Three-and-a-half years after closing his Hackney wine bar the Laughing Heart, Charlie Mellor is back with Osteria Vibrato, an old-school Italian restaurant in Soho that opens on Valentine’s Day.
Charlie (left in photo) is joined in the Greek Street venture by fellow bearded sommelier Cameron Dewar (ex-Luca; Burnt Ends; right in photo) in the new venture, which is pitched very much as a revival of bohemian old Soho and “an antidote to concept dining”.
A former opera singer, Charlie has borrowed a musical term for its name – with the sub-title ‘senza tempo’ (‘without time’), promising: “We’re going to let you eat late!”.
Formerly of Brawn and Elliot’s among others, Charlie closed the Laughing Heart in August 2022 after a six-year run during which he was hailed in the Harden’s guide as “a king of the London wine scene”.
Osteria Vibrato consists of a restaurant at the front and a 12-seater bar at the back, with art on the walls from gallerist Cedric Bardawil, a menu from chef Gaia Enria (founder of the former Burro e Salvia in Shoreditch) and a 250-strong list of organic wines from Italy and France – many of them at a fixed margin, offering “incredible value” for fine and rare bottles.
One unusual feature is a £3 coperto charge for each diner, which includes olive oil from regional Italian winemakers who also grow olives, freshly baked bread, aged parmesan, ‘kitchen scraps’ and artisanal mineral water.
Pasta and flor di latte mozzarella will be freshly made on site, while signature dishes include Brodo di Vasto, a seafood stew from Abruzzo to be ordered in advance, and Amaretti biscuits baked to order at 20 minutes’ notice.
