Friday 30th July sees Gino D’Acampo open up his restaurant , Luciano in the ME London Hotel. It’s a significant move for the leading Italian chef, with plans for further premium national and international restaurant openings in the pipeline. And we have all you need to know…
Gino D’Acampo has provided a glimpse at his brand new London restaurant Luciano ahead of its official opening on Friday 30th July. Located in the five-star ME Hotel right near Covent Garden, it is perfectly situated for those working in, living in and visiting the city. The restaurant is named after his firstborn, 19-year-old son Luciano and is a significant move for DiCampo who has plans to open further restaurants both nationally and internationally.
Luciano has 100-covers and is set in a stunning open plan space that harnesses the five-star world-operating standards for which ME by Meliá is recognised. With the aim to bring upmarket Italian dining to the heart of the West End and Covent Garden area, it is set to be a popular restaurant and place to be seen in the city.
What is the aesthetic of the Gino D’Acampo Luciano restaurant?
Luciano is impressive, combining polished white marble surfaces and rich warm woods with bold wall coverings and brushed gold accent features to create a space that is both stylish and sophisticated, and yet relaxed.
Located at the ME London hotel on The Strand (336-337), and with its own private entrance, guests arrive to a refined and alluring reception area, where heavy black wooden cabinets embellished in antique gold and a generous glass wine wall proudly display the extensive selection of famous and lesser-known premium Italian wines available at Luciano. All are sourced direct through Gino’s hand-picked Italian suppliers, of which many are exclusive to the restaurant.
At the rear a beautiful feature wall adorned with exotic birds and bold wildflowers, and enveloped by plants, delivers a striking impact, providing a first hint of the décor inside. To the left, the beautiful open-plan restaurant unfolds with vast arched windows to two sides of the historic building flooding the restaurant with natural light and affording views out to the capital’s renowned theatre district.
The colour scheme is, in contrast to the reception, light and airy, with Gino’s signature Riva blue furnishings in a mix of butter-soft leather and luxurious thick fabrics providing the perfect complement to the restaurant’s solid white marble tables, each set against the rich wooden and beautifully tiled floor.
The stylish statement wallpaper teased in the guest entrance continues throughout the impressive dining room and bar, drawing the eye to the restaurant’s dramatic high ceilings from which low-hanging woven lamps are suspended from a central mirrored feature piece, providing added definition to the open space.
A range of tables, from intimate tables of two through to the restaurant’s generous window booths with seating for up to ten, cater for a wide range of dining requirements.
At the rear of the restaurant an impressive open kitchen commands attention, headed by Executive Head Chef Lorenzo Minini, who returns from Italy to join Gino’s esteemed team. The acclaimed chef has, throughout his 12-year career, worked at some of the capital’s most-celebrated restaurants including StreetXO, C-London Cipriani and Osteria San Lorenzo.
What can I expect from the menu at Luciano?
The à-la-carte menu, designed by Gino D’Acampo and Minini, is fitting for its location, incorporating a generous selection of Italian classic dishes with a focus on quality and ingredient provenance. The menu sees ten key sections – cicchetti; antipasti; carpaccio and tartare; insalata; pasta, risotto and gnocchi; pizza Napoletana; dal mare; bistecca; and dalla terra; with a wide selection of accompaniments, contorni, to complement.
Signature dishes include braised beef cannelloni, spaghetti lobster and rose veal cutlet Milanese. An extensive dessert (dolci) menu provides the perfect finish, including Gino’s own personal favourite, tiramisù.
An authentic Italian service adds to the premium and yet informal dining experience, available to guests all day, every day with a brunch, lunch and dinner service until late. An in-room dining service is also available for guests of the ME London hotel with Luciano working with the luxury hotel to host both corporate and lifestyle gatherings in the hotel’s incredible event spaces such as the Radio Rooftop and Marconi Lounge.
How about the drinks at Luciano?
The upmarket Italian restaurant and bar sees a great emphasis on drinks, with one of London’s most highly regarded mixologists, Chris Edwards from Salt of the Earth, working closely alongside Gino and the senior development team to create an impressive cocktail menu, including signature Luciano cocktail, Goodfellas, featuring Maker’s Mark, Ancho Reyes red, thyme sugar, fresh lemon, miraculous foamer, red wine float, mozzarella, basil and pepperoni. An extensive wine list, including iconic Italian brands and exciting new names, also features. All are available to be enjoyed at the restaurant’s striking 30ft underlit marble bar, with high seating for 12, or on the restaurant’s generous terrace, with seating for a further 100 guests providing views across to London’s iconic theatres.
Speaking on the opening of the restaurant, Gino D’Acampo said:
“I’m super excited to open my new restaurant, Luciano at the ME London hotel. Every opening is an important occasion but this launch, in particular, has a personal and special place, it being named after my first born, Luciano, and it being my first with the world-renowned ME by Meliá.
“The last 18 months have been a difficult time for everyone. It makes the opening of Luciano all the more significant; to be looking forward and celebrating the start of something new is a real privilege and something of which I am incredibly proud.
“I have to say a huge thank you to my fantastic team and that of ME by Meliá who have been nothing short of amazing this last year and made the opening of Luciano possible. I cannot wait to join them in raising a glass and inviting guests to experience everything my beautiful new restaurant and bar at the ME London hotel has to offer.”
General Manager at the ME London hotel, Samantha Kandou-Fulton, added: “We are excited and delighted with our partnership. Luciano by Gino D’Acampo relates to our heritage with its focus on the Mediterranean lifestyle and kitchen. Our guests find choice very important and in recent times, having this freedom and variety of gastronomy under one roof is an expectation. Our three unique dining experiences will create an amazing social epicentre within ME London hotel.”
Luciano is the first restaurant opening from Gino D’Acampo Hotels and Leisure with ME by Meliá.
Luciano launches at ME London on Friday July 30th and will be open to hotel guests and diners for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 7am to 1am, daily.
For further information or to make a reservation please email: London.me@LucianoByGinoDacampo.com.
Luciano
ME Hotel London
Strand
London
WC2R 1HA
