Michelin starred team move Hackney restaurant Nest to Shoreditch

During five years running a tiny seven-table space in Morning Lane, they have built a loyal fanbase for their nine course, no-choice tasting menus focusing on one hero ingredient at a time.

From October, Nest will fly the coop to a double fronted building on Old Street next to Shoreditch Town Hall.

Nest serves no choice tasting menus focusing on one hero ingredient at a time (Image: Francis Payne)

The last year has been busy for co-founders Luke Wasserman, Toby Neill and Johnnie Crowe after opening St. Barts in Smithfield to enthusiastic reviews - then winning a Michelin star.

"We’ve loved every minute of our time on Morning Lane, but it’s time for us to move into a space that allows us to continue to push boundaries and improve the experience for our amazing guests and hard-working team," said Wasserman.

"It has been an incredible year for us - thanks to the team’s hard work, we were awarded a Michelin star at St. Barts less than six months after opening. Now, we are excited and focused on taking our original restaurant and concept Nest to the next level."

The trio behind St. Barts have taken over the former Homeslice restaurant in Old Street to create a bigger home for Hackney favourite Nest (Image: Francis Payne)

The move into a former Homeslice pizza outlet will mean more guests can enjoy executive chef Johnnie Crowe’s menus, which explore the best of British seasonal produce from small-scale farmers and suppliers.

Guests will enter the horseshoe shaped space via Nest Cellar, a bar decked out in earthy, green hues with wooden benches and jars of pickling produce harking back to the original restaurant.

There will be small tables and a counter with room for diners and drinkers to sip low-intervention wines; seasonal cocktails; and craft beers, ciders and perries, paired with small plates including house bread with home churned butters, game bird terrine, and British cheese and oatcakes.

Nest will open in its new home in October (Image: Francis Payne)

Diners in the main restaurant will find Victorian-inspired floor tiling and intricate cornicing blended with industrial elements. The first dining space seats 24 while around the corner is an open kitchen where some can watch the team of chefs create dishes that in Game season will include seaweed and kale baked “Rockefeller” oysters and Nest fried Partridge with XO sauce dusted in chilli powder.

Beef Season will feature milk bread with beef fat butter and grated cured beef heart; and BBQ Welsh Wagyu with bone marrow mayonnaise.

For the first time there will be an a la carte lunch menu, while dinner guests will be surprised by each course - although there is the option to read the menu, delivered to the table sealed with a wax stamp.

Nest and Nest Cellar open at 374-378 Old Street in October with the Game Season tasting menu priced at £65 per person.