Modern Kebabs, German Brewed Beer and Sustainable London Gin from Le Bab, German Kraft Brewery and Jim and Tonic
KRAFT Dalston – an exciting new restaurant and bar formed by friends, and masters of their fields, German Kraft Brewery, sustainable urban gin distillery Jim and Tonic, and modern kebab house Le Bab – will open in Kingsland Locke, the latest London outpost from forward-thinking aparthotel brand Locke in Dalston on 17th May 2021. KRAFT Dalston will house a sustainably managed microbrewery and gin distillery, and will see the much loved, London-based Le Bab group expanding East for the first time, to one of the capital’s kebab heartlands, an area which first inspired the founders’ contemporary take on this Turkish classic.
Sharing in the spirit of quality-driven and sustainably sourced produce, the team is looking forward to opening their first joint venture together – a collaboration that sees London’s love for good drinks and kebabs elevated to new heights, showcasing a sophisticated yet down to earth menu of punchy gins and German-style fresh beers, perfectly paired with lip-smacking kebabs, mezze and snacks, all to be enjoyed at the striking, fully stocked bar or in the comfortably spacious main restaurant. Welcoming solo diners through to larger parties, the youthful founders hope to combine good food and drink with upbeat service and a sense of fun, whatever the occasion. The lower ground floor includes a DJ booth looking out over the dining room for when KRAFT Dalston is able to host a series of DJ nights every Friday and Saturday night.
With a likeminded approach to all that they do, each member of the team brings their own level of expertise to the project, resulting in a seamless and superior operation for guests. “We are thrilled with the partnership, and to have the opportunity to be in such an interesting and vibrant area of the city. Each of us has worked hard to hone our skills over the years and we can’t think of a more beautiful space to come together in. We hope to offer a well-rounded experience to relax and enjoy great food, drink and music, where our guests can be happy in the knowledge that everything we do is based on our mantra to be the most sustainable and ethical we can be. It’s going to be a lot of fun; we’ve even got our own branded merch!” Team KRAFT Dalston.
Set across two floors, the interiors of KRAFT Dalston have been conceived by local studio Red Deer, taking design inspiration from the vibrant colours and scenes of the surrounding Dalston area. The hotel will also be home to 124 signature studio apartments, complimentary co-working space, workout studio and coffee shop.
The Bar
The ground floor bar is home to six impactful stainless-steel tanks, an instantly eye-catching feature that draws attention to the on-site brewery and gin distillery on the lower ground floor below, visible from the restaurant through glass walls, setting the tone for the space which has an industrial, urban feel to it.
German Kraft Brewery’s offering is unique for both taste and sustainability. The beer is served straight out of the on-site tanks avoiding packaging, transport, filtration or pasteurisation. By serving the beer in this way, the brewery cuts 75% of the packaged beers CO2 emissions. The beers are brewed on site according to the German purity law of 1516, only using water, malt, hops & yeast, bringing traditions and pure, fresh tasting beer to the 21st century. The malts are sourced from a 400-year-old Franconian brewery and malthouse, Steinbach Bräu, and the menu will change seasonally, featuring speciality German beer styles according to the time of year such as the classic Heidi, full bodied Lager (5.2%), German Pils, Smoked Beer, Festbier, Dunkel, Bock and Märzen but also a core range of Hoppenweisse (5.3%), dry-hopped wheat beer and a Pale Ale (4.6%) made with German hops for a hazy, and fruity taste. There will also be a unique selection of guest cans and bottles available to drink in and takeaway.
Jim and Tonic – whose sustainable urban gins will also be at the heart of KRAFT Dalston’s bar offering – will serve a killer menu of G&Ts made from small-batch gin distilled on site on the lower-ground floor. With a ‘reduce, reuse’ philosophy to make their production more efficient and environmentally friendly, they are pioneering ways to regenerate their urban London surroundings. On the menu, the Clella celebrates their Mercato Mediterranean Gin, served with Indian tonic, orange & rosemary; the Ruby is made with Roobee Rhubard Gin, served with elderflower tonic, raspberry and basil; the Rosa champions Jim and Tonic’s ‘Kraft’ Hopped Grapefruit Gin, served with aromatic tonic, orange & juniper berries; and the Hendrix pairs their London Dry Gin with cucumber tonic, fresh cucumber and rose buds. Jim and Tonics award-winning gins will also play into the bar’s molecular cocktail menu, which features signatures such as the Black Forest Negroni, made using Jim and Tonics Robee Rhubarb gin.
