In April, the beloved-by-locals East Dulwich restaurant Franklins closed its doors after 26 years of trading. But don’t cry about it just yet, because it’s been sort of saved by some plucky locals, and soon it will return under a new ownership. Although it will have a new name and menu.
Going back to its roots, the erstwhile Franklins is being resurrected as The Victoria – the pub’s original name. And it’s going to have some good grub too. At the helm of The Victoria is Jamie Younger, the hospitality operator behind extremely popular Thai joint the Begging Bowl.
Younger has brought on Seán Breen, formerly of Noble Rot, as the executive chef. He will whip up a a French-ish gastro menu with snacks like baguette and butter, oysters, and mains of salsify fritters with aged Comte, truffle and steak tartare with dripping toast, and sautéed veal sweetbreads. Co-owner Rema Waterhouse will oversee the front of house.
We know you Londoners love a martini, and The Victory’s main drinks offering will revolve around a dedicated martini menu, which will include classics alongside house variations including The Victory, Vesper and Nelson’s Blood. Wines, ranging from £36 to £200 for a bottle, will focus on French regional classics, but there will be some low-intervention and biodynamic sips thrown in too.
The interiors promise to balance ‘modern simplicity with classic pub’.
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