The story
At the corner of Newington Green in Stoke Newington, Jolene operates as both a bakery and a restaurant, offering lunch and dinner in a setting that feels rooted in the neighbourhood. The restaurant is part of a small London group that also runs bakeries in Bridle Lane, Redchurch Street, Colebrooke Row, and Hornsey Road, each with its own character. Here on Newington Green, the kitchen draws from British and Mediterranean influences, producing dishes that are direct and ingredient-led.
The space is warm and unpretentious, with an atmosphere that suits everything from a quiet midweek supper to a more celebratory meal. The restaurant’s recognition in the Michelin Guide for 2026—a Recommended award—reflects the consistent quality of the cooking and the thoughtful approach to sourcing and seasonality.
Jolene’s own website describes its offering simply: "Bakery" and "Restaurant." That restraint carries through to the food, where the kitchen lets produce speak for itself. Bread, naturally, is central—baked daily in the bakery that shares the address—and it appears on tables alongside Mediterranean-leaning plates that change with the seasons. The menu might include grilled vegetables, fresh fish, or slow-cooked meats, prepared with a clarity that has become a hallmark of the Jolene name.
The restaurant’s ethos is one of genuine hospitality: no fuss, no pretense, just well-made food in a room that feels like it belongs to the street. For those who want to take a piece of it home, the shop offers bread, pastries, and other goods from the bakery next door. Photographs by Clare Shilland and James Hole capture the understated beauty of the spaces, and the design by Studio Frith reinforces the clean, tactile feel of the brand.
Jolene on Newington Green is a place where the line between bakery and restaurant blurs naturally, and where the Michelin nod simply confirms what regulars already know: this is cooking worth travelling for.
Recognition
Details
History
So tuned in to local tastes are restaurateurs Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell, they have three eateries within a mile or so of each other. First came Primeur (Newington Green, 2014), then Westerns Laundry (Drayton Park, 2017) and, in 2019, Jolene . It’s a lovely spot, especially when the glass doors are opened out onto the pavement facing the Green. Textured plaster walls, a zinc bar, candles and dried flowers create a simple but stylish look, while a warm greeting comes with an invitation to look at the menu written commendably legibly on a blackboard. On a hot day, when we visited, everyone was ordering the ajo blanco, a chilled cucumber and almond soup, garnished with tender broad beans, peas and courgettes, although classic French artichoke vinaigrette, and an Italian-style nectarine, tomato and pecorino salad also suited the weather. Pasta dominates, however. A tangle of tagliarini, firm to the tooth, comes with asparagus, new season's girolles and raw egg, while orzo is partnered by cuttlefish and clams. In colder months, you might find duck tortelloni or tagliatelle with pork ragù. Price-wise, the only £20+ dishes are a couple of main courses such as skate with brown butter and capers or roast chicken with pink fir potatoes and aïoli. Dessert is a choice between something cakey from the bakery counter (a financier, say) or caramelised bread and butter pudding with custard from the blackboard menu. Service is pally but professional. An A4 page of wines features interesting bottles from excellent producers (Alice Bouvot’s Muscat from Jura, for example) but expect to spend a minimum of £45 a bottle. If you enjoy the bread (we liked the focaccia) you can pick up a loaf here or at the group’s London-based Jolene bakeries.
Location
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