The new restaurant’s founders are old friends Uberto Jasson D’Oria and Patrick Philion, both of whom grew up in Italy themselves.
Scarpetta is a casual dining concept and aims to do something a little different with its pasta, making it from semolina flour in a bid to make it both lighter and healthier. The site emphasises all-natural ingredients and simple Italian food, intending to offer customers a ‘trendy yet authentic artisan’ environment.
Jasson D’Oria will be in charge of day-to-day operations at Scarpetta. Having grown up in Italy’s Puglia where his family owned a farm and restaurant, he has always been interested in the industry.
He said: “Though we are introducing a new type of healthy fresh pasta, what we are really trying to emulate is the reality of Italy’s local food communities whereby growers and artisans tirelessly work together to perfect the product overtime.
“My farm, the local flour mill and the family of our artisan pasta maker have one mind when it comes to pasta. We are excited to bring to London the product of so much hard work.”
Location and market
The restaurant will open in the City and plans to cater to the breakfast and lunch market, offering lighter meals to those working there in the day. It has 42 covers.
Jasson D’Oria said: “I think that we knew the market in the City, with all the casual dining concepts about, it was the most convenient market because we knew what to expect and we could target our client base easily by knowing what they are accustomed to. Also the site offered the possibility of doing a lot of takeaway which gives more volume.”
When asked what would make restaurant stand out for its customers, Jasson D’Oria said: “Well it’s going to be a sophisticated but at the same time it’ll have an artisan feel. I think the restaurant has a true essence about it. We’re not some bankers opening a site because we saw a business opportunity, all of us are very passionate and come from a background related to food.”
Simple Italian food
Scarpetta gets its pasta made from scratch by Michele Fiore, who has run his own Artisan pasta shop in Italy for 25 years. He will work from a specially designed workbench so that customers and diners can watch him in action. The pasta will be made using high protein durum wheat flour which Scarpetta intends will give it a unique taste as well as health benefits.
Jasson D’Oria said: “We are the first people who are doing this type of fresh pasta, here in London everybody uses egg pasta, ours is just flour and water and it has so many health benefits. Our entire menu is very light, perfect for City workers.”
The menu for the new restaurant was put together by Chef Pierluigi Sandonnini who trained under Three Michelin-starred Chef, Gualtiero Marchesi in Italy and enjoys classical and simple Italian dishes. Dishes on offer include pasta, salads, healthy soups and focaccia sandwiches and the chef will be using traditional ingredients such as N'duja, a spicy uncured sausage from Calabria.
Sandonnini said: “I believe our customers’ palates have moved on compared to when I started cooking in London. We are all trying to be healthier and we have to work in the afternoons, no napping, so I aim to create a lighter version of traditional popular dishes whilst maximising the taste.”
Scarpetta is located at 110 Cannon Street and will open 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday.