Authentic Peruvian cuisine will soon be on the menu in Shoredich thanks to the upcoming opening of Andina on 5th December. The creation of Martin Morales, founder of Ceviche in Soho, the new restaurant will serve an all-day menu – co-devised by head chef, Tomasz Baranski – featuring a plethora of dishes from the Peruvian Andes.
The decor at Andina is a collaborative project by Martin Morales, Schneider Designers and Here Design, and is inspired by a traditional Andean house. Subtle Andean textures meet contemporary European design throughout. As guests walk into the restaurant they will be greeted by an open kitchen and communal dining area, with a breakfast bar to one side and a kitchen bar at the other.
Beyond the ground-floor dining area and kitchen is the Games Room, housing a collection of over 2000 rare Peruvian funk, cumbia and psychedelia 7-inch singles from the 60s and 70s, collected by Martin Morales and which inspired his own in-house record label, Tiger’s Milk Records. The Games Room features a large skylight, and will be used for private dining and Peruvian cooking master classes.
Downstairs, the main dining area features a dedicated Ceviche Bar, where fresh ceviches, tiraditos and superfood salads will be prepared in front of guests. The Pisco & Chicha Bar will serve Peruvian pisco and Andean brew chicha cocktails created by Andina’s bartenders, including head barman and Young British Foodie finalist Miguel Arbe. A variety of South American wines, Andean herb teas and Peruvian premium beers will also be available.
“Andina is the result of a very personal journey for me,” Martin says. “Some of my fondest memories are from my time spent eating at picanterias in Arequipa when I was a kid living in Peru. Andina ladies prepared dishes from dawn in order to deliver delicious meals later in the day. The variety of ingredients used, the honesty of their cooking, deep flavours and freshness really stood out for me. The Andina ladies were, and still are, my heroes.
“Picanterias epitomise the real soul food of Peru. Andina will pay homage to the world of the Andes, rich in history through the Incas and Machu Picchu and the many culinary traditions, some of which have never been presented in London before and are still undiscovered. We’re looking forward to sharing our dishes with one of London’s most exciting neighbourhoods.
“I used to live and work in Shoreditch and so wanted to create a special restaurant there – one which serves exciting food with tradition and nutrition, that presents something new without following trends, just following what we believe in.”
Andina will offer 40 covers in the main room downstairs, 30 in the kitchen dining area and 16 in the Games Room, which will be available for private dining.
