Big Mamma Group is a collection of fun, Italian restaurants across Paris and Lilles, which have proved rather popular. Their latest venture is Gloria, a trattoria in Shoreditch, based on 1970s Capri. I like it already. Inside it’s stunning with something pretty at every turn. We sink into the thousands of cushions in our booth, admiring the specially designed crockery, from the candle holder to … Continue reading Gloria, Shoreditch
This is the latest one from Stevie Parle (he’s the chap who brought us Rotorino, Dock Kitchen, Sardine and Craft) and it is house in the ground floor of a new ‘pro-working’ space in Clerkenwell called Fora. The name Palatino is both an ancient hill in Rome and a Roman font, which the logo on the menu is printed in. The food, as you might … Continue reading Palatino, Clerkenwell
It’s one of those places is Lina Stores, on Berwick Street Soho, that I’ve always walked past, always admired but never actually gone in. It’s an Italian deli which is home to some rather sexy produce, a lot of which is only available there, and it’s been on the same site since 1940. For the first time in its 70 year history, they’ve started serving … Continue reading Lina Stores, Soho
Snaresbrook. Yes, I’ve never heard of it either. But it’s near Walthamstow and Bombetta has opened just opposite the station. It’s a restaurant named after and specialising in the Puglian street food consisting of rolled bundles of meat stuffed with oozing cheese and they’re a little bit ruddy lovely. The dining room was fairly small with tables down one side and a bar with open … Continue reading Bombetta, Snaresbrook
There’s one very big problem with this new Italian restaurant cum pizzeria which has opened on Southwark Street SE1 – it’s worryingly close to my flat. The authentic Neapolitan pizzas are that good (and available to takeaway) I’ve had more than my belly cares to remember in just a couple of weeks. It’s a glass fronted corner spot with a stone floor and white walls … Continue reading ‘O Ver, Southwark Street
This is a new Italian restaurant from the team behind Manicomio (they’ve got one in the City and one in Chelsea). After reading Grace Dent’s review in the ES magazine I was super excited to give it a whirl. It’s a large space split into two sections, with a bar in one and a dining room in t’other. It was all very relaxed and unfussy … Continue reading Canto Corvino, Spitalfields
Bernardi’s (owned by the Bernardi brothers) is on Seymour Place which has fast become a foodie hotspot with the likes of Donostia, Lurra and The Lockhart just seconds away. It’s a big restaurant and although the interior is quite simple, it has a relaxing vibe to it. An open kitchen, where the particularly good house focaccia is made, adds a livelier element. We started with some … Continue reading Bernardi’s, Marylebone
This is the second Cafe Murano from Angela Hartnett (who also owns Michelin-starred Murano, Merchants Tavern and Hartnett Holder & Co in Lime Wood) and it’s based in tourist trap Covent Garden – an area fast becoming a right foodie hot spot. We were seated in the first of two dining rooms, right by the door which was an unappealing place to sit to say the … Continue reading Cafe Murano, Covent Garden
As I was feeling brave, I decided to venture East into Dalston to Rotorino, a restaurant by head chef Stevie Parle (who also owns The Dock Kitchen) and Jonathan Downey (the chap behind Milk and Honey and partner of Street Feast). We were seated at the end of the bar (which is saved for walk-ins) which provided a pleasant view of the packed and ever … Continue reading Rotorino, Dalston
Restaurant 500? Don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of it either, but it’s an Italian restaurant in Archway (I know right) that always seems busy and as it’s in the ‘Bib Gourmand Recommends’ section of the Michelin guide we thought we’d give it a go. On our Sunday night visit the place certainly wasn’t busy however. It was an odd space; it had a touch of … Continue reading Restaurant 500, Archway
Bocca di Lupo (which means ‘into the mouth of the wolf’) is an Italian restaurant in Soho and one in which I’ve always struggled getting a table – believe me I’ve tried. We were on the waiting list for dinner for my friend’s birthday and as luck would have it, they managed to squeeze us in as long as they had the table back within … Continue reading Bocca di Lupo, Soho
It’s been a busy time for Angela Hartnett recently what with the opening of her new restaurant Merchants Tavern. Barely has the paint dried on the walls and she’s off again, this time opening Cafe Murano on St James’s Street – she’s doing an Atherton on us! As it was 50% off food during the soft launch we couldn’t resist booking in for lunch. It … Continue reading Cafe Murano
After visiting Le Coq in Islington we fell in love with the area; it’s so busy and FULL of restaurants. We returned to try Trullo, an Italian restaurant which offers a simple and seasonal daily changing menu. Sadly we weren’t seated in the ground floor dining room which had a great atmosphere, instead we were seated downstairs which didn’t have quite the same buzz; it … Continue reading Trullo, Islington
Union Street Cafe is the latest restaurant from Gordon Ramsay Holdings and is in fact NOT a joint venture between himself and David Beckham – rather sadly. Notice how they did nothing to dispel those rumours though! Based just a short stroll from Southwark tube, the restaurant is a rather beautiful one. It’s got that ever familiar look of exposed pipes and warehouse chic but … Continue reading Union Street Cafe
No.11 Cadogan Gardens is a lovely little boutique hotel in a peacefully quiet street in Chelsea. Nestled in the lower ground floor of this red brick Victorian mansion-block is Tartufo. The dining area was split into two rooms and both were beautiful – it all felt very glamorous. White table cloths adorned the tables yet it didn’t feel awkwardly stuffy; as we sank into the … Continue reading Tartufo, Chelsea
