The legacy of Morny Bakehouse: first Loop - next up, Chunk Provisions
Plus: Forno opens in Leytonstone, a local festival special, KERB debriefed, Coronation Square launches and Curry On Naanstop reviewed
It’s a truth locally acknowledged that one of the area’s most loved additions was Morny Bakehouse, just off Francis Road in Leyton.
Perhaps it was simply timing — we needed this in the yawning depths of the pandemic — or just the fact that it was seriously good (and seriously short-lived). But one thing was true: the pioneering viennoiserie went from zero to smash overnight.
Within weeks of launching in late spring 2021, the drill for many was simple: haul yourself out of bed on Saturday morning and join the queue, mask on, to await an elevated sugar injection.
By the end of that year, Morny had levelled up East London patisserie to award-winning heights with increasingly loud plaudits of “London’s best bakery.” Its beautifully ornate and photogenic sweet treats filled social feeds, while my preferred weekly indulgence was actually the savoury Reuben, arguably the capital’s finest croissant: warm, golden and buttery, it was rammed with smoked pastrami, Swiss cheese, fennel, sliced gherkins, sauerkraut and tomato jam. Oh my.
Now let’s rewind a little further. The Morny story actually starts during the first 2020 lockdown, when Marmelo founder Natalie enrolled at a pottery class at Turning Earth on Argall Avenue and met her soon-to-be partner-in-crime. “Sophie is a passionate pastry chef with over twenty years of experience,” she told me at the time. “She’s creative, flavour-focused and has a real drive and flare for her craft.”
Sophie and Natalie then decided to expand their baking bug into a full-time bakery — and could think of no better place to do it than 216b Francis Road. “With the building originally having been the neighbourhood bakery and closed for many years,” Natalie said, “it feels like coming full circle.”
One crowdfunder smashed later, Morny opened, a “modern viennoiserie” — the word embellished on the window — where you might pop in for a pain au chocolat, cruffin, cheesecake brownie, coconut lamington or upscaled donut. For two-and-a-half years, the shop was ravaged by locals, often selling out by midday.
But Morny proved to be a fleeting phenomenon: by late autumn 2023 it had closed, with the two founders going their separate ways.
The historic building housing Morny didn’t remain unoccupied for long. Within six months Natalie had launched pop-up restaurant Loop, the focus on rotating residences. Fast forward a year and this chic dining destination, home to a roll call of London’s most upcoming chefs, has become a bona fide foodie asset for Leyton and Leytonstone, with its impressive run of talent, from Belfast-born Diarmuid Goodwin (reviewed here) to, more recently, acclaimed Greek chef Marios Miliorellis.
Its next pop-up is arguably the team’s best idea yet — especially as it has legs, running right through the summer until the end of August. Called Grill Bird, chef Ben Smith has hit upon an izakaya — or Japanese pub-style — concept using seasonal British ingredients (incidentally, chicken is from Fosse Meadows Farm, a new regular at Francis Road’s Saturday’s KERB market). And Ben has form, having done time at seminal Clerkenwell joint The Quality Chop House, and also travelled round Japan undertaking fastidious cheffy research.
On the menu? Devilled ramen eggs with trout roe, milk bread with miso butter, chicken thigh karaage, bavette tartare DIY handrolls and grilled mackerel. Look out too for tsukune (yakitori chicken meatballs) with gochujang butter sauce and a cured egg. “We cook mostly over binchotan (white charcoal) on a Hibachi grill to get a distinct smoky flavour,” he says. “With no frills, punchy flavours, it’s fun food to share.”
The six-week run means a semi-permanent feel, a place to return to over the sleepy August days. From July 17th-August 30th, Thurs- Sat, plus lunch 12 till 230pm every Sat. @grill.bird @loop.dining
So what happened to Sophie, the other half of Morny? Well, she’s behind Leyton Midland’s latest arrival, Chunk Provisions, a new gelato shop and provisions store. Teaming up with former Morny head chef Renee, the pair have done a swift refit job on the unit on Tilbury Road between Caribbean restaurant Ochi and natural wine bar Swirl.
In today’s issue I swing by to listen to their story and discover more about what we can expect from this pair of talented pastry chefs. One thing’s for sure: brace yourself for the experimental flavours we came to love at Morny. Its legacy lives on. @chunk_provisions
Forno has opened in Leytonstone
A small crowd is gathered outside the new Forno on Church Lane, resplendent with its distinctive orange fascia and awning. Local social media accounts have been aflame all week with the news that the former health food shop, a second’s walk from Leytonstone tube station, has finally reopened under the stewardship of the Hackney-based bakery, pastificio and deli. For the uninitiated, Forno is also an offshoot of the long-running canalside Ombra which, established in 2011, is one of East London’s iconic neighbourhood trattorias.
And wow, this new Leytonstone store is undeniably stunning. Inside its industrial-tinged interior, pictured above, a shiny chrome banquette and matching tables line one wall, painted in an earthy tone, and at the end of the sturdy counter is a window hatch for takeaways (note the stylish speakers, too). Upstairs is a more mellow space overlooking Church Lane, with a large wooden sharing table and further seating, its floorboards signature orange. Just by the stairs is a small deli section, with pasta, risotto rice and Scenery coffee beans, while tempting sourdough loaves are displayed in the window.
On my 1030am visit, the counter has already been emptied of pastries, with a sole lemon curd bun, a cornetto and just two sandwiches remaining. “It’s been a busy morning,” says the friendly server, adding that they’ve been slammed since 8am.
Taking a seat with a long black, and the flawless lemon curd bun, I wonder: did the whole of Leytonstone set their alarms this morning? And yet still a stream of people arrive. Expect long weekend queues hereon. Coffee is from £3. @forno.cl.london
This weekend’s top 3: Summer Festivals
Leytonstone Arts Trail — it’s the last weekend of the nine-day E11 Arts Trail (ending Sunday), with its 100 artists showing across open studios, shops, pubs, restaurants and galleries. I love local artist Billie J’s hand-drawn map, pictured above, linking the area’s multi-faceted past with the present: you can study its quirky and educational detail for hours.
Leyton Más People’s Parade
Coronation Square has finally opened behind Coronation Gardens, complete with Granary Square-style fountains (read more about this below in today’s issue). And it’s here that Leyton’s brilliant annual carnival takes place all day Sunday: expect live music, Caribbean food stalls, markets and after parties at Leyton Engineer and Chop Shop Tavern, amongst others.Leytonstone Festival launches tomorrow lunchtime in St John’s Churchyard with stalls and streetfood. It runs till Sunday July 20th, with a diverse arts programme of everything from plays to gigs, movie screenings, talks and walking tours.
And just to remind people: these are edited highlights are from today’s weekly round-up for paying subscribers, who tuck into a comprehensive rundown of pop-ups, new openings and one-offs each issue.
Welcome to issue #41. Once again, thanks to everyone who continues to keep my 100% reader-funded newsletter in Substack’s Global Top 100 Food & Drink charts.
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Behind this week’s paywall:
The story of Chunk Provisions: Sophie and Renee talk about exactly what they’ll be selling, what they learnt at Morny, and some of the crazier flavour combinations we can expect
KERB launch debriefed — and three dishes worth returning for
Coronation Square finally opens — what’s the latest on its proposed markets and restaurants? And more on the Leyton Más Carnival
Curry On Naanstop — roadtesting Soho Theatre Walthamstow's budget pre-theatre menu
A bumper edit of one-offs, pop-ups and happenings over the next seven days
Chunk Provisions: everything you need to know
“Traditional ice cream shops have their place, but we want to do something a little different.”