Bocconcino Soho

Bocconcino has wrapped its perfectly manicured claws around another central London location with this coveted spot on Great Marlborough Street. Famed for its glossy interiors and no expense spared approach, the Italian restaurant group has stuck to what it does best, and rightly so.

This Soho site is disarmingly beautiful, from the curved, marble-topped counter and cocktail bar that greets guests as they enter, to a giant backlit wine cabinet that functions as a not-so-subtle nod to its 300-strong portfolio. There’s a gorgeous copper theme that runs through the space too, which feels luxurious yet warm and cosy. While endless plates of pasta are served with panache by well-dressed staff to well-dressed guests. It’s terribly glamorous and best suited to special occasions – there might not be an official dress code, but we recommend foregoing jeans and trainers on a visit here.

The menu is extensive and offers mostly classic dishes, more often than not with a luxurious twist. We start with a delicate starter of tuna tartare served with little splodges of tonnato sauce, although the flavours in this should-be salty addition felt slightly lost. A plate of freshly made tagliolini was exceptionally good though, served with meaty prawns and a glossy, olive oil-slick tomato sauce. Better still, our waiter appeared more than once to brandish our meal with a healthy flourish of parmesan. We finished with a large and beautifully crisp cannolo studded with pistachios and paired with vanilla ice cream.

Although we weren’t drinking on the day, we’d wager you’ll find at least a couple of things you like from the extensive wine list, while cocktails span an enticing selection of Italian twists. There's a lot to like about Bocconcino; the food here is fun, generous and crowd-pleasing in all the best ways. And if you’re celebrating a special occasion, then the team sure know how to put on a show.

Bocconcino is well known in London for its small, boutique collection of up-market Italian restaurants, serving authentic cuisine in a glamorous, design-led setting. The first started in Mayfair back in 2014, and Bocconcino's Soho site is its second.

While both outposts are gorgeous, there's something particularly special about the new Soho branch. The interior design is flawless, with a statement marble bar, modern chandelier-esque lighting and a rich, copper-toned colour palette, all at once reflecting the warmth of Italian hospitality. The restaurant says its aim was to bring together the old and new, with a mix of natural stone - something Italy is known for - and a modern flair, which they've certainly achieved. 

The menu has been devised by head chef Simone Serafini who is passionate about preserving all the things Italian food is known and loved for, while offering his own unique twist, befitting of Bocconcino. Exclusively for the new venue, Serafini has been working on a cicchetti selection, inspired by Venice, but transformed for the restaurant which sees nearly every dish available in bite-size.

The main menu is a la carte and follows the structure of a typical Italian meal, starting with antipasti for the table with small plates such as Andria burrata with baby plum tomatoes and pesto or beef fillet tartare with homemade crisps and black truffle shavings. 

The insalate section boasts the likes of artichoke salad with avocado and parmesan shavings, or tomato, cucumber, avocado and sweetcorn salad, while the primi piatti selection offers a variation of delicious-sounding pastas. We like the look of the tagliolini with pistachio pesto and red Sicilian prawns, especially.

For secondi, take a look at the Josper grill for meats and seafood like tuna fillet with asparagus and oven baked cherry tomatoes, or marinated lamb cutlet served with roast vegetables and veal jus, and if this doesn't satisfy you, take a look at the lengthy pizza selection, instead.