Exclusive: Rarebit will be the next upscale wine bar and grocery shop to open in London

There has been a trend for upmarket grocery shops rolling along ever faster since the pandemic struck. It makes a lot of sense given the nature of things. Of course these days what were only shops double up as all-day cafes and then become snacky wine bars in the evening, and the latest of this ilk to open will be Rarebit on Sayer Street in Elephant and Castle.

Rarebit will launch in June and is the work of Mark Angell, once of the Canton Arms and the founder of The Rookery on Clapham Common (which he sold five years ago), and Will Nias, whose background is in events and food trucks.

Mark said Rarebit will be a kitchen as much as it will be a grocery, with a British menu using local suppliers, including coffee from Climpson & Sons, bread and pastries from Flor, rare breed meat from The Butchery, cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy, and charcuterie from London Smoke & Cure. There will be craft beers, wines from small European producers, and cocktails, as if these elements need mentioning at all in 2022.

Mark told CODE: “We’re not planning a big fireworks opening. We want to quietly, but confidently open the doors and welcome locals and those from further afield with friendly and knowledgeable service. We want to be part of the community and become a social hub.

“The idea is that we create a relaxed but buzzy environment, with top quality produce, lovely people, and great tunes. We’re serious about our food and drink but want to be fun and provide a genuine work/life balance for our our team”.

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