Marked with last week’s opening of the 13th Spaghetti House in Kensington High Street, the new-look restaurants feature more stylish, colourful interiors, more contemporary dishes and a new, healthier children’s menu.
“We want the new restaurants to be a new take on the traditional,” Luigi Lavarini, the Group founder’s eldest son and current chief executive, told BigHospitality. “Each will have their own vibe according to the local community.
“A lot of the larger restaurant chains seem to be losing touch with the local communities in which the open new sites. We want to provide that ‘local’ feel, building a more loyal customer base.
New era
“But at the same time, we want to remain true to our roots and maintain the high level of service, the high standard of food and the affordable price point. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new era for Spaghetti House.”
With the menu statement ‘Vivere per mangiare, non mangiare per vivere’ (live to eat, not eat to live), the kitchen is at the heart of the new restaurants, in full view of the diners. On offer will be assaggini and antipasti, sharing dishes, regional fish and meat specialities and stone-baked pizza.
As Spaghetti House Kensington opens, the original and first Spaghetti House in Goodge Street, Fitzrovia W1 closes for a full refurbishment. It will reopen in late May/beginning of June with a stunning new look on each of the four floors, again with the kitchen at the heart of the restaurant.
The Kensington restaurant is one of two ex-Paramount Restaurant sites which Spaghetti House bought out of administration following Paramount’s collapse last November.