The smart signage on the facade at 88 St John Street is the first indication of what to expect from Luca, the latest venture from the trio behind the multi award-winning, Michelin starred Clove Club. Inspired by 1950s art deco Italian graphic design and typography, the visual identity created by London-based design studio EverythingInBetween underpins Isaac McHale, Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith’s ‘Britalian’ – Italian dishes made with English ingredients – concept.
Peek behind the bottle green curtains and the devilishly lit bar area, with its Alexander Waterworth sage green leather booths, dark wood floors and a calacatta porcelain bar with mottled back wall tiles will entice you in. Beyond this you’ll find an understated 124-cover dining room with semi open kitchen, where head chef Robert Chambers, formerly of Locanda Locatelli and The Ledbury, cooks up anti pasti pasta and heartier mains in the vein of turnip tops, samphire, smoked cod’s roe and sweet butter and spaghettini with Morecambe Bay shrimps and mace butter. A sampler of cured meats and small plates is available to perch with at the bar.
There are two private dining rooms, one of which doubles as a pasta preparation and demonstration area, ornamented with earthy, neutral-hued tableware, and a leafy courtyard that will provide the perfect spot in which to retire with a house-made Nocino on the rocks, come summer time.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
88 St John Street
-
An Indian mud house - and more, on Sketch Design Studio's natural material wondersSketch Design Studio in Rajasthan, India does wonders with the simplest ingredients
-
Experience this Singapore apartment’s Zen-like qualities and cocooning urban havenWelcome to Singapore apartment The Rasidence, a spacious, Zen-like interior by Right Angle Studio
-
The Park: step inside Jeremy King's mid-century dinerOne of several 2024 openings from restauranteur, Jeremy King, food critic Ben McCormack books in at The Park
-
The Park: step inside Jeremy King's mid-century diner
One of several 2024 openings from restauranteur, Jeremy King, food critic Ben McCormack books in at The Park
-
Six brilliant bars for your 2025 celebrations, hot off the Wallpaper* travel deskWallpaper’s most-read bar reviews of the year can't be wrong: here’s inspiration for your festive and new year plans, from a swanky Las Vegas lounge to a minimalist London drinking den
-
Book a table at Row on 5 in London for the dinner party of dreamsRow on 5, located on the storied Savile Row, emerges as a perfectly tailored fit for fans of fine dining
-
This picky customer finds ‘perfection’ at Nipotina, Mayfair’s new pizza and pasta jointWallpaper* contributing editor Nick Vinson reviews Nipotina, a new Italian restaurant in London offering a carefully edited menu of traditional dishes
-
Beloved Italian, Babbo finds a new home in St John's WoodBabbo, the Mayfair Italian beloved of Premier League footballers, has re-located to St John’s Wood High Street. Is NW8 the new West End?
-
Osteria del Mare brings a slice of coastal Italy to The StrandSpanking fresh fish is the house speciality in this new London restaurant with a menu inspired by the Tuscan seaside
-
London's best Thai restaurants for flavour enthusiastsLondon’s best Thai restaurants each offer their own unique spin on the cuisine that push boundaries and present new culinary experiences. Browse our pick of the best
-
Harrods revives beloved 113-year old restaurant, The GeorgianRedesigned by David Collins Studio, The Georgian at Harrods in London is where art deco artistry, elegance and theatrical flair collide
