Latest openings: Gino D'Acampo's Luciano, Engine Rooms, Sucre and more

A look at the latest restaurants, hotels, pubs and bars to open their doors.

 

Luciano

 

Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo has launched a high-end Italian restaurant at the ME London hotel on the Strand as part of his partnership with Meliá Hotels International.

 

Named after D’Acampo’s 19-year-old son, Luciano has taken over the site once occupied by celebrity-backed venue Zela, which counted Cristiano Ronaldo, Enrique Iglesias and Rafael Nadal as investors.

 

Luciano has its own separate entrance to the hotel and features a 100-cover, open-plan dining room and outdoor terrace with space for a further 100 guests.

 

Executive chef Lorenzo Minini, who has cooked at London’s Street XO and C-London Cipriani, leads the kitchen team and has designed the menu alongside D’Acampo. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are on offer, with the main menu split into 10 sections including cicchetti; antipasti; pasta, risotto and gnocchi; and pizza Napoletana.

 

Guests can order an in-room dining service from Luciano and the restaurant team will work with the hotel to host events.

 

Opened 30 July

 

Executive chef Lorenzo Minini

 

Hotel general manager Samantha Kandou-Fulton

 

Typical dishes Braised beef cannelloni; spaghetti lobster, rose veal cutlet Milanese

 

Website www.lucianobyginodacampo.com

 

 

Engine Rooms

 

Paul Michaels, owner of classic car dealer Hexagon, has launched a restaurant, events space and art collection in London’s Highgate, with a Mediterranean-inspired menu created by James Harrison, formerly of Taka Marylebone.

 

Opened 4 August

 

Founder Paul Michaels

 

Head chef James Harrison

 

Typical dishes Mandilli pasta with wild garlic dressing; rainbow chard pizza

 

Website www.theenginerooms.co.uk

 

 

Wilding

 

Wine expert Kent Barker has opened a second restaurant, wine bar and shop under his Wilding brand, in Salisbury. The menu is based on ingredients foraged by executive chef Dominique Goltinger.

 

Opened 4 August

 

Founder Kent Barker

 

Typical dishes Potato gnocchi with aubergine, Westcombe ricotta and basil pesto; trout tartare with Hampshire wasabi and watercress

 

Website www.wilding.wine

 

 

Sucre

 

Argentine chef Fernando Trocca is opening an outpost of his respected Buenos Aires restaurant Sucre in the former London College of Music concert hall on Great Marlborough Street. Bartender Tato Giovannoni oversees a downstairs cocktail bar, named Abajo.

 

Opened 26 July

 

Design Noriyoshi Muramatsu

 

Typical dishes Brill with tarragon, maitake and chicken butter sauce; half chicken, peas à la française

 

Website www.sucrerestaurant.com

 

 

Bellefields

 

Mediterranean restaurant and bar Bellefields has opened at the Department Store Studios workspace in London’s Brixton. It seats 120 covers with a menu of light snacks, larger plates and weekly specials.

 

Opened 26 July

 

Head chef James Mathieson

 

Typical dishes Grilled octopus, butter beans, spinach; roast butternut squash, baba ganoush, pine nuts

 

Website www.bellefields.com

 

 

Slice by Pizza Pilgrims

 

Restaurant group Pizza Pilgrims is launching the first permanent site under its spin-off concept Slice. The 50-cover site in London’s Finsbury Park features 1990s arcade games, with high scores rewarded with pizza slices.

 

Opens 11 August

 

Founders Thom and James Elliot

 

Typical dishes Pizza varieties include Margherita, double pepperoni with chilli honey, and penne alla vodka, with pasta baked into the pizza

 

Website www.slicebypizzapilgrims.co.uk

 

 

Slim Chickens Bournemouth

 

US-born fried chicken chain Slim Chickens has opened its first site in Bournemouth. The brand is run by Boparan Restaurant Group in the UK and offers chicken wings, sandwiches, salads and wraps.

 

Opened 29 July

 

Typical dishes Buttermilk-marinated chicken tenders; honey-barbecue chicken sandwich

 

Website www.slimchickens.co.uk