bar, and skylight surrounded by foliage.

 “Alphabet Islington is a fast-moving and exciting new addition to Redcomb’s Urban Social portfolio of venues,” says Mark Draper, who founded Redcomb with Dan Shotton.

“This marks an exciting new chapter for us. Not only does it offer us the opportunity to take up residence in one of London’s most bustling neighbourhoods, but it also provides the chance to introduce a rejuvenated Alphabet offering to a new audience and generation.”