A new wine bar specialising in pasta cooked by a former River Café chef opens in Battersea today. Archway occupies a railway arch opposite the entrance to Battersea Park and close to the new Battersea Power Station development.

The two women behind Archway are Emily Few Brown, who launched the catering company Spook almost ten years ago, and head chef Alex Owens (pictured above), whose repertoire of dishes reflects the Italian influence of her time at the River Café.

Menu highlights trailed so far include pappardelle with radicchio and scamorza; wood-roast scarlet prawns with nduja; and deep-fried quail with celery, capers and aioli. The desserts sound equally mouth-watering: chocolate mousse with malted milk ice cream, and beignets with spiced plum and crème fraiche.

The wine list ranges across both the old and new worlds, “exploring different styles, methods, regions and producers.”