Black and white photo of a woman and a man sitting on stage, the woman smiling and wearing a lace dress holding a pearl necklace, the man smiling in a suit with a tie, behind a curtain background, with the word "Gina" written across the image.

We’ve opened our first restaurant in Chingford

We’re Ravneet and Mattie, a husband-and-wife team who’ve spent the last 15+ years working in some of London’s best kitchens. After a lot of dreaming (and even more eating), we’ve finally opened our first restaurant and we’ve put it right in the heart of Chingford, a place we’ve come to love deeply. The restaurant is just two minutes from the Overground and sits on the edge of Epping Forest. We’re building the kind of place we’d want to eat at ourselves; somewhere warm, unfussy, and full of food that makes you feel good.

Our menu is rooted in seasonality and quality sourcing. We work closely with Farmer Tom, who supplies us with exceptional meat, lamb chops, pork chops, aged Hereford beef and we get our fish straight from the boats in Cornwall. The menu shifts with what’s best that week, and we always have a daily-changing blackboard of specials. You’ll also find vibrant vegetarian dishes, handmade pastries, and a pudding menu that changes with the seasons. Mattie’s cooked at places like The Camberwell Arms, The Anchor & Hope, Franks in Peckham, Som Saa and Llewelyn’s. I (Ravneet) have worked in pastry at Zuma, St. JOHN, Black Axe Mangal, Jamavar and Wild by Tart and I’ve written a few cookbooks and judge Junior Bake Off too.

We’ve both spent our careers learning from some of the best and now we’re pouring all of that into this place. We’ve put together a small, joyful, hard-working team who care as much about hospitality as they do about cooking. Our hope is that this restaurant feels welcoming, whether you’re dropping in for a solo bite, meeting mates midweek, or sitting down with family for a longer meal.

You can book via our Reservations tab, we’d love to see you soon.

Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our Substack to keep up with the journey (and get some insider tips along the way)

Why 'Gina'

Gina, Mattie’s late mother, is the heart and soul behind our restaurant’s name. She was a woman of warmth, generosity, and boundless creativity - a true artist, a dedicated teacher, and a fabulous mother. Her home had an open-door policy, always filled with good food and great company. We want to bring that same spirit to our space: fun, abundant, a little cheeky, and always welcoming. If she were here, she’d be out front, a glass of red in one hand, a cigarello in the other - ready to greet you like an old friend.