2 days ago
The Best Spots In Queen's Park, According To The Founder Of Don't Tell Dad
After beginning his career as an investment banker, Daniel Land, founder of Don't Tell Dad, realized he wasn't good at it. He knew he had to figure out his next move, ultimately deciding to pursue opening Coco di Mama when he discovered a gap in London's dining scene. That opening started Land down the path of hospitality, which is how he ended up opening one of the hottest new bakeries in London, Don't Tell Dad.
'I've had an unhealthy obsession with restaurants since I was extremely young,' says Land. 'Growing up, my sister and I would get dragged to Jewish Sunday School, but then the reward was to go out for a nice lunch, often somewhere new. We went to fancy places like the Belvedere, Le Caprice, or Pont de la Tour, neighborhood spots like Lemonia, Halepi or La Sorpresa (a long-gone Italian restaurant in Hampstead), or other long-forgotten names of the London restaurant scene like Drones or Wolfe's.'
Before coming up with the concept for Don't Tell Dad, Land knew he wanted to open a spot that would be the heart of the neighborhood. He didn't like how restaurants were closed for more hours than they were open and saw few spots on his travels that hit the mark on serving their communities throughout the day. In other words, he wanted to establish a place that would serve as the glue for those who live in the neighborhood. 'It took a few years and a personal tragedy for me to pluck up the courage to start it, but that's what I'm trying to create with Don't Tell Dad,' he says
Don't Tell Dad is a half bakery, half restaurant on a buzzy street in Queen's Park. The bakery, which is run by head baker Keren Sternberg (who was previously the head baker at Layla), is known for seasonal pastries like a hazelnut brown butter croissant or a pistachio Danish, alongside savory danishes and freshly baked breads. On the other hand, you can expect to find head chef Luke Frankie whipping up seasonally-focused menu items like Courgette with Tomato, Pear, Lavage and Goat Curd's, or an Oxtail crumpet.
Although Don't Tell Dad is the latest spot to open in the neighborhood, Land moved to Queen's Park about a decade ago."I grew up a couple of miles away in Hampstead, which had a great sense of community when I was there," he says. 'A bunch of my closest friends all moved at a similar time to me, and we've all put down deep roots in the area, which is a very happy coincidence.' Suffice to say: he's the one you want to go to when you're looking for where to pop into in Queen's Park. Ahead, the Don't Tell Dad Founder shares the best spots to eat and drink in Queen's Park.
When Carmel opened a few years ago, it changed the culinary landscape in Queen's Park. 'It's grown up without being stuffy, and the team elevates the excellent Middle Eastern menu to the perfect level,' says Land. 'The mixed mezze is the stuff of dreams, and I always order it the moment I sit down so I can make relaxed menu decisions whilst snacking. The flatbreads are famous, particularly the za'atar one, and you can't go wrong with any of the big stuff on the grill - the whole bream or the urfa chilli chicken.'
For a great value sushi restaurant in London, Land advises stopping into Michiko Sushino. While it's a bit nondescript when you walk past it, it comes highly recommended by the Don't Tell Dad founder. 'It's an extremely low-key setting, and not the most comfortable, but it works fo all levels of sushi purism,' he says. 'They serve a ridiculously good value lunch set for £14 - the dressing on the veggie donburi is dreamy and I always double up on the seaweed salad.'
Land claims that Ida is a gem. 'As high streets get taken over by bland chains, I think it's so important to celebrate (and frequent) places like Ida, a genuinely family-run neighborhood Italian restaurant,' he says. 'The service is warm and friendly, the room is delightful and homely, and the food is generous and tasty. It's impossible to order badly there, particularly if you go for pasta. I love it so much, I had my 40th there last year!'
Located in the middle of Queen's Park, you'll always find The Park Cafe filled with locals. 'In the depths of midwinter, or at the height of a heatwave, the guys in the cafe in the park are upbeat and smiling, serving an eclectic, if a little random, selection of things from tagines to toasties,' says Land. 'They are local heroes, fixing up the entire community every weekend. During the week, they offer falafel wraps and salad boxes along with loads of delicious treats. If you manage to bag yourself a quiet spot in the flower garden, you can pretend like you're not in the middle of London."
Started by locals Al and Chris, The Wolfpack is another great Queen's Park hangout. It's a great place to grab a beer, watch sports or spend some time after the Sunday Farmer's Market. 'The best compliment I can pay it is that I can't imagine Queen's Park without The Wolfpack' says Land. 'I hope that people will say that about Don't Tell Dad soon too.'
