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A new culinary-led pub and dining room, The Parakeet, is set to open in Kentish Town in March. With ex-BRAT chef – and born and bred North Londoner – Ben Allen at the helm alongside sous-chef Ed Jennings, the 60-cover dining room will serve their debut menu of locally sourced, seasonal dishes expertly cooked over flames on their custom-made grill.

Serving a produce-led, seasonally changing blackboard menu, diners can expect a selection of modern European dishes influenced by Head Chef Ben Allen’s professional chef experience at fine dining restaurants, which as well as world renowned BRAT includes the 2 Michelin Star Steirereck restaurant in Austria. Cooking over fire will be a key component of the menu at The Parakeet throughout the seasons, with many of Ben and Ed’s dishes built around the use of The Parakeet’s custom flame grill.

Signature dishes at The Parakeet are set to include ‘Poached Oyster with Pickled Elderflower’,  ‘Braised Leeks, Pecorino and Smoked Mushrooms, and ‘Wood Roasted Rabbit, Kohlrabi and Curry Leaf’. The menu will also feature meat and fish based sharing dishes built around locally sourced Ox-Cheek and Bream.

‘We’re hugely excited to be able to put our own creative stamp on the menu here at The Parakeet with our seasonal menus. Each season has its own unique benefits, spring is exciting with new shoots like wild garlic, the short asparagus season is a favourite. We both love autumnal flavours with comforting cold weather food and the challenge of being creative with limited variety in winter and the abundance of summer.’ Ben Allen, Head Chef at The Parakeet and Ed Jennings, Sous Chef at The Parakeet.

The Parakeet will occupy the space of the prominent Victorian landmark pub The Oxford Tavern, on Kentish Town Road, and retains much of its local character in the pub room, which will feature its own separate food and drinks menu for spontaneous locals stopping by. Throughout the rooms, the interior, lighting and ornate antique furnishing have been designed to compliment the ample natural light and airy space.

The Parakeet will also serve a carefully curated wine list, centering around biodynamic and low intervention wines – visitors can expect the list to feature selections from producers including Seasmoke, and J. Rochioli.

The Parakeet is a personal project from Steve Ball and Riz Shaikh of The Columbo Group. As longstanding residents of the area, their latest venture is born out of their love of the London restaurant scene and desire to bring something new to the Kentish Town neighbourhood.

‘We live locally in Highgate and Camden, and with The Parakeet, we want to build something that gives back to our neighbourhood, and that fits the description of somewhere we’d want to hang out with our family and friends. It’s great to have Ben Allen on board as Head Chef – he’s someone we really admire, and we can’t wait for visitors (and ourselves) to sit down and have a taste of the seasonal menu he’s created.’ Steve Ball.

Address: The Parakeet, 256 Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2EN

Website: www.theparakeetpub.com

Reservation link: www.theparakeetpub.com

Instagram: @the_parakeet