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The Restaurant
Downstairs on the lower ground floor is the restaurant, a large naturally lit atrium space adorned with luscious greenery that will transition from a relaxing atmosphere by day to a lively vibe by night. The walls boast bottle green tiling, set against pastel mint and pink painted steel tables and chairs, whilst some of the seating areas mimic the material of the London tube by replicating the same fabric onto bench areas.
The food menu will feature new slider-sized kebabs from Le Bab, cooked on a wood-fired robata and served with their home-made sourdough flatbreads. These will include their classic 15 hour Pork Shawarma Kebab – organic free range pork served with sweet pickled cucumber, fresh Chermoula mayo and a foraged herb mix; a meaty Lamb ‘Madras’ Adana Kebab – inspired by Indian flavours, made from fell-grazed Lancashire lamb on a base of madras yoghurt, Bombay mix, red onion, lime, mint and coriander; and a vegetarian Paneer Kebab – signature spiced paneer on a bed of fresh beetroot & coconut puree with pickled cucumber, crispy onions, curry mayo and coriander. The menu will also feature limited edition kebab specials, like their smash hit collaboration, the Big Zuu.
Long standing fans won’t be disappointed with cult snacks and mezze remaining on the menu, including the Meat Butter Naan – reduced beef jus garlic butter, spread over home-baked naan and topped with za’atar; their signature Hummus – a creamy blend, topped with their peanut curry pesto and lemon; Turkish-Korean Fried Chicken with a date, chilli & soy glaze and garlic mayo; and Rare reed Beef Brisket ‘Doner’ – aged Welsh Black beef brisket pieces with toum and house chilli sauce. The menu at Le bab will be supported and paired with an excellently curated wine list.
Kraft Dalston:
50 covers downstairs
40 covers upstairs
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday 12pm – 11pm
130a Locke Kingsland, Kingsland high street
020 3877 0865
www.kraftdalston.com
@kraftdalston
About German Kraft Brewery
Founded in London in late 2017 by school friends Felix Bollen, Anton Borkmann, Michele Tieghi and Andrea Ferrario, each with a passion for craft beer and a mutual frustration with not being able to find an authentic German lager brewed in London. Accepting the challenge, they joined forces with sustainable food market Mercato Metropolitan in Elephant & Castle after finishing university, opening their first brewery, taproom and ‘Brew Garden’ next to 40 other international food stands, moving on to open their second site in a refurbished 18th century church that houses ‘Mercato Mayfair.’ The highly controlled brewing process with state-of-the-art equipment creates consistently high-quality beers; unfiltered, unpasteurised and without any additives or preservatives. Since opening, German Kraft Brewery has sold more than a million litres of beer in the first 3 years of opening, exploding onto the London craft beer scene.
Jim and Tonic share in these values, creating a quality and sustainable range of gins made in London, with ecofriendly practices at their core.
About Le Bab
After establishing locations in Soho and Covent Garden in 2016 and 2018, Le Bab Co-Founders Stephen Tozer, Manu Canales and Ed Brunet continue to put a new spin on the ancient kebab, creating new dishes by combining Michelin starred techniques with Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking inspirations, all made with ethical and sustainably sourced ingredients.
About Locke
Locke aims to engage with travellers that have an expectation for personal awakening and the opportunity to forge spontaneous connections with like-minded travellers and locals. Celebrating the character and social fabric of each locality, Locke creates destinations that inspire and connect through mindful design and meaningful human connection and offer much more than just a place to sleep. For more information, please visit: www.lockeliving.com
About edyn
edyn has been an industry pioneer in extended stay living for over 20 years. The group has built an extensive range of serviced apartments and aparthotels across our four brands including Locke, SACO, The Wittenberg and The Moorgate, alongside a wider partner network, developing a global supply chain of over 80,000 apartments in 260 key locations. edyn is founded on a philosophy that travel should be a rich journey of discovery, rewarding curiosity with knowledge and inspiration whether travelling for business or leisure. For more information, please visit: https://www.findingedyn.com