In a world of destination experiences, Mezzogiorno, the recently opened Italian restaurant at central London’s Corinthia hotel, a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square, brings a rather different proposition. You might first go to try its fine mix of Italian cuisine by chef Francesco Mazzei, whose accolades include work at Michelin-starred establishments, and smart, 21st-century interiors by London design studio Afroditi. You will stay – and return – for its soulful, Calabrian dishes, warm, unpretentious atmosphere and impeccable service.
Wallpaper* dines at Mezzogiorno, London
The mood: a taste of Calabria in London
London is awash with Italian restaurants – but Mezzogiorni is more focused than that. Drawing on the chef’s Southern Italian heritage, this is a distinctly Calabrian eatery, featuring dishes that include Mazzei’s original family recipes, passed down through generations. The textured, honest and welcoming interior was designed to reflect this – both in visible style and, importantly, mood.
Afroditi founder Afroditi Krassa explains: ‘We wanted Mezzogiorno to be a place that does not necessarily become a destination, but a repeat. Somewhere you go and then think, it’s been great, but I want to go back because it’s high quality, but also comfortable and easy.’
There is a subtle and yet precise coordination between the food – how it makes you feel, but also its textures and colours – and the design environment. This was not accidental, but a highly planned synergy by Krassa, whose team analysed the Calabrian region’s architecture and wider experience to bring an abstract taste of it to central London. The Mezzogiorno brand was planned by the studio in holistic detail, from its physical expression to its overall atmosphere and very name, decided of course in conjunction with Mazzei, who has published a recipe book titled Mezzogiorno (in Italian, the word means both ‘noon’ and the region of Southern Italy).
‘We are obsessed with this cohesion because we are one of the few agencies globally that offer this service, where we look at everything in a completely 360-degree way,’ Krassa explains. ‘We have been doing this for years. Everything needs to be fully aligned, creatively – it is one of our biggest parameters of success.’
The Corinthia first opened as Hotel Metropole in 1885, and has existed in its current iteration since 2011. The structure’s original, historic architecture had to be taken into account in the spatial redesign, but a new colour palette that brought rich terracotta and brown tones alongside the refresh of existing details – such as a mezzanine and the tall ceiling’s patterns – helped bridge the past and the present, aligning the space with its current culinary offering.
Blending south Italy’s imagery of grand Baroque palazzos, which are often made with relatively humble materials such as limestone carvings and local marbles, and transferring them to the London setting and its Victorian architecture, the result is layered and thoroughly enjoyable. Bespoke wood panelling, specially designed lighting fixtures and other elements, and carefully sourced furniture contribute to a distinctive identity for Mezzogiorno’s interior.
The food: elevated home cooking
While the spatial experience is crucial in setting up a mood, the food is a real protagonist in Mezzogiorno. Refined and rooted in Calabrian authenticity, a Mezzogiorno meal can be as hearty or as light as you’d like it, with dishes spanning meats, fish and seafood, as well as a selection of pasta (of course) and various starters and sides. All are excellent, but the homemade ragout (comes for two) is a firm winner among the primi, for its depth of flavour in the sauce and lush pici pasta.
Among the secondi, the meat-lover will not be disappointed by Zia Maria’s polpetta – essentially a massive meatball filled with cheese and topped with red sauce – while the parmigiana di melanzane (aubergine parmigiana) is Mazzei’s mother’s own, expertly time-honed recipe, and it shows – it's rich, yet not stodgy, flavoursome and fulfilling.
Mezzogiorno is, ultimately, a place that hopes to provide an experience where time slows down, like having a Mediterranean meal under the pleasant Italian sun in springtime. Krassa says: ‘We wanted everyone to take away that feeling, when you go on an amazing lunch, and the sun comes in and you go for half an hour, but you end up staying three hours, and you have a bottle of wine, and then you have a coffee, and you just don’t leave.’
Desert is a fitting finale to this Calabrian feast. It’s hard to beat the tiramisu – which comes presented in its large dish and spooned onto your plate at your table, just as it would be done at any family meal in the region. Plenty of other classics are there too, such as pannacotta, pistachio cake and hazelnut ice cream.
Everything is underpinned by exceptional, delicate service. There is an abundance of staff on the floor, meaning nothing comes late, and you feel comfortably looked after, but their plentiful presence does not feel overbearing. Add to this the riverside setting, and you have a winning combination.
‘From some of the windows, in the summer when the weather is better, you see these tall trees, and it feels like you’re somewhere outside London,’ adds Krassa. ‘There are these beautiful, huge windows, huge trees, and a southern, warm light coming in.’
Mezzogiorno is located at the Corinthia Hotel, 10a Northumberland Ave, London WC2N 5AE, UK