The 25-year-old, who also runs Milan’s pan-Asian Kowa restaurant and Forte dei Marmi in Miami, will launch Italian seafood restaurant Santo Mare on Marylebone’s George Street, followed by Osteria Napoletana in Notting Hill.
Reitano’s buzzword for both restaurants is authenticity, with the seafood at Santo Mare to be sourced from boats that fish the Tyrrhenian Sea. The menu for the 100-cover restaurant will include whole salt-crusted sea bass, and homemade gnocchi with red prawns and Pecorino cheese.
Osteria Napoletana will serve regional Neapolitan dishes. Produce will largely be sourced from Italian farmers, with dishes such as Linguine all Nerano – linguine with lightly fried courgette slices and parmesan cheese – and La Zeppola di San Giuseppe - fried doughnut with custard and cherry – set to appear on the menu.
Once both restaurants are open, Reitano plans to concentrate on expanding the osteria concept across London, focusing on promoting the other food regions of his native Italy.
