The prolific Public House Group opened its latest venue this week – CeCe’s in Notting Hill, billed as a classic Italian restaurant with “a hint of Hollywood”.
Taking over the former site of celeb hangout Casa Cruz in Clarendon Road, the launch has been kept quiet until this week. It follows hot on the heels of The Hart in Marylebone from a team with a string of successes to its name in just four years, including The Pelican, Canteen and Fat Badger nearby in Notting Hill, The Hero in Maida Vale and The Bull in Charlbury.
James Gummer, co-founder of the Public House Group with Phil Winser and Olivier Van Themsche, says: “We want CeCe’s to feel glamorous and fun – somewhere our guests can come to escape the day to day and transport them to a different place and time.”
Olivier adds: “Initially, we looked at the space as it was once a pub, but we fell in love with the glamour and unique design. The surreal interiors and character hidden behind the copper door inspired us to create a restaurant that felt both current and exciting, while retaining the allure of traditional hospitality.”
The menu at CeCe’s features classic Italian dishes like aubergine parmigiana, bream carpaccio, fonduta agnolotti and bistecca alla fiorentin, backed up by a wine list that focuses on Italy plus Burgundy and Bordeaux, including larger formats.
While the Public House Group’s venues have attracted uniformly warm reviews, significantly Canteen – their only previous Italian specialist – wins the highest praise for its cooking in the 2026 Harden’s guide, with a top 5 out of 5 rating for its “simple but beautifully executed food“.
