Renowned London Eatery, Cicchetti Piccadilly, Moves to a Stylish New Location - Retaining its Elegance and Excess as Always
Cicchetti Piccadilly: A Whistlestop Tour of Venice in the Heart of London
Cicchetti Piccadilly, a renowned Italian restaurant in London, has moved to a new location at 172-173 Piccadilly, near The Ritz. The restaurant, first opened in 2012 by the San Carlo group, offers a delightful dining experience that transports diners to the Mediterranean, all while maintaining the elegance of a contemporary Italian neighbourhood restaurant.
The design inspiration behind Cicchetti Piccadilly is primarily drawn from Venetian architecture, culture, and the iconic timelessness of Venice. Award-winning design studio Fettle, responsible for the restaurant's interiors, aimed to capture the atmosphere of Venice’s waterways, the colors of its sunsets, and the playful yet elegant spirit of Venetian traditions such as Carnevale.
The interior design of Cicchetti Piccadilly harmonizes the legacy of the San Carlo brand with a contemporary Italian neighbourhood restaurant atmosphere. Key elements include a warm and glowing palette inspired by Venetian sunsets, combining pink, yellow, and peachy orange hues to evoke dusk along the canals. The design also features materials and details reminiscent of Venice’s water taxis, like glossy wooden surfaces.
A theatrical, long stretching bar with high gloss timber, pink and red mosaic tiles, and geometric upholstered bar stools nods to Venetian festival costumes and Dante’s Harlequin character. Walls framed with painted timber panels create a sense of classical spatial hierarchy, while decorative mirrored panels and verre églomisé murals, featuring gilded designs on glass, reflect light and add a soft mirror finish to the space.
The flooring features terrazzo patterns and scalloped details sourced from Italy, reflecting Venetian craftsmanship. The entrance bar has surfaces made of red marble and stools upholstered in glorious lobster, dusty rose, and crab pink tones. The bathrooms, wrapped almost entirely in dusky red and pink marble, feature subtle sea-faring motifs, brass-ringed portholes, and taps that resemble miniature helms.
The restaurant's menu offers a variety of Italian dishes, including salads, street food bites, pasta, pizza, meat, and fish, with several vegetarian and vegan options. Some of the standout dishes include the homemade ravioli topped with pecorino cheese and truffle, described as delectable, the burrata salad, and a Neapolitan croquette swaddled in parma ham.
Cicchetti Piccadilly also offers a selection of summer cocktails, including a frothy coconut cocktail, Alto's Fizz with Bombay Sapphire gin and elderflower cordial, and an espresso martini on the dessert menu. The Gamberoni Fritti, deep fried tempura prawns served in a rose gold XL martini glass with chili mayo, and the Pappardelle all'Anatra, a duck ragu dish with a sweet onion base reminiscent of a pasta alla Genovese, are among the popular cocktail pairings.
The atmosphere at Cicchetti Piccadilly is reminiscent of a sunlit terrace in the Mediterranean. The exterior of the restaurant is styled like a shop front in rustic tomato red. The restaurant's interior design transports diners to the Mediterranean with its tasty food, frothy cocktails, and glowing pastel interior. With its al fresco-feeling dining experience, vegetation on the ceiling, and a mini cloakroom and reception desk reminiscent of a Wes Anderson movie, Cicchetti Piccadilly is one of the best restaurants in London for Italian cuisine.
[1] Design Boom [2] Dezeen [3] Wallpaper* [4] Elle Decor UK
- The design of Cicchetti Piccadilly, inspired by Venice, incorporates rustic elements like glossy wooden surfaces, reminiscent of Venice’s water taxis, in its décor.
- The bathrooms at Cicchetti Piccadilly are adorned with dusky red and pink marble, and feature subtle sea-faring motifs, adding a touch of Venetian lifestyle to the dining experience.
- The interior of Cicchetti Piccadilly is a trendy blend of Venetian art, mirror-finished panels, and a palette of Venetian sunset colors, creating an ambiance that echoes the food-and-drink offerings of the Mediterranean.
- Cicchetti Piccadilly is not just a restaurant, but also a home-and-garden project, with vegetation on the ceiling, mimicking an al fresco dining experience, and a mini cloakroom and reception desk reminiscent of a whimsical Wes Anderson setting.
- The menu at Cicchetti Piccadilly offers a taste of Italy, with dishes like the homemade ravioli, burrata salad, and Neapolitan croquette, as well as a selection of Venetian-inspired summer cocktails, further mirroring the art of Italian lifestyle.
