Russell Norman’s Trattoria Brutto to take over former Hix Oyster & Chop House site

Russell Norman’s new restaurant Trattoria Brutto will open at the former Hix Oyster & Chop House site in London’s Smithfield, according to the London Evening Standard.

In an interview with Norman, the paper reported the 80-cover restaurant will open in August following the traditional Italian model of antipasti, primi, secondi, dolci, rather than the small plates for which Norman’s Polpo was famous.

“I want this to be traditional and authentic, the dishes to be familiar, comforting. But a slavish adherence to regionality isn’t necessary sometimes. You can have a general Tuscan, Florentine menu with a few favourite dishes thrown in from other regions,” he told the Standard.

The name Brutto is Italian for ‘ugly' and, in a post on Instagram, the restaurant’s philosophy was described as the Italian ‘brutto ma buono', which means ‘ugly but good'.

Norman and Richard Beatty opened the first Polpo in London's Soho in September 2009 and grew the group until it fell into administration. Two sites remain in Soho and Chelsea remain.