OPENS JANUARY 2020
Clare Ptak, the woman behind the famed Violet bakery in East London, plans to open a second bakery and wine bar in Hackney.
The space doesn’t have an official name yet (although Violet Corner is the working title) and will be found on the former site of café The Corner, at the intersection of Westgate Street and Mare Street. The space will operate as a bakery during the day, before transforming into a wine bar in the evening.
Speaking to Eater London, Ptak revealed that she has decided to open a second site due to growing demand and also in order to “get more creative.” Violet Corner will stretch itself across a basement and ground floor, with room for around 75 diners. In the morning, guests can pick from a counter filled with cakes and pastries, while lunchtimes will see toasties, salads and quiches being served.
In the evening, Violet Corner will serve a list of mostly natural wines, alongside other drinks including cocktails such as the violet-coloured Aviation: a blend of gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice. There will be no substantial dinner available, because Ptak “doesn’t want to open a restaurant”, but small plates and snacks will be served alongside the drinks.
The design of the space will be similar to the original Violet bakery, which boasts a minimalist, stripped-back aesthetic that has made it a haven for Instagram addicts. Ptak has employed Quinn Architects to restore many of the building’s original features, with both floors featuring open kitchens. Overall, Ptak thinks the venture will have a “more grown up” feel than the original.
Although Violet has been a popular London bakery since opening back in 2010, the business really hit the big time last year when Ptak was chosen by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to bake the cake for their wedding day. Ptak designed a lemon and elderflower creation for the royal couple, which was covered in buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.