Wild Honey chef to open Soho trattoria

Mele & Pere will open on the former 3,400sqft site of Philippe Seiler’s Va Bene on Brewer Street at the end of October, as a joint venture between Mantovani and Peter Hughes.

The pair have teamed up with Nigel Sutcliffe and James McClean of restaurant consultancy Truffle Hunting, which has advised on opening such as Terroirs and The Henry Root, for the venture.

Mantovani will create a typical Northern Italian menu featuring dishes such as Finely Hand-Chopped Raw Veal with Parmesan and Sweet and Sour Radish; Pappardelle with Slow Cooked Hare; Fiorentina Steak; and Grilled Fillet of Bream with Stuffed Artichokes.

Hughes said: “Mele & Pere strives to re-create, within the context of an amazing space in the heart of Soho, some of the exquisite food, warm service and great value for money found in the Northern Italian Trattorias that Andrea and I grew up with.”

Mele & Pere will also feature a Vermouth bar, serving classic Martinis alongside a wine list ‘reflective of a trattoria experience’ with numerous New-World and European wines.

David Rawlinson, director at Restaurant Property which advised Mantovani and Hughes on the deal, said: “We are in touch with a lot of new and exciting upcoming concepts from talented chefs. But with Mele & Pere the quality of this offering, its careful price positioning and the experienced management team show they have ticked all the boxes.”

Nash Bond advised the landlord Sir Richard Suttons’ Settle Estates.