In 1997 Sam and Sam Clark, Mark Sainsbury and Jake Hodges, opened Moro in a disusued supermarket in an unfashionable area of London. It quickly became a go-to restaurant garnering accolades, awards and a large, dedicated fan base with its, now trademark, new approach to Moorish cuisine.
Moro set the bar high for modern restaurants, creating an early template for a contemporary dining experience, as Marina O’Loughlin explained in her 2015 Guardian review;
“Moro was first in so many ways. That stripped-back restaurant aesthetic, all battered wooden floors, bar stools nuzzling long, zinc-topped bar, and bentwood furniture? Moro. The pared-back style of cooking that lets ingredients shine? Moro. The wood oven and grill? Sourdough bread, home-baked until the crust is a dark crunch that softens blissfully in grassy olive oil? Open kitchen? Blackboard with daily specials? Bar counter dining? All Moro.”
Twenty years and two sister restaurants later, Moro is still run with the same ethos today, to bring an honest approach to food and cooking and to create an atmosphere of warmth. Sam and Sam Clark, who still cook at Moro on a regular basis won Outstanding Contribution to the Industry at the London Festival Restaurant Awards 2016.
To celebrate Moro’s 20th anniversary, throughout the month of June Sam and Sam Clark and the team will be cooking the original menu from Moro’s 1997 opening day..
In addition, Sam and Sam will be hosting Sunday Lunch on 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th June to celebrate the anniversary. These special celebratory lunches will include three courses, chosen from the original 1997 menu, plus an aperitivo and half a bottle of wine for £75, including service per person. Signed copies of Moro The Cookbook will be available to purchase at a special price of £10 per copy.
The full, and original, 1997 menu is here.
To book for lunch on 4th, 11th,18th or 25th June please contact info@moro.co.uk / 020 7833 8336