Not far from Sloane Square, a good all-rounder – in modern ‘Chelsea trattoria’ style – that has finally convincingly shaken off its pizzeria-origins.
Perhaps there really is something in third time lucky. Not that it’s something you often see in the restaurant world – not under the same name anyway.
Vivezza – associated with the celebrated (off-) Sloane Square Italian Caraffini – first opened back in the spring of 2007 as a pizzeria. Perhaps, in fact, the most upmarket pizzeria in town, this Pimlico spot was a pizzeria in rather the same way that Daylesford Organic (nearby) is a deli-diner. And very good too. For some reason, though, the pizzeria didn’t last. (Perhaps because, by night, there’s not much passing pedestrian traffic, and the local population, largely in houses rather than flats, is not very densely packed.)
Quite by chance, we re-visited the place a few days after it had – we discovered on arrival – been relaunched as a ‘proper ‘Italian restaurant (with tablecloths and so on). Our disappointment on discovering that our cheap lunch was going to end up quite expensive was compounded by the fact that, even judged in its own terms, our meal was not a great success. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the second incarnation did not last.
Well, now they’ve done the job properly. Closed the premises for a while, and tarted them up to superior Chelsea trat standards. Lo and behold, everything now seems to work. In fact, the place is now a worthy son-of-Caraffini. Service has always been a Caraffini strong point, and the offshoot is no different. Authentically Italian, you might say, were it not for the fact that many of the staff are Portuguese.
The food is more ambitious than at Caraffini. Duck breasts with devils on horseback – not, of course, how it was described on the menu – was nicely done on our most recent lunch, as was pasta in various guises. Incidentals such as bread and coffee were notably good, but the real highlight of our lunch was a chocolate plate which really could have been served without embarrassment in many establishments of much grander aspiration.
Let’s hope that we weren’t just ‘lucky’ on our third visit: in a crowded field, this is one of the Chelsea/Pimlico Italians which, on recent experience, seems worth seeking out.
Note: the establishment’s card says it is open lunch and dinner seven days, but it was ‘dark’ when we last passed on a Sunday evening.
