Argentinean restaurant De La Panza opens in Islington

A new Argentinean restaurant has opened in north London, offering a menu inspired by the Bodegón-style restaurants of Buenos Aires.

De La Panza, which means "all about the belly", is the first restaurant venture from George Rockett and is located in the De Beauvoir area of Islington.

Divided into two areas, the 65-seat restaurant has a tapas bar on the one side offering a menu of small plates to share, as well as a main dining room on the other.

Here the menu includes a wide variety of dishes such as stews, pistos, escabeches and tartas as well as a range of different steaks from the grill.

The kitchen is being overseen by husband-and-wife duo Santiago Odescalchi and Celeste Ugalde, who are originally from Argentina but have spent the past decade living in the Basque country in Spain.

In charge of the front-of-house operation, meanwhile, is manager Gaston Carrano, who previously oversaw the openings of the Buen Ayre Restaurant in Broadway Market, and Santa Maria del Sur in Battersea.

Owner Rockett commented: "This restaurant is the culmination of a lot of blood, sweat and tears - I've always wanted to open a place like this.

"I am half-Argentinean and I absolutely love the vibe of the place - informal, delicious food, a real neighbourhood gem."

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By Kerstin Kühn

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