Ombra, the beloved fresh pasta restaurant in Bethnal Green, east London, is closing at the end of this week after 15 years of operation. The owners cited rising labour costs, utilities, rent hikes, business rate increases, and VAT policy as the reasons for the closure.
Rising costs force closure
In an Instagram post announcing the closure, the owners stated: 'In our 15 years at Hackney's canalside we've never traded through an environment quite like the one we're experiencing now. In the last couple of years we've been consumed by a rising tide of labour costs, utilities, rent hikes, business rate increases and the most stubborn VAT policy in Europe.'
Ombra opened in 2011 and quickly became a local favourite. Time Out's most recent review described it as 'a canalside restaurant that wears its scuffed edges and imperfections with pride' and noted that since Milanese super-chef Mitshel Ibrahim took over in 2018, it had gone 'from being a local favourite to a city-wide smash.'
Spin-off bakery continues
Ombra's spin-off bakery, Forno, will remain open at its sites in Hackney, Leytonstone, and at the cafe in the Ragged School Museum in Mile End. The 'Brillo' Friday night pizza evenings at Forno on Andrews Road in Hackney will also continue to run.
The closure adds to a growing list of London restaurants shutting down amid challenging economic conditions. Ombra's owners emphasised the impact of persistent cost pressures, including high VAT rates compared to other European countries.
