Giannino Dal 1899 to open in Mayfair

It will take over the Blenheim Street site formerly occupied by another Milanese restaurant brand Camillo Benso, which was operated by Milan's F&C restaurant group and opened in the capital in 2018 before subsequently closing last year.

Giannino Dal 1899, which first opened its doors in Milan 120 years ago, will serve a menu of ‘traditional’ Italian dishes served ‘with a modern twist’.

“Since we first had the idea, we always wanted to make sure that if we ever expanded internationally our venues would maintain the same level of class and refinement, while still effectively melting into the fine dining London scene,” says general manager Giuseppe Varrella.

Executive chef Salvatore Suzzi will oversee the kitchen, with the menu set to feature dishes like spaghetti aglio, olio e pepperoncino; and Mazara Del Vallo red prawn crudo.

There will also be a selection of homemade desserts, including a reinterpretation of the Sicilian orange cannoncini dessert, served here with namelaka cream and raspberry sauce.

As well as Camillo Benso, Giannino Dal 1899’s location on Blenheim Street has also housed another Italian import in the past, Rome’s Assunta Madre fish restaurant, which came to London in 2014.

However, it closed in 2017 after its owner Gianni Micalusi was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraudulently registering property in his native Italy.