Stoke Newington's Wander to close in November

Alexis Noble has announced that Wander restaurant in London's Stoke Newington will close on 8 November, five years since it opened.

Posting on Instagram, chef-owner Noble said: “Nov 8 will be exactly 5 years since Wander first opened, which when I moved to the UK to open, was my primary goal, and what I have achieved in this space has exceeded my wildest expectations. I have been thinking about this for quite some time, actually making the decision back in Jan, so have had some time to come to terms with all that this means, but with only 3 months left to go it now feels right to share the news with everyone.

"Honestly it is a bittersweet decision, but after being separated from my home since the pandemic begun, continuing to go through everything with immigration, and after being able to spend time with my family over the past few months when they have visited London, it has made me realise that I want to be able to spend more time at home.

“Wander will be open for the next 3 months before having our final service on our 5th birthday. It's been very difficult for me to keep this secret and consequently, I have been laying very low the past few months whilst finalising my decision but I have needed to take a little distance for things whilst I came to terms with and plan for what is next.”

She added: “I’m sorry if this comes as a shock to some people but please don’t be sad, or view this news as negative, I’ve taken a long time to come to this decision, and whilst I will miss this space, I am super excited for the future. The reality is this whole thing has been well beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of and I look forward to celebrating Wanders’ success with you over the next few months.”

The restaurant was forced to close in October last year as Noble appealed a decision to deny her visa extension, during which time she was not allowed to work, however it has since reopened.

The venue opened in 2017 and serves a seasonal and globally-inspired sharing menu.