Sune

Sitting pretty at the bottom of Broadway Market, you’ll find the emerald awnings of Sune. This neighbourhood spot is the brainchild of hospitality duo Charlie Sims and Honey Spencer, who have translated their experience working in high-flying establishments (think Noma, Lyle’s and Evelyn’s Table) into a vibey restaurant and wine bar that serves modern sharing plates and a great wine list. The concept itself might not be anything new, but the pair’s interpretation of a neighbourhood restaurant is leagues above so many others of its kind.

Free from pretension and fuss, the space is decorated to feel relaxed, homely and a little hectic. Half the room is given over to counter seating for punters to pluck up a stool, either at the bar or looking out through huge windows onto Regent’s Canal. Tightly packed tables and chairs also create a feeling of busyness, to the extent that staff are often caught artfully squeezing between guests. Allow yourself to go with the flow of it all: chat to staff, ask questions about the menu, order wine by the glass to enjoy a few different bottles. Sune is quite clearly a place that invites warmth and conviviality.

Rising star Michael Robins (Pidgin, Acme Fire Cult, Akoko) heads up the kitchen, where he creates dazzlingly precise dishes that don't ever sacrifice playfulness and comfort. We hungrily plunge pillowy, steaming-hot flatbreads into a taramasalata-like dip, spiked with the subtle heat of horseradish and glassy trout roe. Elsewhere, an unashamedly gnarly slab of Croque Monsieur arrives topped with a delicate layer of caper-studded beef tartare. It demands to be ordered. Make no mistake; these are dishes laced with real skill. We marvel at a piece of trout which has been slowly cooked in eel fat until unfathomably soft, then doused in an oyster and smoked butter sauce.

Wine enthusiasts are in for a treat, too. Acclaimed sommelier Honey Spencer lends her midas touch to a really exciting list, which offers breadth in both character and affordability, albeit with a strong lean towards personality-led, natural wines. To sum up, Sune acts as a blueprint for neighbourhood restaurants everywhere. Long may it last! 

Sune is a restaurant and wine bar in Hackney, belonging to acclaimed sommelier Honey Spencer and partner Charlie Sims. The restaurant sits right at the bottom of Broadway Market, and boasts a light, bright and spacious dining room, as well as an outside terrace that looks out onto the canal.

The couple have worked in some of the world’s most highly regarded restaurants, including Noma, Lyle’s, Maos and Evelyn’s Table.

Clean, minimal interiors make use of lots of natural materials - the floors and table tops are made with reclaimed timber. At one end of the restaurant, an open kitchen pass allows guests a view straight into the buzz of the kitchen, and there are tables throughout, as well as a window counter for people-watching.

The menu is overseen by head chef Michael Robins, who has spent time in the kitchens of The Midland Grand Hotel, Acme Fire Cult and Pidgin, where he was head chef for two years. He oversees an all-day menu that starts with fresh breads and pastries, before dishes like smoked eel Caesar salad, homemade pastas and za’atar spiced lamb ribs with honey, harissa and salted yoghurt hit the menu.

You can also expect desserts that make the most of seasonal fruits, like the chocolate, cherry and pistachio tart with cherrystone cream.

Meanwhile, Spencer curates a wine list that evolves with the seasons, drawing on her extensive experience and network of producers from all over the world. Though the focus of the wine list is to share lesser known wines from all over the world, Spencer also features some of the world’s most in-demand bottles on the wine list, making Sune a must-visit for wine buffs.