According to the Campaign for Read Ale, the former Royal Oak in Green Lanes is locally listed as the finest example of a “Tudorbethan public house” in Islington.
With its beaten lead windows and half timbered, gables, the original pub dates back to the 1820s but was rebuilt in 1926 and was later named Oak Bar then The Leconfield.
Now the team behind Hackney restaurant Papi is revitalising the Newington Green alehouse.
Chef Matthew Scott and wine expert Charlie Carr are naming their bar and restaurant The Golden Tooth and have set the opening date for April 24.
In one half of the pub they plan to keep the spirit of a traditional London boozer – “dog-friendly, Guinness on tap, the best roasts and a place for the community”.
It will serve ciders, beers and spirits alongside casual bar snacks with a menu that nods to “nostalgia and mischief” such as currywurst, oysters, fried ox tongue, Bedfordshire clanger with a Thai style gooseberry jam, and mussels toast with house lardo.
Meanwhile the 55 cover dining room will specialise in grilled meats, chops, pies and smaller plates.
Expect the likes of veal sweetbread saltimbocca, Montgomery cheese puffs with sun gold tomato ketchup, and steak tartare with cep crackers – or turbot tranche with raw crème fraîche and grilled peas, Old Spot pork chop with quince, and kid goat chop with ezme salad.
Under the eye of Carr the wine will focus on micro producers and low intervention wines alongside English producers.
The pub will be restored it to its former glory with a wooden bar, original tiling, wood panelling, hand painted signage, vintage bentwood furniture, and soft elegant lighting.
Papi opened in Mentmore Terrace, London Fields in 2023 and was the first bricks and mortar venture for Wingnut Wines founder Carr, and Scott who previously ran Hot 4 U pop-ups at the Prince Arthur in London Fields and The Plough in Homerton.
They met in 2021 while running stalls in London Fields and their collaboration was cemented over the pairing of fried chicken with a glass of champagne.
It led to a series of collaborative events and a successful Kickstarter to found Papi.
They will bring the same approach to their first ‘gastropub’ including puddings that hark back to childhood favourites such as arctic roll with sour cherry, and jelly and ice cream.
Scott said: “My journey started in East End pubs hosting kitchen residencies with Hot 4 U, so to now be returning feels like a full circle moment and one where we can finally reach our potential.
“Our food offering is bold, generous and rooted in closed-loop cooking and sustainability, with in-house butchery at the core.
“We want to honour the pub itself – a real public house steeped in history – dog-friendly, Guinness on tap, the best roasts and most importantly, a place for the community.
“It will be the same Papi spirit, just sharper, more considered, and with the full autonomy it deserves.”
Carr added: “Taking over a 190 year old pub is a big responsibility and something that we’re super excited to do.
“We’ll lean into the history and atmosphere behind a community led traditional pub, whilst at the same time bringing some of the pizazz and excitement that was central to our ethos at Papi. Think Papi does a pub!”
The Golden Tooth will open seven nights a week from April 24 with food served Wednesday to Sunday.
