Crudo Group to launch Rocola in Hackney with open kitchen, guest chef residencies and Latin-inspired menu

Crudo Group, the London restaurant company behind Crudo Cocina Latina and Tiny Wine, will open a new restaurant, bar and rotating kitchen named Rocola on Mare Street in East London next week. The venue, founded by Maria Yanez and Carlos Socorro, is built around an open kitchen and bar and will combine a permanent food and drinks offering with a changing programme of guest chefs, residencies, tastings, music nights and collaborations.

The name Rocola is the Spanish word for jukebox, a reference the team uses to describe the venue’s approach of bringing different chefs, sounds and influences into a single space while retaining a consistent identity. The permanent food and drinks programme draws on the team’s Latin American roots and Southern European influences, with a rotating calendar of visiting chefs, kitchen residencies, wine tastings and more running alongside it.

“Rocola is about creating a restaurant that feels alive every time you walk in,” said co-founder Yanez. “We wanted to build a place with its own food, drinks and identity, but also one that could make space for new chefs, ideas and experiences throughout the year. The open kitchen is central to that. Guests can see the energy of the room, meet the people cooking for them and feel part of what is happening that night.”

The residency programme will launch with Dublin-born chef Nico Reynolds, whose cooking combines Jamaican heritage, Irish produce and influences from years spent in South America. Through his pop-up Lil Portie, Reynolds has developed a style he describes as New Caribbean cooking, which featured on Viceland’s F*ck That’s Delicious with Action Bronson and led to his own television appearances. His menu at Rocola will include Prawn Causa, Summer Squash Tiradito, Aji de Gallina Tostadas and a Smashed Beetroot Salad with Coconut and Lime Leaf, alongside larger plates such as Jerk Lamb Shepherd’s Pie Coxinha, Monkfish and Mussels with Nduja Butter and Patacones. A Mango Cheesecake will close the selection.

The in-situ menu at Rocola will be short and seasonal, built around sharing. It will include snacks and aperitivo-style bites such as olives, gildas and focaccia, a changing selection of antipasti, smaller sharing dishes and a handful of larger plates from the grill or oven. The kitchen intends to keep the menu concise to remain responsive to available ingredients and the wider programme of events.

The drinks offering will centre on a wine list of around 60 to 80 bottles, building on the team’s work at Tiny Wine, with a by-the-glass selection. Cocktails will include classics such as margaritas, palomas and pisco sours, alongside house creations influenced by Latin America.

The space is designed around a fully open kitchen and bar, visible from most seats, with exposed concrete, warm lighting and an industrial finish. Rocola will seat ten at the bar counter and between 14 and 16 at tables, and will open Tuesday to Saturday from 4 to 11pm.

Food Desk

Rocola is scheduled to open on 8^th July 2026 at 143 Mare Street, Studio 3, London E8 3FW. For further information, visit the restaurant’s Instagram here or to book a table, call 020 4547 3100 or visit here.