Diciannove

Italian
Blackfriars

One of the best thing about London is that the city can provide the perfect restaurant for any occasion: a casual night out with friends? Covered; A romantic meal for a date? Sorted; Somewhere fancy to impress business associates? In the bag. New launch Diciannove is one for the business associates, a brand new Italian bar and restaurant at the north side of Blackfriars Bridge, hidden within the beautiful, historic Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Italian-speaking readers will know that ‘Diciannove’ means ‘19’ in Italian, which is the number on New Bridge Street where the restaurant is located. It is particularly pertinent that the restaurant first opened its doors at 1900h on 19 September.

Now fully launched, the venue is looking to attract a mixed clientele of city traders and lawyers closing business deals over lunch, and regular punters dropping in after work for cicchetti (small tapas-type plates) and cocktails. The newly-renovated restaurant looks fantastic, with a stylish bar dominating one side of the room, small tables in the centre and larger tables surrounded by booths at the perimeter. A screen separates a semi-private area at one end, should you wish to hire a part of the venue for a function.

The team of chefs, led by Alessandro Bay (formerly of Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli) all hail from Italy, making sure Mediterranean attitude and style runs through the food. Dishes we tried during the launch event included a finely shredded radicchio and pomegranate salad, shoelace-thin courgette fries, a fresh crab dish, and individual sized pizzetta, which had light-as-air dough and a range of toppings. Desserts came in the form of rich chocolate cake served in espresso cups and a selection of cheeses – always welcome at the end of any meal.

A special mention should also go to the cocktail menu: a combination of old favourites and house specials. We indulged in a few Negronis and an Aperol Spritz or two and wished we could have explored the drinks list further – we’ll certainly be back to see what else the bar staff are capable of creating.

Diciannove is something a little bit special, and somewhere that we would be delighted to be taken to as clients. Here’s wishing them buona fortuna with the new launch!

Crowne Plaza Hotel, 19 New Bridge Street, EC4V 6BD

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