Head to Lupa for a taste of Rome in the heart of Highbury

Carousel co-owner Ed Templeton is one big name behind this new Roman-style restaurant in north London; another is White Lotus star Theo James. The pair became friends after their actor wives met while walking on Highbury Fields during lockdown, and they both agreed they wanted somewhere casual, but of good quality, to eat on their doorstep.

Wallpaper* dines at Lupa, London

The mood: a local osteria worth travelling for

Templeton has designed the window-wrapped corner site himself, with input from his wife Georgia Maguire and James’s wife Ruth Kearney. The original Victorian features of the former shop have been complemented by contemporary fittings, while the snug dimensions of the 28-cover space mean that seating is on benches handcrafted by carpenter Herb Palmer up the road in Walthamstow. Templeton’s friend, ceramist Valentine Benoist, has designed vases to sit atop each candlelit table, while lime-washed walls and terracotta tones reference the Roman theme. Service, meanwhile, is as relaxed as the low-lit vibe.

‘It’s a tiny spot,’ Templeton says. ‘It’s really, really small. The benches felt like the best way to kind of maximise covers and make it as comfortable as possible. And we all liked the idea of having the kind of café with half-curtains that mean all you can see from the outside is the tops of heads and the flicker of candlelight. We’ve gone for an ochre kind of colour outside, which hopefully is reminiscent of the Campo de’ Fiori in Rome. But let’s see how it stands up on a wet November night in Highbury.’

‘We wanted that vibrant feeling of a back street trattoria whilst making it contemporary enough that it wasn’t too traditional; it was about finding that balance between modernity and informality with the use of lighting, art and music,’ adds Ruth Kearney. ‘We want every guest who sits down to immediately feel like they’re in a place that cares about the details.’

The food: when in Rome…

Templeton lived in the Italian capital in his early 20s and has enlisted Milan-raised chef Naz Hassan (Pidgin’s former head chef) to create a menu of crowd-pleasing classics alongside Roman-inspired seasonal specials. Expect a short menu long on big flavours: carbonara or cacio e pepe made with hand-rolled pasta, lamb cutlets crisped up on the grill, and veg-forward dishes such as carciofi alla romana (artichoke hearts stuffed with herbs and braised in white wine, olive oil and garlic). Heading to Arsenal? There’ll be thick-cut porchetta sandwiches to take away on match days.

Lupa is located at 73 Highbury Park, London N5 1UA, UK.