Aqua Restaurant Group to open an Italian restaurant

Located in The Yards, Luci, is described as being ‘reminiscent of Milanese bakeries once popular in Soho’, and will be headed up by executive chef Andrea Presenti.

The 200-cover site will be spread across two floors, with a first-floor restaurant and a ground-floor grab-and-go counter. The restaurant will specialise in handmade pastas and wood-fired pizzas, with a compact menu featuring seasonal, Italian-inflected pasta dishes, and classic and contemporary pizzas.

On the ground floor, the bancone counter will cater for those looking for a quick bite or to take food away, starting with a gelato counter and followed with a range of sourdough loaves, traditional Italian sandwiches, topped focaccia slices, salads, and pastries.

Luci is billed as a more accessible, relaxed venture for Aqua Restaurant Group, which operates restaurants and bars in London including Aqua Nueva, Aqua Kyoto and Aqua Spirit in Soho, Hutong and Aqua Shard in London Bridge and Shiro in Broadgate Circle.
 
“Luci was born from a love of Italian food, and we want to bring that passion to The Yards, Covent Garden,” says David Yeo, CEO and founder of the Aqua Restaurant Group.

“No matter what time of the day, we want our customers to be able to enjoy delicious, top-quality food and drinks, whether a cappuccino and a pistachio cornetto for breakfast or a slice of pizza and a Negroni as a nightcap. That is where Luci will fill a gap for Covent Garden.”