The long-awaited east London follow-up to Ravinder Bhogal and Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany’s beloved Marylebone restaurant Jikoni finally has an opening date. On April 18, Jikoni Cafe will launch in the new V&A East Museum in Stratford with a menu that criss-crosses cultures and celebrates the community and cultural space it’s set in. Expect Bhogal’s signature creative dishes at accessible price points, plus events tuning into the museum’s cultural calendar.
“Cafe Jikoni is a joyful expression and natural evolution of our long-standing mission to cross borders and unite people through food,” said Bhogal and Nanjuwany in a statement. “Beyond nourishing and delicious food, our intention is grounded in inclusivity, hospitality and positive change.”
The restaurant will reflect the cooking and atmosphere the duo have cultivated during Jikoni’s decade-long tenure. Bhogal has drawn praise for her creative cooking that reflects the influence of the various diasporas that call London home – and that, crucially, encourages return visits. At Cafe Jikoni that will equal dishes including a turmeric and ginger chicken pie; lamb merguez flatbreads with fennel, tahini and pickled chillies; and yuzu and pandan strawberry iced buns. There’ll also be macaroni dahl, sausage rolls filled with lamb and baharat (a Middle Eastern spice mixture) and a banana cake with miso frosting – a riff on Jikoni’s fan-favourite banana cake with miso butterscotch and Ovaltine kulfi.
A house blend by Workshop Coffee will be on the pour, and there will be a dedicated coffee cart and custom coffee machines. Cafe Jikoni will be open for breakfast, lunch and snacking every day until 6pm, and for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays when there are museum lates.
Cafe Jikoni will be the team’s first new opening of the year. Another diner, Karam’s, will open in Bloomsbury later in the year, serving South Asian dishes handed down from the couple’s ancestors.
Cafe Jikoni opens on April 18 at V&A East Museum.
