They are already one of the nation’s most successful independent restaurant brands, with their award-winning contemporary Italian eateries attracting legions of followers, not only across the UK but globally too. Now the San Carlo group is celebrating another highly anticipated opening as it launches an eponymous and stylish new site in the heart of one of London’s most compelling neighbourhoods.
Taking up residence on Regent Street St James’s in early June, the 130-cover San Carlo will have one of the world’s most celebrated Italian chefs at the helm.
Alberico Penati’s illustrious career has seen him delight diners at some of the most renowned establishments on the planet, among them Ristorante Carpaccio, the first Italian restaurant in France to win a Michelin star; Harry’s Bar at Annabel’s; Alberico at Aspinalls and private members’ club, 5 Hertford Street, in Mayfair.
Using only the finest Italian produce, be it veal from Tuscany, beef from Piemonte or tomatoes from Sicily, Alberico’s menus will include seasonal choices served alongside classic dishes.
Launching with a spring summer menu, creations will include Coda di rospo stufato con cipollotti e fave (Monkfish stewed with shallots and broad beans); Tagliata di manzo al rosmarino, lattuga salata (Beef tagliata with rosemary & sautéed lettuce) and Tagliolini con granchio e Carciofi (Tagliolini with crab and artichokes).
Such incredible food deserves equally impressive surroundings and San Carlo’s two intimate spaces will feature interiors that have been months in design and creation.
Specially commissioned master craftsmen have used only the very finest materials, from honed Arabescato marble cut from specially selected blocks and steamed beech with a high gloss lacquered finish, more usually found on board superyachts. Rare stones such as brown Collemandina marble and Crema Marfil, one of the most highly valued marbles in the world, have been combined to create a truly stunning floor.
The design team has also incorporated over 600 brass rosettes, handmade by one of the UK’s most sought-after artisan metal workers. Such attention to detail carries through to the bespoke furniture created in Italy and fabrics and wall coverings by Christian Lacroix, together with some of Italy’s finest leather suppliers.
Said Managing Director Marcello Distefano, “The Crown Estate’s £500 million investment in the St James’s area has already attracted some of the best names in international cuisine and we are delighted to be a part of this. The fact that we will also be working with Alberico Penati, one of the great Italian chefs, makes this new venture even more exciting.”
Added Sarah Parish, Asset Manager, The Crown Estate, “We are delighted to be welcoming our second restaurant from the San Carlo family to St James’s, and it is particularly special for this to be the first venture using the San Carlo name. Under the leadership of renowned Head Chef Alberico Penati, San Carlo will bring distinctive style and cuisine to St James’s, and enhance the breadth of dining experiences on offer across the district.”
One of the UK’s most successful restaurant brands, San Carlo Group Restaurants is owned by the Distefano family. The company now owns 20 restaurants in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds and Leicester along with Qatar, Bahrain and Bangkok. Flagship sites include Signor Sassi Knightsbridge and Cicchetti Piccadilly.
For more information, please visit: sancarlo.co.uk/restaurants/san-carlo-london
