L'ulivo is an indepdent chain of Italian restaurants in central London, with the flagship site opening on the Strand over 15 years ago. Since then, the team have been serving up authentic Italian food to locals, Londoners and tourists, opening a second site in Villiers Street.
The Villiers Street branch is open for events bookings, be it a birthday, corporate function or networking drinks. Inside, the space has a rustic feel and is clearly Italian inspired, with white-washed walls, exposed stone and rope pendant lighting. With plenty of atmosphere and beautiful design touches, it's the perfect setting for a special occasion, and makes for a lovely backdrop for pictures.
The menu is devised around fresh, seasonal ingredients and simplistic cooking - as is the way of Italian cuisine. The kitchen receives daily deliveries of fresh produce and if the chefs are ever unhappy with the selection, they've been known to visit local food markets and hand select their ingredients, too.
The menu references typical Italian-style courses starting with anti pasti like pizza bread topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil, freshly cut deep fried squid coated in breadcrumbs served with tartar sauce and soup of the day. Then, it's time for an extensive range of pastas such as Penne Primavera in a light tomato, garlic and basil sauce, as well as signature pastas like rigatoni with Italian sausages and roasted peppers.
There's plenty of choice across the main dishes, such as pan-baked swordfish steak and the house home-made burger with crispy bacon, secret sauce and melted Italian cheese. If pizza is more your thing, there's over 10 to choose from, including a calzone and a vegan option.
Finally, be sure to top off your meal with a well-chosen bottle of wine. The team are more than happy to assist and many of the wines are sourced from across Italy which adds the perfect touch.