Francesco Mazzei to open new Italian concept in Islington

Also a D&D London project, the new site will be an as-yet undisclosed Italian-style concept, inspired by both Mazzei’s south Italian Calabrian roots and his adopted home of Islington.

It will be on the site of ‒ and replace ‒ current operation Almeida, which will close on January 1 after 15 years. The space will undergo a complete renovation to align with the restaurant’s new look, and re-open in March.

Mazzei will continue as chef patron of Sartoria throughout. Before joining Sartoria, he made his name as chef-patron as City restaurant L’Anima, which is now overseen by Mazzei’s former sous chef and mentee Lello Favuzzi.

Speaking to BigHospitality in November, Mazzei said that he was driven by the passion of his staff, and described his style of cooking as "Mamma cooking with chefs' hands".

He said: "These days it's very difficult to find chefs, and what makes me so happy is to spend time with my boys in the kitchen, cooking together, exchanging ideas together...and that makes the team strong."

D&D London is a group of 34 restaurants and a hotel, mainly throughout London but also in Leeds, Paris, New York, and Tokyo. Its other London sites include Le Pont de la Tour, the Coq D’Argent, Skylon, Quaglino’s, the German Gymnasium, and 100 Wardour Street.

Its original incarnation was the Conran Restaurants group, before being bought and re-founded in its current form by Des Gunewardena and David Loewi in 2006.