It’ll be the third venture for chef patron Murat Kilic
Self-taught chef Murat Kilic, who originally trained as an electrical engineer when he moved from Turkey to London before moving into the food world, is opening another restaurant this spring. Kilic founded route in Dalston in 2012 (which he has since sold) and then opened Middle Eastern spot Amber in Aldgate East in 2018, and now he’s bringing Ara to the same neighbourhood.
The 76-cover restaurant (with a further 20 seats outside) will draw influence from all over the world and have a menu that features global flavours, across dishes like:
- grilled potato flatbread with homemade cultured butter
- mussels skewers with roasted chicken wings in butter sauce
- blackened leeks with muhammara and XO sauce
- slow-cooked short rib with date demi-glaze
General manager Wade Mundford, who launched The Melusine in 2019 with Greek chef Theodore Kyriakou, is curating Ara’s wine list.
As well as the global style, the restaurant is also going to be big on sustainability. Nina Woodcraft (who designed Silo) has helped into minimise waste across Ara’s interiors, using pineapple leather for upholstery, steel offcuts for light installations, elm wood from diseased trees for booth seating, and recycled plastic for tabletops and bar facades.
Key Information
Opening date | Thurs 1st May 2025
Address | 1 New Drum Street, London, E1 7AY
For more information | ararestaurant.co.uk
