Rafael Cagali to open Elis, Da Terra’s ‘relaxed’ sister restaurant

The Brazilian chef Rafael Cagali is opening a second restaurant, Elis, in Bethnal Green this autumn, building on the success of his two-star restaurant Da Terra. 

Named after the jazz singer Elis Regina, the restaurant will be a ‘relaxed interpretation’ of Rafael’s blend of Brazilian and Italian-influenced cooking, offering an a la carte menu and a relatively short selection of wines curated by Noble Rot.  

Smaller dishes will include vitello tonnato, bolinho de bacalhau (cod fritters commonly found in Brazilian bars), and pastas such as crab tagliolini verde; larger sharing plates will include baby monkfish tail glazed with black tucupi, the juice of manioc root from the Amazon. 

‘Elis is inspired by my mother and childhood and we will be serving more rustic dishes, with a selection of elegant snacks and good wines,’ Rafael said in an announcement.  

‘I have wanted to explore some of the more relaxed elements of Brazilian and Italian food culture for some time, drawing on everything from my favourite street food to family meal celebration dishes that my grandma used to make.’

Elis will open in the Town Hall Hotel, taking over the space adjacent to Da Terra.   

CODE talked with Rafael in June about about being of mixed heritage – Rafael was born in São Paulo and has an Italian background – trying not limit himself, and where he eats on his day off. Read the full interview here.