A bakery that morphs into a bistro and wine bar as day moves to night has opened in St John’s Wood High Street. No Forty Nine is from head chef Ella Williams (right – ex-Mountain and Crispin) and owner Jake Finn (left), who founded Cinder, a minute’s walk along the high street.
Breakfast is served from 8am, with freshly baked breads and pastries, including a Pastrami pain suisse and Burnt leek, cheddar & Marmite swirls, and sweet treats like a Miso butterscotch canelé and a Candied orange financier.
From midday, an all-day menu takes over, inspired by both the Mediterranean and New York-style bistros, featuring the likes of Cornbread madeleines with scotch bonnet honey butter and Polenta batons with whipped ricotta and sage, followed by Crab choux buns and Steak tartare with sour cream and onion crisps and a daily-changing choice of salads – all available to eat in or takeaway.
Larger plates include dishes such as Tagliolini with prawns & bisque, Roasted aubergine with ajvar & kumquat dukkah, and Steak haché with five peppercorn sauce, in addition to a limited 7-inch pizza menu. Desserts include Baby Guinness Sundae with coffee fudge and graham cracker crumble, and Crack Pie with sea salt and crème fraîche.
By night, No. Forty Nine transitions into a wine bar, with mainly European wines and small selection of low-intervention bottles, alongside classic cocktails and a selection of non alcoholic serves.
Seating includes a street-facing terrace for al fresco dining, while the back of the restaurant has a piano, and is designed to host private dinners and one-off events.
