The top line: Upmarket London pasta group Bancone is launching its largest restaurant yet. In a departure for the brand, it has struck a deal to open a 140-cover restaurant within The Imperial hotel in Bloomsbury, which has just relaunched following a major overhaul. There will also be a 60-seat terrace for alfresco dining during the warmer months, giving the restaurant a total capacity of 200 making it by some distance the largest of London’s new-wave pasta restaurants. Launched by William Ellner and David Ramsey in 2018, Bancone is now one of the larger players within this rapidly growing space, with five existing sites. Its key rivals include Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, Lina Stores, Padella and Pasta Evangelists.
On the menu: Options will include the brand’s signature silk handkerchiefs with walnut butter and confit egg yolk, alongside a variation featuring crispy guanciale. Other dishes will include spicy pork and ’nduja ragù with tagliatelle; bucatini cacio e pepe; and the distinctly non-Italian Herdwick hogget pappardelle with soy, Thai basil and chilli. Supporting dishes will include potato sourdough with Ligurian olive oil; fried artichoke with romesco and roasted nuts; and a trio of deep-fried rock oysters with tartare sauce. The exclusively Italian wine list starts at £7 a glass, but there are plenty of premium options too, with the selection topping out at £190 for a magnum of 2022 Barbaresco from La Spinetta, one of the region’s top producers.
The vibe: The colour palette remains recognisably Bancone, combining marble, sage green, brown leather and dark metal, although the space has a more industrial feel than the group’s previous sites. The ceiling has been left exposed to reveal black-painted ductwork, while the counter remains the visual and social focus. It preserves the sense of theatre around food preparation that has been central to Bancone -and, indeed, many of its competitors - since it launched in Covent Garden. Following a “once-in-a-generation” refurbishment, the 357-room Russell Square hotel now combines mid-century modern interiors with its striking modernist architecture.
And another thing: Ramsey is having a busy year. Later this summer, he will work with Jason Myers and former St John chef Jonathon Woolway to launch a pub at Battersea Power Station. The Hero’s Return takes its inspiration from Pink Floyd’s long-standing association with the south London landmark and will serve seasonal, ingredient-led British dishes.
61-66 Russell Square, London W1B 5BB