Modern food with a dollop of nostalgia
The fact that Albers is named after founder Scott Pattinson’s dog gives you a good idea of the vibe of this De Beauvoir spot: warm, friendly and sociable. It’s other namesake, artist Josef Albers, who explored perception and context in his work, nods to the restaurant’s philosophy of taking comfort food and classic dishes and reimagining them for now. The design of the space backs all this up; warm wooden panelling giving it a mid-century look, and small tables and playful artworks that reference Albers (the dog) making it feel intimate and lived-in.
Eat This
Long menu energy may be creeping back into some London restaurants, but not at Albers. Here it’s a tightly curated selection of dishes short enough to fit on a side of A5. All killer, no filler, and no small portions either – the sardine croquettes, listed as a snack, are so big (and so covered in parmesan) that they’re a knife and fork job.
The menu gets a regular refresh at Albers, so expect plenty of warming flavours at this time of year, like the nutty, mustardy leeks with buckwheat and a festive duo of cranberry and orange livening up grey mullet crudo.
There are three mains and one sharer on offer, and if the tuna with peppercorn sauce is listed as the latter, it’s a must-order. The tuna is cooked perfectly – seared on the outside, rare in the middle – and is meaty enough to handle the rich peppercorn sauce. An excellent twist on a classic. And a shout out for the interesting sides too; it would be so easy to do triple-cooked chips or another familiar potato dish, instead there’s a celeriac terrine topped with confit egg.
We were tempted by the miso caramel cookie and fior di latte ice cream sandwich on the specials board but the banoffee babka won out, and we’re glad it did. A generous slice, served warm with caramelised bananas, toffee sauce and ice cream, it’s a proper winter pud.
Drink This
If you’re off the booze, the sage, apple & soda is herby, savoury and a real grown-up soft drink. If you’re on the booze, you’ve got riffs on classic cocktails, including a solid spicy marg, and some gems on the wine list to get stuck into – the Gamay and an orange from Uruguay were perfect partners for the tuna.
Why Go
Albers really is everything you could want from a neighbourhood restaurant. It feels like you’re at a mate’s house, only with much better food and wine.
Key Information
Address | 23A Englefield Road, London N1 4JX
For more information | albers.london
