Filipino-influenced bakery and pizzeria Bunso opens in Kentish Town

Bunso, a new bakery and pizzeria from restaurateur Omar Shah, opens on Hawley Road in Kentish Town, north London, on Tuesday 13^th October. It will run as a bakery by day and a pizzeria and listening bar in the evening, with Filipino flavours and ingredients alongside Italian and American influences. Shah’s Maginhawa Group also runs Mamasons, Guanabana and Belly.

The evening pizzeria opens first, on 13^th October. The daytime side follows a week later, on Tuesday 20^th October. The restaurant, at 1A Hawley Road, NW1 8RP, will be closed on Mondays. From Tuesday to Friday the bakery runs from 8.30am to 4pm, and on weekends from 9.30am to 4pm. The pizzeria serves from 5pm to 10pm from Tuesday to Saturday, and from 4pm to 9.30pm on Sundays.

The name means “youngest child” in Filipino. The name refers less to Bunso being the group’s newest opening than to the curious, rule-breaking temperament associated with youngest siblings.

The bakery menu includes laminated pastries and savoury bakes such as a Mango and Sticky Rice Danish, a Pandan Cream Cruffin, a Banana Turon Pain Suisse, an Adobo Mushroom Puff and a laminated “lumpia” roll. At lunchtime there are pies, including a Kaldereta Pie and a Bicol Express Seafood Pie, with garlic mash available. Coffee comes from Camden Roastery, which has created a blend for the restaurant. Speciality drinks include a Brown Butter Hojicha Latte, a Chilli Latik Hot Chocolate and a Milo Tiramisu Latte.

In the evening the menu centres on pizza. Toppings include Mushroom Adobo with seasonal mushrooms, Longanisa sausage with calamansi hot honey and atchara, Kaldereta with teardrop pepper, goat’s cheese and potato and Laing with crème fraîche and onion. Crust dips feature XO chilli crisp oil and calamansi alioli. Starters comprise Cornish Bluefin and Beetroot Kinilaw and Meatballs with Stracciatella. The three pasta dishes are Cannelloni with Laing and Coconut Béchamel, Tortellini with Crab Bicol Express and Pappardelle with Oxtail, Peanut and Chilli Crisp. Desserts take in an Ancho Brownie with clotted cream and Filipino Rum Caramel, gelato in flavours such as durian and olive oil and affogatos.

The wine list focuses on natural and low-intervention wines, with bottles from Uruguay and Moldova alongside Italian and European wines. Some are available by the glass and carafe. Cocktails include a Spicy Atchara Margarita and a Mango Float, as well as a Coconut Highball from London bar As Above, So Below. The beer is Camden Hells lager. Non-drinkers can choose a Piña Tonic or Lucky Saint.

Shah led the design with Studio Jayga Architects and the group’s in-house architect. The single-storey Art Deco-style building has a large shopfront window that gives a view from the street through to the open kitchen. Bar stools face the kitchen, where staff laminate pastries and bake pandesal during the day. A hi-fi system with a turntable forms a feature wall, and some of the speakers were made by British company Concept Objects. The interior uses stainless steel, concrete and walnut, with vintage furniture and artwork by Shah and London-based artist Kelly Anna.

Food Desk

Bunso is at 1A Hawley Road, Kentish Town, London NW1 8RP. For further information and reservations, visit Bunso’s website here.