Flora at Joy: Stevie Parle launching new pop-up al fresco restaurant for the summer

Chef Stevie Parle is set to put some of the summer's disruption behind him as he launches a new pop-up restaurant on the site of his first project, the famed Dock Kitchen.

Overlooking Regent's Canal, Flora will be a 70 cover al fresco restaurant serving fresh, seasonal ingredients. A daily changing menu is set to include the likes of clams cooked in butter and served with peas, and red prawns with lemon and marjoram, though dishes will differ according to what's available each morning. Opening Wednesday through till Sunday from July 31 until the end of September, Flora will be part of a larger project on the site called Joy, which will encapsulate a honey store, a farm shop, wine and beer shops, and a bar.

"The last few months have been incredibly difficult for lots of people, not least the hospitality industry. I wanted to create something special for London for the summer to try and make up for some of the things that haven’t happened this year," says Parle of the venture, "We have pulled this project together in record time but it feels like a special moment. It’s great for me to be able to keep some more hospitality jobs going.

"This part of london is close to my heart, one of the last things we did before we closed Dock Kitchen was hold a big fundraising dinner for a nursery at the bottom of Grenfell Tower, just a couple of days after the fire, allowing them to reopen almost instantly. I’m keen that Joy works closely with the community to see how we can help get good food to more people and I would love as many people as possible to come and feel the joy of the garden, whether for a spritz, a coffee, or a long rosé-fuelled lunch they will be surrounded by flowers, bees and butterflies.”

To launch Joy, Parle has partnered with regular collaborator Tom Dixon, the designer, as well as farm-to-table supplier The Goods Shed, and Instagram-famous gardener Arthur Parkinson. Parkinson has decorated the space with hundreds of dahlias, saved from his debut at the cancelled Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival this year.

Flora and Joy mark an uplifting end to a rough summer for Parle, who in June was forced to close Sardine, his Hoxton restaurant, which was set to turn four this year.

For more information, visit joyatportobello.co.uk