If I am honest, I don’t usually frequent Italian restaurants in London, as I spend so much time in Milan and Florence, where I can ensure an authentic fix. But I decided to try out Nipotina, which opened earlier this month in South Audley Street, Mayfair, and it did not disappoint. We were really the toughest crowd to try out an Italian – two residents of Florence and one very regular visitor.
Nipotina: plenty to please Italophiles in London
Nipotina is a good size. We sat in the front room with velvet-trimmed linen-curtained windows on two sides. I loved the inlaid marble floor in red, the use of timber and the Thonet chairs, as they reminded me of the fabulous Paper Moon in Milan that sadly shuttered a few years ago. The pink walls in a sort of Venetian plaster gave my fellow diners Isabel and Gigi a Florentine Harry’s Bar vibe, which they loved, and the acoustic felt that lined the underside of the table was noted and appreciated by all.
I love a well-edited menu, and after so long eating in Italy, I expect it to be structured in the classic order of antipasti (appetizer), primi (first course), secondi (main dish) and contorni (side dish) – which this one was. We enjoyed a Fritto Misto of pink peppercorn as a starter, followed by Crispy Calamari and Shrimp, and Fegatini di Pollo in Padella (chopped chicken livers, balsamic nectar and pancetta).
There is pasta, and then there is pasta, and when you have had the good stuff you can tell the difference
The fresh and dried pasta highlights on the menu include three of my favourites: Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa, the little ‘ears’ that the Puglian nonnas form by hand; Pici Cacio e Pepe, that thick spaghetti type adorned with aged pecorino and black pepper; and a dish that’s already a star on the menu, Triangoli all’Aragosta, lobster tortellini in a spicy tomato and vodka sauce, which was just perfection. There is pasta, and then there is pasta, and when you have had the good stuff you can simply tell the difference.
Also on the menu is a selection of eight pizzas, including Somaia, which features spicy nduja, the red spreadable sausage from Calabria, Gorgonzola and red onion, bresaola, rocket and shaved Parmesan; and Quattro Formaggi with Taleggio, Gorgonzola, mozzarella and Parmesan. We did not have room for the secondi or the corntorni, so we will have to save that for the next time, but we shared a tiramisu.
Behind the cuisine is Turin-born chef Somaia Hammad, who, as a child, spent a lot of time with her grandmother in Puglia, so her culinary upbringing encompasses the full gamut of both north and south Italian food. The name Nipotina means ‘granddaughter’ in Italian, so you can tell the importance of her nonna’s influence on the food.
The wine list is curated by Luca Dusi of Shoreditch-based Passione Vino. We shared a 2023 bottle of the house white, Gavi La Raia from Cortesi in Piemonte, which was delicious.
Nipotona is restaurateur Samyukta Nair’s sixth location in Mayfair; I am a regular at Jamavar, the Indian in Mount Street, and Koyn Thai, Rosa Chalalai’s exceptional restaurant, which opened in June 2024, and which I’ve visited more than once a month.
All of our party gave Nipotina a very enthusiastic thumbs up. Everyone will be ordering the Triangoli All’Aragosta again, and a bonus is we now have a neighbourhood pizza joint to frequent.
Nipotina is located at 49 South Audley Street, London W1K 2QD; nipotinaristorante.com
-
Extreme Cashmere reimagines retail with its new Amsterdam store: ‘You want to take your shoes off and stay’Wallpaper* takes a tour of Extreme Cashmere’s new Amsterdam store, a space which reflects the label’s famed hospitality and unconventional approach to knitwear
-
Titanium watches are strong, light and enduring: here are some of the bestBrands including Bremont, Christopher Ward and Grand Seiko are exploring the possibilities of titanium watches
-
Warp Records announces its first event in over a decade at the Barbican‘A Warp Happening,' landing 14 June, is guaranteed to be an epic day out
-
One Club Row is London’s answer to the Lower East SideLocated at the site of the former hotspot Les Trois Garçons, One Club Row brings back noughties glamour with 19th-century interiors, gourmet bites, and jazz nights
-
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
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Treehouse Hotel Manchester: you may not want to leafTreehouse Hotel Manchester offers a nature-infused biophilic sanctuary amidst the city’s ever-growing architectural canopy
-
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
