Cafe Murano Restaurant Covent Garden

Angela Hartnett is back with a second branch of her Café Murano venture. Complementing the first Café Murano St James Street location, as well as the original Murano Mayfair for which Hartnett won a Michelin star (her second) in 2008, this new Covent Garden restaurant will be located on Tavistock Street, just south of the piazza, and will include a cafe-style restaurant over two floors, as well as a traditional Italian pastificio. If you're stuck for interesting places to eat, Covent Garden is home to plenty of brilliant offerings, and the new Café Murano is likely to be a worthy addition to the area.

Hartnett, who made her name in projects with Gordon Ramsay, including Angela Hartnett at the Connaught and Ramsay’s Dubai venture Verre, has delegated control of the kitchen at the new Cafe Murano restaurant London to Richard Lloyd, formerly sous chef at Hartnett, Holder & Co at the Limewood, a boutique New Forest country house Hotel.

They will be channeling Hartnett’s Italian heritage, serving up dishes inspired by the coasts of northern Italy, including octopus with capers, ricotta courgettes with preserved lemon honey and farfalle with rabbit.

The restaurant, set over two floors, has been designed by Russell Sage Studios, who recently designed Jason Atherton’s Social Eating House in Soho and a number of other Covent Garden restaurants. A glass roof dominates the upper floor, making it the perfect spot for early summer dining, while throughout you can expect terracotta leather seating and marble finishes, including fresh produce displays and a counter for bar dining.

Café Murano menu

With the early evening theatre crowd in mind, Cafe Murano will offer well-priced two- and three-course pre- and post-show menus. The next door pastificio and deli will offer take-home pasta, ravioli, fresh pasta sauces and specialty wines. Follow them on Twitter for more information in the run-up to opening day - they will be taking phone bookings from June 22nd.