London has no shortage of beautiful restaurants. Here are some of the world’s dreamiest dining venues, from sky-high dining spaces with breathtaking views to dramatic subterranean restaurants. But one name has become synonymous with London’s most dramatic restaurant. From its minimalist interiors to its lavish Italian cuisine, Big Mamma has always been a top-notch restaurant.
You know the Paris-born brand from the three table-to-book openings it has landed in London over the past few years – first Gloria in Shoreditch, then Circolo Popolare in Fitzrovia, Then there’s Ave Mario in Covent Garden. Every time a new restaurant pops up, the team finds a shared memory of their childhood in Italy. This became the founding idea for the new restaurant; guiding every decision made along the way.
For example, Ave Mario was inspired by memories of lunches at the Siena Cathedral, Gloria was themed with the glitz and glamor of Capri in the 80s, and Circolo Popolare was imagined as a wedding on the Sicilian coast. By framing every tiny detail around these themes, each restaurant is unique, with a unique feel and a new story to tell. These are great places to hang out: If you’re looking for a place to host a birthday dinner or a grand celebration, booking at one of these grand venues is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
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In January 2023, these three beloved London spots will welcome a new sister store. Jacuzzi is inspired by childhood memories of exploring magnificent Venetian villas – memories of wandering gilded rooms filled with sumptuous furnishings, magnificent artwork, hedonistic virtuosity and regal gardens teeming with life. Combine that with Big Mamma’s signature nostalgic design, and you’ve got a fantasy world that’s more decadent than reality.
Jacuzzis bring a world of hedonistic luxury to West London.Inside a once dilapidated bank on Kensington High Street, this is awhite lotus, Luxury is the order of business. Red banquettes, twisted ivy, a backlit bar, exposed brick arches, marble windows and dangling chandeliers are some of the immediately noteworthy grandeur – but there’s more to the design than an overwhelming first impression.
Each item is sourced by in-house design team Studio Kiki from antique markets and second-hand antique shops across Europe. Spanning three floors, each floor presents a different theme. The first felt like an old-fashioned restaurant, with soaring stucco ceilings, backlit shelves creaking under the weight of the bottles, a dim chandelier made of shimmering shards of vintage Italian glass, and a giant tree at the center. lemon. Like some sort of hidden Italian club hidden behind an unassuming facade, it’s a storm of textures and styles waiting for any excuse to throw a party.
The mezzanine is located on the grand wide staircase. Despite being on one of London’s busiest streets, you are taken directly to the Italian courtyard. It’s a space that exudes laid-back sophistication; it’s the place to go for long lunches, martinis and olive nibbles. A retractable roof lets in the sun, tables sit in balcony-style alcoves, and more greenery than you can imagine indoors instantly lifts the sweltering mood.Ceramic cherubs stand proudly on the bar, china bowls with lemons and parrot figurines rest on tables and hang on the walls, but the highlight of this floor has to be white lotus bust.
Adorned with intricately painted features, from bushy brows to large, pleading eyes, these enormous heads feature more greenery to lend an eerie hedonistic feel to an otherwise soothing design. Upstairs again, the last floor is more of a boudoir, with white and green coffered walls, a tasseled pink table lamp and another tree in bloom.
The food remains true to the Big Mamma standard: large plates of Italian classics, each with ornate garnishes. Jacuzzi offers a higher-end menu than its London predecessor. Try culatello, thinly sliced cured meat draped over gnocco fritto (pillows of fried dough); Maldon rock oysters drizzled with balsamic vinegar and a dash of chili oil; lobster seafood risotto with cuttlefish bolognese and frutti di mare, and a plate of carpaccio served with an arugula salad topped with thin slices of Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh truffle shavings. For puddings, order the jumbo chocolate mousse. Made with half a kilo of Valrhona chocolate, topped with coffee pralines, and served tableside for good reason – the waiter will keep piling it into the bowl until the customer says stop (once you smell the chocolate, easy to say, hard to do).
Jacuzzi’s wine list is sparkling. Franciacorta, a sparkling wine from northern Italy made using the same method as Champagne, is a refined drink – but we prefer something on the cocktail list, which is as opulent as the interior. Jacuzzi over espresso martini, Make Mine a Moka, made with Vecchia Romagna brandy, coffee liqueur, mint amaro and white chocolate syrup. Poured from a moka pot into an icy martini glass, this nightcap is as luxurious as what will soon be London’s most talked about opening.
address: Jacuzzi, 94 Kensington High St, London W8 4SJ. book online
first published on British CNT.
