Botanica Hall to open in Battersea this month

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Image: Instagram @botanicahall

A large all-day restaurant, bar and vodka distillery will open this month in the former Arding & Hobbs department store in Battersea.

Botanica Hall will be the sixth London venue from neighbourhood bar and restaurant group Albion & East and will occupy part of the iconic building located at the junction of Lavender Hill and St John's Road.

It will serve a menu of coal-fired Italian pizzas, and pasta as well as bottomless brunches with live music and DJs playing on the weekends.

Menu items will include tartufo tagliatelle with truffle cheese sauce, crispy shallots, hazelnuts, lemon zest and parmesan crisp; beetroot gnocchi with pistachio pesto, walnuts, rocket and sage; buttermilk fried chicken: hot mustard, watermelon, jalapeño mayo and jalapeños; and a bag of bomboloni (Italian doughnuts) with Nutella.

Albion & East was founded by Sarah Weir in 2016 with the launch of Martello Hal in Hackney. It also operates Serata Hall in Old Street, Canova Hall and Cattivo Bar in Brixton, Allora Hall in Crouch End, and Teatro Hall in Ealing.

As with other venues in Albion & East’s portfolio, Botanica Hall will distil its own small batch gin and have space for remote working. 

Arding & Hobbs is a former department store and Grade II listed building that was established in 1876. It was later divided into a branch of Debenhams department store and TK Maxx with the Debenhams section having been closed since 2020.