Battersea Power Station has had a touch of classic elegance added to it thanks to the opening of a Venetian-inspired restaurant and bar TOZI Grand Cafe.
It’s modelled on the grand cafes of Europe and is attached to the new boutique art’otel, facing the Grade II Power Station.
The circular venue has been designed by award-winning Spanish artist and designer Jaime Hayon, recognised as one of the most influential creators of the past decade.
The double-height restaurant is dotted with hanging sculptural light fittings and several of Hayon’s striking tapestries throughout the space, which opens onto an alfresco terrace perfect for whiling away those balmy summer afternoons.
Food and beverage director Julian Zeneli said: “All of the seating, tables and sofas are designed with matching colours to bring light into the restaurant.
The way he created the bar is very beautiful, it’s very much engaging for the whole restaurant, but at the same time, it’s so operational for us, which is crucial in any restaurant.”
It’s the second outpost for the capital, joining an ever-popular Victoria location and another TOZI based in Amsterdam.
The food offering is led by Executive Head Chef Lee Streeton (Rocco Forte Hotels, 45 Jermyn St, Daphne’s), along with TOZI Victoria’s Head Chef Maurilio Molteni (Neal Street Restaurant, Prism, Soho House Group), whose cooking remains rooted in Northern Italian traditions, having overseen prestigious operations in Milan, Bergamo and Lake Como.
Lee said: “Our elegant Italian menu is inspired by the theatre of Europe’s Grand Cafes, and we are looking forward to bringing a little of la dolce vita to the heart of Battersea.”
A standout design feature is the cicchetti counter, where you can interact with the chefs as they prepare the starters.
Julian said: “The cicchetti counter is a unique feature for us because we will have chefs there consistently preparing their dishes and serving the cicchetti, coming straight to the tables, and often the guests can standby and engage with the chef.
That is a fantastic feature to have in any restaurant as we love the engagement with the guests – the guests going straight to the chef and asking about a product and how they make it.”
The menu is split into ten sections and even includes the options for aperitivi and digestivi so you can dine in true Italian style. Other sections include the antipasti, cicchetti, pasta, secondi (main), contorni (side dishes) dolci (dessert), as well as afternoon tea and a pre-theatre menu for two people.
During the pre-launch event in December, we tasted a good proportion of the menu, 19 dishes to be exact, with each building upon the last.
Streeton and Molteni have drawn from Europe’s famous cafes for this new eatery. Breakfast features Italian takes on brunch, such as baked eggs, spianata piccante, puttanesca, potatoes, whilst for afternoon tea, “Pasticceria Mignon” will be offered.
Sharing cicchetti such as beef carpaccio, pickled mushrooms and parmesan, and baked scallop with nduja will be served all day alongside salads and antipasti.
The buffalo ricotta ravioli with black truffle is a must-try, along with the sugar pit bacon chop sourced from Peter Hannon’s Glenarm Estate in Ireland. For dessert, you cannot go past the pistachio tiramisu or gianduiotto tart.
The bar consists of a beautiful range of smoked Negronis, aged barrel Negronis, beautifully curated cocktails and a very nice wine list, including vibrant Proseccos.
The all-day dining concept is open seven days a week, or if you prefer to stay longer, you can always book a staycation at the art’otel.
