Notto founders acquire Little Sourdough Kitchen

Notto founders chef Phil Howard and restaurateur Julian Dyer have acquired Little Sourdough Kitchen in London’s Fulham.

The artisan bakery has closed for a refurbishment and is due to reopen later this month with a new leadership team consisting of former Elystan Street pastry chef Anna Konig and baker Ben Costello, who joins from Faaro Bakery in Bristol.

Little Sourdough Kitchen has been operating for the past eight years and was a focaccia supplier for Notto, which was launched as a delivery service in 2021 and later as a pasta restaurant in London’s Piccadilly.

According to press materials, conversations around the sale of the bakery “began organically” after the previous owner revealed plans to return to Italy.

The remainder of Little Sourdough Kitchen staff will remain and continue to serve a selection of classic and new bakes, such as Brunsvieger and Heritage Loaf using spelt, einkorn and rye.

The bakery will showcase ingredients sourced from English suppliers such as Bruern Farm and Shrub.

The site has been redesigned by Claire Nelson and Ollie Marks to feature natural wood, earthy textures and a bright, yellow colour scheme.

Howard said: “Anna and Ben represent the future of this much-loved artisan bakery. They are young, incredibly talented and will evolve the product following a strong ethos using unique, varied, local and sustainable ingredients.”

Dyer added: “It was already an excellent bakery, that was the point. This wasn’t about coming in and changing something, it was about protecting it, supporting it, and helping it develop and expand.”

Notto operates three restaurants across London in Broadgate, Piccadilly and Covent Garden.

Howard is also behind the Michelin-starred Elystan Street in London’s Chelsea.