New Gourmet Restaurant Opens on Wandsworth Bridge Road


Astra's nine course menu promises 'a multiverse of culinary madness'

Astra Restaurant in Fulham
Astra Restaurant in Fulham

May 13, 2024

A new gourmet restaurant offering an extraordinary nine course taster menu opens this week in Fulham’s Wandsworth Bridge Road.

Astra is being launched by award winning Welsh chef Stephen Gomes at 194 Wandsworth Bridge Road, formerly home to fine dining restaurant Fenn, which closed in April last year.

His claims for the “alternative dining” at his new venture are equally extraordinary, saying that diners can expect to experience “ a multiverse of culinary madness”

And he says: “ Let us take you on a voyage through the senses. Experience imaginative, unique and fun dishes and explore a magical array of spices, colours, bubbles, clouds and scents.

“The Astra Verse is a journey for the mind as well as the mouth. You’ll have the opportunity to explore your own associations, emotions and memories surrounding food."

Stephen is originally from Mumbai, and says dishes have been sourced and perfected during his travels throughout the sub-continent and re-invented in his development kitchen. The result is a menu offering intriguing ingredients such as Butter Chicken Porridge, Tamarind Soil, Popcorn Biryani, Violet Ghee Mash, Charcoal Jam and Lavender Smoke.

Stephen Gomes
Stephen Gomes

The new restaurant is accepting reservations from this Wednesday, May 15. Sampling the Astra Verse’s nine courses costs £49.99 a head, with an alternative vegetarian menu priced £45.99 per person. You can see the full menu here.

This new launch is a further spring boost for Wandsworth Bridge Road. Though it lost a number of longstanding businesses in recent years and still has many empty premises, some have been replaced in recent months by an influx of newcomers, including Fulham Wine Bar & Kitchen, ice cream store Scooperb, two storey gym The Move Method and handyman service Man Maid.

The dogs of South Fulham are also well catered for, with their own boutique and grooming salon Dog & Groom and recently opened veterinary hospital Wolfe Vets.

This weekend, thousands of people the hugely successful Spring Fayre, which saw Wandsworth Bridge Road being closed to traffic for a third year.

Wandsworth Bridge Road Fayre
Wandsworth Bridge Road Fayre

This year’s fayre was the biggest yet, with stalls lining the road offering food and drink from local cafes, restaurants and shops as well a wide range of products from local craftspeople.

The crowds were entertained by live music performed on stages along the route, along with fun and games for children and attractions including a maypole and a climbing wall.

Attractions at the fayre included a climbing wall
Attractions at the fayre included a climbing wall

Wandsworth Bridge Road Association, organisers of what has become an annual Fulham highlight, were also on hand with a display of their plans to improve the environment in and around the road.

Attractions at the fayre included a climbing wall
There was live music at the biggest Wandsworth Bridge Road Fayre held to date

London Living Streets, a voluntary group campaigning for a city that enables and invites people to walk, tweeted @LDN_LS: “ Huge turnout for the Spring Fayre in the sunshine on Wandsworth Bridge Road organised by the @WbrAssociation. Hopefully longer-term changes will deliver the vision of the local community for a Clean, Green WBR.”

You can see more about what’s in store for Wandsworth Bridge Road here.


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