Unlock to bring Neapolitan pizzas to Hackney Wick
Called Unlock, it is the brainchild of Napoli-born siblings, chef Arianna and restaurateur Giovanni Izzo, and will be pair’s first restaurant in London.
The restaurant will seat 75 covers indoors and have two semi-private dining rooms that sit behind floor-length purple velvet curtains and can accommodate six and eight guests respectively. A 15-cover terrace overlooking the canal is set to open later in the year.
The room will also have a 10-metre concrete bar with a stainless-steel top around which 18 people can sit.
Arianna Izzo honed her skills as a pastry chef at the famed Naples patisserie Tarallificio Leopoldo and has created a Neapolitan menu that will feature a small selection of appetisers and pizza. Starters will include nerano parmigiana; il crocché (fried cheese and potato balls); and meatballs with fries and cheddar sauce while the pizza menu will be divided into classics and artisanal options.
The pizza selection will include a margherita DOP topped with Fior di latte, pacchetelle and fresh basil; truffle cream, mortadella DOP, burrata from Andria, hazelnut crumbs, and fresh basil; gorgonzola lombardo, provola d'Agerola, parmigiano reggiano, crocchè, shaved truffle, black pepper, and rosemary; and aubergine cream with nduja calabrese, provola d'Agerola, fried basil and pacchetelle tomatoes.
A set menu will be available to give diners the opportunity to sample a slice of each artisanal topping paired with cocktails.
The drinks list will feature wines from small wineries in the Campania region and sparkling wines from northern Italy as well as cocktails such as a twist on the classic Aperol madewith white vermouth, honey and grapefruit juice; a gin cocktail with lychee, lemon, rose and tea cordial; a vodka cocktail with italicus, cucumber, aloe juice and salt; and a negroni with strawberry juice and basil.
"We are thrilled to be opening in Hackney Wick, we feel we’ve found the perfect home,” says Arianna.
“Hackney is a vibrant neighbourhood, the place to be creative and bring together our Neapolitan heritage with our passion for pushing boundaries, hopefully Unlocking the potential for our guests to explore unusual but delicious flavour combinations."
