The Golden Tooth will carry some of Papi’s playful DNA but be “ever so slightly more refined and grown up”.
Earlier this year, Matthew Scott (who also founded Hot 4 U) and wine merchant Charlie Carr announced that Papi would close after a three-year run ahead of a new project.
The pair have spent the past few months reinvigorating the former Leconfield pub site on Green Lanes.
The menu will take cues from Papi, with “notes of nostalgia and mischief”, while continuing Scott’s produce-led, sustainability-focused approach.
The space will be split into two areas: a more casual pub serving bar snacks, and a 55-cover restaurant.
Bar snacks will include Currywurst, Fried Ox Tongue and Bedfordshire Clanger with Thai-style gooseberry jam, alongside Mussels on Toast with house lardo.
The restaurant menu will focus on grilled meats, chops, pies and sharing plates, with dishes such as veal sweetbread saltimbocca, Montgomery cheese puffs with sun gold tomato ketchup and steak tartare with lacto cep and mushroom crackers.
Larger plates include turbot tranche with raw crème fraîche and grilled peas, Old Spot pork chop with quince and kid goat chop with ezme salad.
Puddings will lean into nostalgic favourites, including arctic roll with sour cherry and jelly and ice cream.
Carr, who founded Wingnut Wines, a weekend pop-up turned wine bar in Netil Market, will lead the drinks offer, focusing on low-intervention wines from small producers. The list will feature 50-100 references, with at least 50% English wines.
“My journey started in East End pubs hosting kitchen residencies with Hot 4 U, so to now be returning feels like a full circle moment and one where we can finally reach our potential. Our food offering is bold, generous and rooted in closed-loop cooking and sustainability, with in-house butchery at the core,” Scott says.
Carr adds: “Taking over a 190 year old pub is a big responsibility and something that we’re super excited to do. We’ll lean into the history and atmosphere behind a community led traditional pub, whilst at the same time bringing some of the pizazz and excitement that was central to our ethos at Papi. Think Papi does a pub!”
The site has been restored with a central wooden bar and a mix of pub and restaurant seating. Period features have been retained, with updated finishes and signage. A red bathroom nods to Papi’s original site.