Stoke Newington’s Wolf restaurant have introduced a new team and menu!

The British-Italian restaurant who focus on local produce and independent winemakers announced their new team and first menu for 2020.

The neighbourhood favourite, located in Stoke Newington from cousins Antony Difrancesco and Onofrio Dicarlo, have brought on John-Michael Sookias to lead the direction, with new Head Chef Rory Buchanan and wine specialist Zeren Wilson. The new menu that launches on the 3rd of March, brings Italy’s secret family recipes driven by seasonal British produce.

Sookias, who has worked with the likes of Nancy Silverton, Smoking Goat, Passo and Kiln and Buchanan, previously at Calcot Manor, Carousel and Earth are the minds behind the menu. Inspired by the best of Italiancooking, both old and new, and hand-picked British producers and farmers.

Every ingredient is considered with provenance and craftsmanship in mind. The team have moved to source most of their Italian-style cheeses from British producers like Burrata produced in London by La Latteria and Pecorino from Yorkshire. Fish is sustainably sourced through Fin and Flounder while rare breed pork and ex-dairy beef is brought in from HG Walter.

The regularly changing sharing menu is made up of snacks, small plates, fresh pasta as well as larger meat and fish dishes. Snacks include country terrine made with rabbit, veal and Mangalitza pork; Capponi de la Rachelle, a recipe from Sous Chef Gabriele Davare’s grandmother, Mortadella, Prosciutto and Parmesan dumplings, wrapped in cabbage, braised and served in beef broth. The menu follows with pastas such as handmade ravioli filled with smoked ricotta, chard and parmesan served in brown butter and topped with pistachio and cacio e pepe with Yorkshire pecorino, Spenwood cheese and Kampot Red Pepper. Larger plates like Tamworth collar with roast turnips and mustard sauce; UK ex-dairy rump with a porcini rub served with black garlic and anchovy butter along with charred calcots.

The continuously changing wine list, curated by Wilson and Sookias, features small production, natural and low-intervention wines, from both European and new world producers from Modal, Ancestral and Tutto wines. Wilson says “We’ve put together a list for Osteria Wolf that celebrates some of the most distinctive winemakers around the world, from the organically farmed Sky Vineyards in Napa Valley, nestled near the summit of Mt. Veeder, to the iconic winery of Isola e Elena in Tuscany. We are serving wines which work closely to the ethos of low-intervention winemaking, are wonderful and fun to drink — Lambrusco, German Riesling, great Sangiovese and more, will all be rubbing shoulders on the list, serving each by the glass so guests are able to try anything.”

From late-March guests can join in on Sunday Sauce, bringing the Italian tradition of spending the end of the week with generations of family and friends, gathered around tables sharing food from secret family recipes. Wolf will serve big bowls of pasta tossed in meat sauce, topped with whole braised short rib, hand-made meat balls and truffle sausage.

Antony Difrancesco and Onofrio Dicarlo are second-generation Italian immigrants born into a family who have been farming some of the best produce just outside of London. Their love of their Italian heritage and food combined with the family tradition of local produce to create Wolf. Difrancesco says “We’re really excited by the new offering from our latest team. Their exciting new food and drink menus continues along the values that we have always strived for at Wolf.”

110 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 7NY