SUMMER AT TOKLAS

Introducing Toklas restaurant, bar and bakery’s new summer programme. Kickstarting the warmer months in style, summer will see the relaunch of the Toklas’ much-loved terrace, a celebratory Niçoise lunch with Rosa Jackson, the introduction of the restaurant’s first own-label wines with artwork by Turner Prize-winning Lubaina Himid, and a cookbook fair at the bakery, hosting some of the most celebrated authors of the last year.

The Toklas Terrace re-opens

Friday 24th May will mark the official reopening of the Toklas terrace, renowned as one of central London’s largest and most peaceful spots for outdoor dining. Designed by Miria Harris and peppered with lush foliage, the 2500-square-foot space is elevated from street level, ensuring that whether for drinks or dinner, guests can enjoy a secluded and spacious meal with an al fresco specific menu from Head Chef Chris Shaw.

Bookable online or available to walk-ins, the terrace boasts a retractable awning, an outdoor bar and heaters to account for all weather eventualities. As the nights draw longer, guests can enjoy Toklas’ bold, ingredient-led Mediterranean dishes, such as Monkfish and rosemary skewers, fresh salads of Broad beans with rocket, mint and pecorino or larger grilled John Dory to share with a side of the most ‘fabulous chips’ in London (Jay Rayner). Drinks-wise, expect natural, low intervention wines and a killer cocktail list of reimagined favourites to toast the sunshine.

Own-label Wines

Further strengthening the restaurant’s ties to the art world, Toklas will launch three own-label wines mid-June, transforming the wine bottles into collector’s items with a series of limited edition artworks commissioned by Toklas founders Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp. The Toklas Red, White and Rosé bottles will be available to diners on the restaurant’s wine list and on the shelves of the bakery from the middle of June, with labels designed by Lubaina Himid CBE, the first Black woman to win the Turner Prize.

Born in Zanzibar in 1954 and raised in the UK, Himid is considered one of the UK’s most important contributors to the British Black arts movements, with vibrant, bold work that focuses on the expression of marginalised histories. In 2018, one year after her Turner Prize win, Himid was awarded a CBE for her contribution to British art. In collaboration with Toklas, Himid’s labels are a return to her sybaritic side, provoking indulgence and sensuality through the bright patterns on each bottle.

All three special cuvées are hand-blended by Valerie Courreges in Provence, recognised for her wines with convivial and rebellious nature. All three wines, the Toklas Red, Toklas White and Toklas Rosé, are produced using organise and biodynamic principles, from 40-year-old vines grown in clay and limestone soil, with elements of skin contact in small concrete tanks on Courreges’ southeastern vineyard. Elegant in texture and beautifully drinkable, the approachable wines will be priced at £50 on the Toklas wine list.

A lunch with Rosa Jackson for Niçoise

Renowned Chef and author Rosa Jackson will launch her new cookbook, Niçoise, with a celebratory lunch on the Toklas summer terrace on Saturday 18th May. For £75 per person, guests can book for this exclusive preview of recipes from the book, prepared by Toklas Head Chef Chris Shaw, with accompanying wines from Provence’s Valerie Courreges. Hosted by Rosa herself, the menu will showcase the Mediterranean influences on classical French dishes, kicking off with Pissaladiere, followed by the likes of an authentic Salade Niçoise, Petits Farcis and Chicken Bouillabaisse, before rounding off with a summer Strawberry Tart.

Toklas Bakery Cookbook Fair

On Saturday 18th May, Toklas Bakery will play host to a handful of the most celebrated food writers of the last year, in a ‘meet the author’ cookbook fair. From 10am - 3pm, the fair will be a chance for keen foodies, bakers and at-home cooks to buy copies of their favourite recent cookbooks along with limited edition bakes from the likes of Nicola Lamb and Imad Alarnab.

The full lineup of visiting authors includes Fadi Kattan, the Franco-Palestinian Chef behind the recent publication Bethlehem, Rosa Jackson - creator of Nicoise, a book celebrating the local, culinary specialities of Nice, France, masterchef finalist Alexina Anatole, with her 80 delicious, flavour-packed recipes from Bitter, and Tim Anderson, with the latest addition to his Japan Easy series, Bowls and Bento.

Toklas Bakery’s Head Baker Janine Edwards will pay homage to the restaurant and bakery’s namesake, Alice B. Toklas, with a special bake commemorating her proactive contribution to food in the 20th Century. The fair will be free to attend, with all books available to purchase in person, alongside fresh bakes at the counter.

For more information please contact jess@gemmabellandcompany.com