Strozzapreti, Seven Dials Market

Franco Manca die-hards listen up: the team behind the hit sourdough pizza chain are turning their hand to pasta, with a new venture called Strozzapreti set to open this September in the KERB market in Seven Dials.

Strozzapreti reflects Franco Manca’s trademark commitment to fresh, seasonal ingredients and affordable sustainability. Bridget Hugo and Giuseppe Mascoli took over Franco’s pizzeria in Brixton in 2008, calling it Franco Manca (aka 'Franco is missing'), and have since gone from strength to strength, opening a number of restaurants across the UK that are often full come dinnertime. They are now joining forces with pasta chef extraordinaire Andrea Beccaceci to create a menu which seeks to provide high-quality, fresh and flavourful pasta at reasonable prices.

The controversial mussels and pecorino spaghetti

So far they have announced the namesake Strozzapreti dish, to be served with a Four Cheese Fonduta, a rich Pappardelle with Rabbit Ragu and Marsala livers, and a slightly racy spaghetti that pairs mussels with pecorino and datterini tomatoes in flagrant breach of the ‘no cheese with fish’ convention of Italian cooking. Rules were made to be broken, after all, and we look forward to seeing what more is to come.

To those who have found themselves wishing Franco Manca's menu was just that little bit longer, or incorporated pasta too, Strozzapreti is your restaurant.