QSR pasta specialist Guido's to launch first eat-in site
On Holborn’s Kingsway, the circa 15-cover site will join Guido’s two existing takeaway-only sites, which are located nearby on New Fetter Lane and Chancery Lane.
The brand’s Padua-born founder Guido Oselladore says he is hoping to create the Italian equivalent of Shake Shack.
“I'm obsessed with the fact that there is no brand in the world that offers true Italian dishes made with good ingredients in a fast setting,” he says. “We use proper regional recipes without any tweaks. For example, our carbonara is made with just eggs, guanciale and cheese. We don’t use cream and ham like many others do.”
“Our other USP is our speed. We have developed a pre-cooking technique that allows us to cook high-quality Durum wheat pasta within about two minutes and it still be perfectly al dente.”
Slated to launch in October, the Kingsway Guido’s will feature kiosk ordering and may eventually offer alcoholic drinks.
Like Guido’s existing sites, it will also be possible to order online via Guido’s website and also via third party delivery apps.
Guido’s pasta dishes range from £8 to about £10. Supporting dishes include salads and focaccia sandwiches, but Oselladore intends to broaden his menu as the group expands.
Oselladore worked in finance and tech prior to founding the first Guido’s in 2016. A second site followed in 2017. More recently, Guido’s launched a third location in Soho with limited seating but it closed as a result of the pandemic.
Currently Guido’s is focused on office workers and is therefore only open lunchtimes Monday to Friday.
“Our opening hours are dictated by where we are,” Oselladore says. “We will soon look to switch to locations that have some residential and tourists busines as well as office workers. Our target areas include Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf, Hammersmith, King's Cross and Fulham Broadway.”
Currently self-funded save a small raise from family and friends, Guido’s hopes to open its fourth site next year.
