A new café opening in Peckham this February is bringing something unexpected to South London: a celebration of Welsh culinary heritage. Bara, founded by Zoë Heimann and MasterChef: The Professionals quarter-finalist Cecily Dalladay, opens its doors on Choumert Road on February 12th.
The café's name, meaning 'bread' in Welsh, hints at its focus on house-made focaccia and traditional baked goods, but the menu tells a deeper story of cultural connection.
"We wanted to showcase the incredible produce coming out of Wales," explained Dalladay, whose quarter-final run on MasterChef demonstrated her technical prowess and creative vision. "There's this amazing food culture that doesn't always get the attention it deserves, and Bara is our way of changing that."
The menu celebrates Welsh ingredients with dishes like the Swansea Breakfast—smoked bacon, Blas Y Tir leeks, Câr-y-Môr cockles and laverbread served on toasted focaccia. Their signature focaccia sandwiches include a lamb-iri harissa creation with slow-cooked Welsh lamb shoulder and yoghurt-dressed cucumbers, alongside a crab rarebit featuring Câr-y-Môr brown crab and Caerphilly cheese.
For weekend visitors, the Pembrokeshire Lobster Roll—available Saturdays only—features poached Câr-y-Môr lobster with house-made bisque mayonnaise in a soft sesame roll.
The partnership between Heimann and Dalladay brings together complementary skills: Dalladay's technical culinary background and Heimann's business acumen. Together, they've created a space that feels authentically Peckham while introducing flavours many Londoners have never experienced.
"Peckham has this incredible food scene that celebrates cuisines from around the world," Heimann noted. "We thought, why not add Wales to that mix? The response from the community has already been amazing."
Bara joins Peckham's thriving independent café scene, bringing with it the taste of the Welsh coast to one of London's most vibrant neighbourhoods.