The Rum Kitchen co-founder Stevie Thomas and ex-Manteca chef Francesco Sarvonio have teamed up to transform old Clapton pub The Elephant’s Head into a southern Italian restaurant specialising in Neapolitan pizza. At Elephant Hackney, Francesco’s menu blends regional Italian traditions with seasonal British produce, resulting in dishes like frittatina with peas and basil; ox cheek croquettes with anchovy mayo; buffalo mozzarella with tomato carpaccio; fried courgette flowers with spicy honey aioli; Elephant Marinara pizza with caper leaves and confit garlic; La Squisita pizza with pancetta and squacquerone; house tiramisu; and fried lavender donut with Amalfi lemon custard. Just as much attention has been paid to the building itself, with David Shrigley prints, vintage Italian film posters and a Dumbo piece inside the dining room, which is bathed in natural light from a 25-year-old skylight salvaged from an old East End cinema.
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