If I am honest, I don’t usually frequent Italian restaurants in London, as I spend so much time in Milan and Florence, where I can ensure an authentic fix. But I decided to try out Nipotina, which opened earlier this month in South Audley Street, Mayfair, and it did not disappoint. We were really the toughest crowd to try out an Italian – two residents of Florence and one very regular visitor.
Nipotina: plenty to please Italophiles in London
Nipotina is a good size. We sat in the front room with velvet-trimmed linen-curtained windows on two sides. I loved the inlaid marble floor in red, the use of timber and the Thonet chairs, as they reminded me of the fabulous Paper Moon in Milan that sadly shuttered a few years ago. The pink walls in a sort of Venetian plaster gave my fellow diners Isabel and Gigi a Florentine Harry’s Bar vibe, which they loved, and the acoustic felt that lined the underside of the table was noted and appreciated by all.
I love a well-edited menu, and after so long eating in Italy, I expect it to be structured in the classic order of antipasti (appetizer), primi (first course), secondi (main dish) and contorni (side dish) – which this one was. We enjoyed a Fritto Misto of pink peppercorn as a starter, followed by Crispy Calamari and Shrimp, and Fegatini di Pollo in Padella (chopped chicken livers, balsamic nectar and pancetta).
There is pasta, and then there is pasta, and when you have had the good stuff you can tell the difference
The fresh and dried pasta highlights on the menu include three of my favourites: Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa, the little ‘ears’ that the Puglian nonnas form by hand; Pici Cacio e Pepe, that thick spaghetti type adorned with aged pecorino and black pepper; and a dish that’s already a star on the menu, Triangoli all’Aragosta, lobster tortellini in a spicy tomato and vodka sauce, which was just perfection. There is pasta, and then there is pasta, and when you have had the good stuff you can simply tell the difference.
Also on the menu is a selection of eight pizzas, including Somaia, which features spicy nduja, the red spreadable sausage from Calabria, Gorgonzola and red onion, bresaola, rocket and shaved Parmesan; and Quattro Formaggi with Taleggio, Gorgonzola, mozzarella and Parmesan. We did not have room for the secondi or the corntorni, so we will have to save that for the next time, but we shared a tiramisu.
Behind the cuisine is Turin-born chef Somaia Hammad, who, as a child, spent a lot of time with her grandmother in Puglia, so her culinary upbringing encompasses the full gamut of both north and south Italian food. The name Nipotina means ‘granddaughter’ in Italian, so you can tell the importance of her nonna’s influence on the food.
The wine list is curated by Luca Dusi of Shoreditch-based Passione Vino. We shared a 2023 bottle of the house white, Gavi La Raia from Cortesi in Piemonte, which was delicious.
Nipotona is restaurateur Samyukta Nair’s sixth location in Mayfair; I am a regular at Jamavar, the Indian in Mount Street, and Koyn Thai, Rosa Chalalai’s exceptional restaurant, which opened in June 2024, and which I’ve visited more than once a month.
All of our party gave Nipotina a very enthusiastic thumbs up. Everyone will be ordering the Triangoli All’Aragosta again, and a bonus is we now have a neighbourhood pizza joint to frequent.
Nipotina is located at 49 South Audley Street, London W1K 2QD; nipotinaristorante.com
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