The group, which opened its first site in Marylebone in 2016, is the brainchild of Guy Holmes – owner of restaurant marketing company Captivate Hospitality, and Bibars Ozdamir.
It has taken the former La Porchetta site near Exmouth Market, which will reopen as a more high-end version of Firebrand described as a ‘premium casual offering rather than just a neighbourhood pizzeria’.
The 4,500 sq ft restaurant will offer the same Romana-style pizzas as in Marylebone but with a more extensive menu including pastas, fish, steak and risottos.
The site has a separate room with its own entrance, in which Diggs will be launched. It will open throughout the day serving pastries and cereals at breakfast, a choice of 10 salads for lunch before changing in to a bar serving wines, cocktails and beers in the evening.
“Our focus on fantastic ingredients, flavours and quality has seen the Marylebone restaurant go from strength to strength over the past year, at a time when the bigger Italian chains are having to close sites, which gives us confidence,” says Holmes.
Captivate Hospitality will be rebranding Firebrand’s existing restaurant to reflect the new look and feel of the Clerkenwell site as well as creating the Diggs brand.