Messapica, named after Puglian town Ceglie Messapica, opened last Friday (9 December) as an all-day café, deli, bombetteria and juice bar.
The 30-cover site serves breakfast, lunch and dinner using artisan produce with takeaway options available. The menu includes homemade pastries, salads, lasagne, pizza by the slice and street-food snacks and Bombette Pugliese (pork braciola wrapped around a piece of cheese and grilled) prepared on a charcoal grill.
The Masseria Group managing director Rob Claassen said he had decided to replace Austen's Smokehouse as the new concept better suited the area and the group as a whole.
He said: “We could see there was room in the crowded North West London precinct for flavour and simplicity. We opened Messapica as a local café and deli that would meet these demands drawing inspiration from our other venues; Ostuni and The Salusbury Foodstore. The Salusbury Foodstore is wildly popular, so this was an organic next step in progressing our business ventures.”
Messapica's launch follows the opening of The Masseria Group's second Ostuni restaurant in Highgate in June.
The group also owns and operates The Salusbury Pub, The Chamberlayne, The Salusbury Winestore, The Salusbury Foodstore and Ostuni Queen’s Park. Its eighth site, and first Central London business - Irving Foodstore - will launch near Covent Garden early next year.