Stockwell is home to Honey & Co restaurateurs Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer, but it’s central London where you’ll most often find them. Since opening their first restaurant in 2012, the couple’s delectable Middle Eastern offerings, warm welcome and relaxed vibes have wowed Londoners. Today, Srulovich and Packer have restaurants and delis on Great Portland Street, Lamb’s Conduit Street and Warren Street, and the latest opening, Honey & Co Daily on Store Street.
Warm, always smiling and clearly devoted to each other personally and professionally, the duo first met while working in the Middle East. They moved to London together to work in the kitchen at OXO Tower before Packer left to project-manage the opening of Nopi with Yotam Ottolenghi and Srulovich to work as head chef at the Notting Hill branch of Ottolenghi. And then, as with all great chefs, they spread their wings and branched out on their own. They opened Honey & Co in 2012 with delis, smokehouses, books and television appearances fast following suit. Together, Srulovich and Packer have created a brand that is as recognisable as it is coveted by fans.
Itamar Srulovich and Sarit PackerPatricia Niven
“We’re not into massively pretentious food, and we don’t cook it either,” says Packer. “It really all comes down to atmosphere. We don’t“”don’t“We’reLamb’scouple’syou’llit’s want to open restaurants or eat out in places that feel too stuffy. We like to be where you can sit and enjoy the food, and the staff seem genuine and friendly; those are the places we tend to gravitate towards.” Srulovich adds, “We need to feel secure knowing that no tweezers came near our food! When we first opened Honey and Co, another restaurant that was very popular and always very busy, it opened down the road. You couldn’t get a table, but we finally went down there to try it, and you almost felt fear when eating, and that’s not nice for anyone.”
Ultimately, the foodie power couple prefers to visit places as convivial, relaxed and informal as their own restaurants, where the freshest ingredients are at the forefront. Packer notes she “hates it when you’re having a conversation, and the waiter comes over and just stands over to explain every dish to you; if you have to explain what I’m eating, I’m not sure I want to eat it.”
When not cooking, their creativity fuels another outlet – ceramics, making coffee cups for their restaurants. “All our friends have babies,” Sarit tells me, “but these are our babies. I love it when a new batch comes out of the kiln. We have different colours for different shops.” I suggest they sell them (Honey & Co Daily has a deli and small shop at the front that seems a perfect outlet for them, after all), but they insist they don’t have the time. That isn’t surprising, but despite their hectic schedules, they have shared their favourite restaurants around the country that reflect the warmth and conviviality so often associated with their restaurants.
The Old PharmacyMaureen M. Evans
The Old PharmacyMaureen M. Evans
The Old Pharmacy, Bruton
Srulovich: “I can’t wait for Osip to open in its the new location but we also love chef Merlin Johnson’s other Bruton gem, The Old Pharmacy.”
