Gennaro Contaldo, best-known as Jamie Oliver’s mentor, has opened his latest restaurant near Piccadilly Circus – at the mature age of 77. Named Bolo after his signature Bolognese ragu, the 32-seat trattoria in Air Street serves a tight menu that revolves around seven pasta dishes – including the ‘Jamie’ (mezze maniche with sausage, Calabrian chilli bolo & […]
A glamorous Italian-style grill room and bar launches next week in Manchester’s Grade II listed former city library and registrar’s office off Deansgate. GiGi Gusto Griglia has taken over and transformed the former premises of Gusto, with an open kitchen and a central cocktail bar, Bar Elegenza, and aims to capture the ‘glamour, energy and […]
Upscale Belgravia trattoria Zafferano has closed down after more than 30 years, with a ‘notice of forfeiture’ posted in its window. Zafferano was one of the capital’s hottest spots in its late-90s heyday under launch chef Giorgio Locatelli, setting a new standard for modern Italian cuisine. Despite losing some of its cachet after his departure […]
One of the most famous names in post-war London dining has bowed out with the closure of all five Spaghetti House venues, after the family company behind the brand was placed in administration. A Braccetto, the Earl’s Court trattoria opened two years ago by the second generation of the Lavarini family, has also ceased operation. […]
Handmade pasta specialist Padella will next week open its first West End branch – and third overall – in Soho, almost exactly 10 years after founders Jordan Frieda and Tim Siadatan (pictured) unveiled the original venue in Borough Market. The pair say, “We have always felt the energy of Soho was a perfect fit for Padella, and […]
The dust had barely settled following the closure of well regarded Papi in London Fields when a new restaurant called Auguste opened in the premises this week – and the Papi team revealed their plan to launch a ‘public house dining room’ called The Golden Tooth near Newington Green later this month. Auguste takes its name […]
An Italian restaurant called Cent Anni is launching in St John’s Wood next week on the prominent site occupied by Café Med for the past 25 years. A Grade II-listed late-Victorian building – originally The Blenheim hotel – it has a large outside dining terrace and, unusually for a restaurant so close to central London, off-street […]
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 by fellow bearded sommelier Cameron Dewar (ex-Luca and Burnt Ends; right in photo) in the new Greek Street venture, which […]
Birmingham-Sicilian chef Angelina Adamo launches her first bricks-and-mortar restaurant tomorrow (Saturday 7 February) – Vieni, in the new Goodsyard development in the city’s Jewellery Quarter. A graduate of University College Birmingham, Angelina trained at Simpson’s in Edgbaston and runs her own private dining company, Tutto Apposto, which also operates the Circle Lounge in the Birmingham Hippodrome. […]
Calabrian-born chef Francesco Mazzei this week opened his latest restaurant – Mezzogiorno in the Corinthia hotel, just off Trafalgar Square. Francesco made his name in London with L’Anima, which opened on the edge of the City in 2008. He followed up by launching Radici, Sartoria and Fiume with D&D London (now Evolv), and ran a six-month […]
