The trio behind the multi-award winning and Michelin-starred The Clove Club, are pleased to announce thattheir second restaurant Luca will open in Clerkenwell in November 2016.
Since opening in March 2013, The Clove Club has quickly established itself at thevanguard of the UK dining scene. Isaac McHale, Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith are excited to open their second restaurant on St John Street, where the menu will reflect their love of British produce, through an Italian lens. Luca will serve modern Italian food, using British ingredients.
Of the decision to cook Italian food, Isaac Mchale said: “Italian food is steeped in tradition, and pasta is one of the great foods of the world. I am really excited to celebrate and explore it, while using the amazing seasonal ingredients Britain has to offer.”
“The term ‘Britalian’ is a good short-hand for what we are doing. We won’t be using this phrase anywhere in the restaurant itself, but it sums up the approach: we will be using seasonal British ingredients in contemporary cooking inspired by Italy’’
The restaurant will be open seven days a week and themenuwill observe the established traditions of Italian food, but breaking the rules a little, with a menu including ‘Spaghettini with Morecambe Bay Shrimps and mace butter’, ’Rump of Angus Beef stuffed with Pancetta’ and ‘Ravioli of Grouse with Potato and Whisky sauce.’
The bar will be a separate and distinct space, open all day and people are encouraged to drop in and have a drink and snack.It will have a different menu from the main restaurant, focusing on finger foods, sharing plates and stirred cocktails. Open from 8am to midnight, it will offer espresso and pastries in the morning, salads, sandwiches and cured meats at lunchtimeand sharing plates in the evening. Drinks will feature vermouths, amarosand home-made Limoncello and Nocino.
The restaurant designby the award-winning Alexander Waterworth Interiorsis inspired by 1950’s Italy,featuringagracious sage and blue colour paletteaccented with pale wood, marble and brass. The main restaurant sits 60 with a semi-open kitchenand floor to ceiling glass wallsoverlooking an outdoor courtyard. It also features a pasta-making room where guests can watch pasta being made by day, and transforminginto a privatedining room for special events and groupsat night.The other private dining space, TheGarden Room, will beopen to the sky in Summer.
Johnny Smith, who will be moving from The Clove Club to run Luca full time said: “Theambience and service at Luca will capture the genuinely welcoming spirit of Italian hospitality and thewarmth of the family table”. Of the wine list he said: “Italy produces some of the finest wines on the planet, and we have created a list that brings together the iconic producers, some lesser known gems, and delicious wines at every price point”
Find out more about the new restaurant Luca here |www.Luca.restaurant