Owners of Damson & Co to open new site Queenswood in Battersea
The owners of Soho London café Damson & Co are to open a new site named Queenswood in Battersea Square, Wandsworth.
The new 60-70-cover venue (with 30 more seats on the outside terrace) comes from Antonio Cardoso, former senior operations manager at the Ignite Group and director of new company Zanna Concepts; and Manchester-based restaurateur Sax Arshad, of Indian brand Mughli, and also founder of Zanna, who opened Damson & Co in 2013.
Expected to open in the second week of February, the all-day restaurant is on the site of former Indian restaurant Battersea Rickshaw. It will focus on "healthy comfort food", with a menu developed by former fine-dining chef Aude Placktor, whose career has spanned top-end roles in France at sites such as the Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris. It will serve an extensive array of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, with a focus on sustainable produce, fresh juices, locally-roasted coffee and natural wine.
Average spend is expected to hit £15 for lunch and around £30 for dinner, including a glass of wine, while the decor will aim to be cosy and homely, decked out in natural materials and colours such as cream, light blue and light brown.
The owners have said they are open to the idea of rolling out both the Queenswood and Damson & Co concepts, but currently have no definite plans.
Coffee shop and delicatessen Damson & Co opened in July 2013, and serves a brunch-to-evening menu, including coffee from East London roasters Ozone, English-produced teas, and homemade cakes, plus a wide variety of fish and seafood, and a comprehensive spirits and beers menu.