San Carlo Restaurant Group reveals plans for three new sites this year

San Carlo Restaurant Group has revealed plans to open three sites this year, with its first set to open in August in London’s West End.

The 220-cover Isola by San Carlo Italian brasserie and bar at St Christopher’s Place will offer relaxed all-day dining with a 50-cover alfresco terrace.

Inspired by the islands of Italy, the menu will include Sardinian lamb and porchetta, Sicilian red prawns, swordfish and tuna, as well as tagliolini lobster. Breakfast will include granita di limone with brioche.

Managing director Marcello Distefano said: “After a very difficult 18 months in hospitality it’s great to be looking forward to a new opening in such a prime location with fantastic, traffic-free outdoor dining space just two minutes from Bond Street Station and Oxford Street.

"This project has been a lot of fun, especially as we have evolved from what we have done previously. Isola has been inspired by our childhood memories of Ragusa in Sicily, the birthplace of my father and our chairman, Carlo Distefano. It will be an elegant yet informal space; the menu will be simple, offering some of our classics with a twist on the islands, but as usual using the best ingredients from producers in Italy. It’s been our most exciting project in years and we can’t wait to open in August.”

Simon Donaldson, general manager at St Christopher’s Place, said: “We are delighted to welcome Isola by San Carlo to St Christopher’s Place later this summer. One of the most exciting new restaurant openings in the West End this year, this will further enhance our reputation as an amazing destination for incredible alfresco and indoor dining.”

The group’s expansion will continue this year with further openings planned for London's Knightsbridge and Manchester Airport’s new super terminal.

San Carlo Restaurant Group is owned by the Distefano family and has 22 restaurants in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds and Leicester along with Qatar, Riyadh, Bahrain and Bangkok. Flagship sites include Alto by San Carlo at the rooftop of Selfridges department store in London.