Cicchetti: A new opening in Piccadilly

Nestled in the bustling heart of London's Piccadilly mere seconds from the tweed suited swagger of Burlington Arcade, the grandeur of Fortnum & Mason and world class art at the Royal Academy sirs the newly opened Cicchetti Piccadilly, a family-run mini empire of reliably elegant Italian eateries, and we popped in this week to see what they have on offer.

Cicchetti Piccadilly. Image credit: Mike Musanu

To say this spot is conveniently located is underselling it. It would be a perfect spot for art lovers visiting some of London’s exceptional galleries in St James & Mayfair. If you’ve just contemplated a Rothko, dodged three couples on a gallery date, and now find yourself hungry and lightly culturally overwhelmed, Cicchetti is ready for you. It inhabits the old Richoux site and transformed into something far more cinematic.

San Carlo may be a chain on paper, but in spirit, each outpost has the DNA of a beloved only child. Cicchetti Piccadilly is no exception. You step into a stunning, chic and joyful interior with a touch of unapologetic glamour. You will feel a sense of occasion even if there isn’t one on the agenda. The design team at Fettle Design clearly understand one of life’s greatest truths: in a restaurant there should be no bad tables. And, miraculously, there aren’t. The layout allows for a buzzy yet intimate dining experience whether you’re flying solo, corralling clients, or wrangling three generations of mildly fussy eaters. Once you settle in here you won’t want to leave.

Cicchetti Piccadilly. Image credit: Mike Musanu

Immediately on entry, you’re met with a bar so long and alluring it seems a deliberate invitation to linger too long. I almost gave up on lunch and opted for a Negroni and solitude. But I pressed on. I’ll save the bar for another day—perhaps a theatre preamble or a sneaky Thursday “meeting.” The bottles at the bar line the large back wall on rows of back lit arched shelves creating a kaleidoscope of colours behind the hustling bartenders.

The main dining room stretches out like a catwalk, windowless save for the grand pane at the front, but cleverly lit and playfully appointed with the panelled walls painted a glossy cheerful yellow adorned with a combination of prints and paintings, the ceiling is embellished with elegant contemporary chandeliers, and the soft furnishings are homely and sophisticated at the same time.  Seating is a combination of stand-alone tables as well as circular banquette seating, some under a tree at the rear of the restaurant.  The attention to detail is evident. It’s all terribly considered and yet doesn’t feel contrived.

Cicchetti Piccadilly. Image credit: Mike Musanu

When ordering we were explained the concept of the menu is aimed at sharing. The words “Italian Tapas” were mentioned which isn’t a term that would make me head to a restaurant,but I needn’t have been concerned as it all worked out.  She mentioned the larger plates being smaller than a main and to order a few to share. The variety on the menu will please all tastes. Think of a dish and it will be on the menu! From pizza to pasta, ten meat dishes, eight seafood dishes, and some show off salads such as an octopus & broad bean salad with a Yuzu dressing, and a duck salad with rocket, apples, pancetta & balsamic vinegar. 

We start with Burrata on marinated beef tomato carpaccio & fresh basil. (For the meat eaters Burrata with Parma Ham & Marinated Black Truffle is the alternative option) an excellent start—creamy, cool, and basil-flecked. Alongside it theTartare di Tonno, mixed, prepared and plated table side as are other selected items on the menu. It’s good theatre, light and zippy. To accentuate the freshness the flavours are kept simple using olive oil, French mustard and lemon juice and served with rocket. 

Coda di Rospo al Pistacchio - fresh monkfish wrapped in Parma ham. Cicchetti Piccadilly. Image credit: MTotoe

We followed with the Trofie Pesto & Stracciatella. Pasta may seem a simple thing to cook but hitting al dente is an art form and this trofie was textbook, we both commented on how the outer layer was tender while the core had the perfect slightly springy, chewy bite to it. Melanzane Parmigiana a classic Sicilian dish with layers of aubergine, Grana Padano & tomato baked in the oven arrived a little too tepid and lackedthat voluptuous, oozing comfort one expects from baked aubergine cloaked in cheese and tomato. A decent attempt, but not the hug I was hoping for.

Redemption came quickly in the form of Coda di Rospo al Pistacchio - fresh monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, with pesto, fennel, asparagus & pistachio, a dish I’d return for in a heartbeat. It is a generous portion considering the price, and the fish was perfectly cooked. The translucent curly shavings of fennel topped the dish and the pistachio crumb created a wonderful contrasting texture to the dish. 

Torta Setteveli—a layered chocolate and hazelnut creation. Cicchetti Piccadilly. Image credit: MTotoe

To end, Torta Setteveli—a layered chocolate and hazelnut creation, light and mousse-like, and served just chilled enough making it a perfect indulgent summer dessert.

Cicchetti Piccadilly may be brand new, but it arrives as a fully formed crowd pleaser: a beautiful dining room, an unthreateningly varied menu, and attentive service and stylish without being smug. It’s already easy to imagine it becoming one of those reliable haunts—where you pop in for one thing and accidentally stay for five.

Location: 172-173 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EJ  Website: sancarlo.co.uk  Instagram: sancarlo_cicchetti

Review by Natascha Milsom