The windows of Dalla, Hackney's newest Italian restaurant, glow with a warming ambience, enveloping passers-by in a welcoming embrace of classic Italian family values and hospitality.
The restaurant came to fruition after the collaboration between chef Mitchell Damota, Gianmarco Leone, and Gennaro Leone – known for his intricately curated design studio Spazio Leone. Working closely with designer Oscar Piccolo, the trio wanted to create a setting that is intimate yet familiar, a place to be welcomed with friendly recognition followed by a simple: 'Would you like the usual?'
Dalla, a new Italian eatery, has arrived in Hackney
The interior has a leading role in creating the cosy atmosphere after Leone spent a sun-kissed summer in Napoli researching Italian design to curate a space of timeless interior furnishings. Touches of personal detailing are shown through unique pieces placed around the room – a Riccardo Dalisi-designed prototype cafetiere, made to celebrate 100 years of Alessi, sits comfortably in the corner, copper encrusted lamps perch on tables, coupled with an archive of books with lovingly broken spines.
Further details reflect Leone's impeccable eye for sourcing pieces. Gracing the room a Stilnovo chandelier, found at a Milanese palazzo, casts its light on diners, while smaller details are hidden throughout the restaurant from the Luigi Caccia Dominioni brass door handles to the bathroom mirror attributed to Gio Ponti.
A hearty place to drop by once (or twice) a week, Dalla's menu is as carefully curated as its interior. Focusing on seasonal cooking, frostier winters welcome a plate of warming dishes from Northern Italy, utilising Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano for traditional Tortellini, washed down with a selection of red wines, while summers will provide fresh fish and vegetables from the South, all sourced from local suppliers.
Dalla's foundations are built on local spirit and warmth mirroring that of Italy, welcoming guests with generosity and a large helping of pasta. Although a newly welcomed restaurant to this address, there is nothing brash or shiny in its essence- instead details are subtle, a treasure trove of design discovery from the menu to interior, that makes you feel at ease.
-
Australian bathhouse ‘About Time’ bridges softness and brutalism‘About Time’, an Australian bathhouse designed by Goss Studio, balances brutalist architecture and the softness of natural patina in a Japanese-inspired wellness hub
-
Marylebone restaurant Nina turns up the volume on Italian diningAt Nina, don’t expect a view of the Amalfi Coast. Do expect pasta, leopard print and industrial chic
-
Tour the wonderful homes of ‘Casa Mexicana’, an ode to residential architecture in Mexico‘Casa Mexicana’ is a new book celebrating the country’s residential architecture, highlighting its influence across the world
-
Marylebone restaurant Nina turns up the volume on Italian dining
At Nina, don’t expect a view of the Amalfi Coast. Do expect pasta, leopard print and industrial chic
-
Dining at Pyrá feels like a Mediterranean kiss on both cheeksDesigned by House of Dré, this Lonsdale Road addition dishes up an enticing fusion of Greek and Spanish cooking
-
London restaurant Tatar Bunar puts Ukrainian heritage front and centreFamily recipes and contemporary design merge at this new east London restaurant by Ukrainian restaurateurs Anna Andriienko and Alex Cooper
-
Corner Corner may be London's most unique entertainment destination yetThe newly-opened venue combines food, jazz and—yes—urban farming beneath one sprawling roof
-
For a taste of Greece, head to this playful new restaurant in London’s ChelseaPachamama Group’s latest venture, Bottarga, dishes up taverna flavours in an edgy bistro-style setting
-
A buzzy Korean pop-up becomes a permanent fixture in East LondonChef Joo Won has turned his Calong pop-up permanent in the arty enclave of Stoke Newington
-
New London restaurant Alba is a sun-soaked affairIts name meaning ‘sunrise’ in Italian, Alba is a new Amalfi-inspired restaurant set to shine in Knightsbridge
-
Now boarding Air Anya: Anya Hindmarch’s ode to aviation’s golden ageAnya Hindmarch’s new London concept store and travel accessories collection celebrate the glamour of 1970s air travel
