The 2020s is the decade of Battersea; the area has undergone a serious makeover, from the establishment of a new tube station to the renovation of the iconic Battersea Power Station. Now, two Michelin-starred Portuguese chef Henrique Sa Pessoa’s new restaurant JOIA is destined to propel it to the forefront of the London dining scene.
Situated on the 15th floor of the new art’otel development with a floor-to-ceiling windowed bar on the level below, JOIA will offer incomparable views of the South London skyline. And it only gets better from here: next year will see the opening of a rooftop bar and infinity pool, right beside Battersea’s Grade II listed power station.
This isn’t Sa Pessoa’s first appearance on the London culinary scene. After training at the Cordon Bleu Institute, he began working in the kitchen of the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane hotel. Now he’s one of the most highly acclaimed chefs in Portugal, owning Lisbon-based two-Michelin-starred Alma and Tapisco, as well as being the executive chef at sister art’otel restaurant ARCA in Amsterdam.
Speaking about his latest venture, he stated ‘It is such a joy to return to London... I love this city and I can’t wait to cook and share with the guests my take on authentic Portuguese cuisine.’
The menu makes use of the strong flavours and techniques of Catalonia and Sa Pessoa’s native Portugal, with an emphasis on seafood, pork and rice, all prepared with ingredients sourced from the Iberian Peninsula and the UK. Dishes will include grilled carabineiro with a creamt orzo bisque, tomato and coriander, as well as salted cod crudo accompanied by pickled onions, tomatoes and luxurious olive oil caviar.
Head on downstairs for one of the most stunning cocktail lounges London has to offer. It’s the ideal spot to peruse an extensive list of Portuguese and Spanish wines and vermouths while taking in the striking city views.