Anyone with an ear to the ground when it comes to the Italian dining scene in London will be familiar with the Big Mamma Groupwho have five restaurants in the capital, as well as locations scattered Paris, Madrid, Lyon, Berlin and more.
Well, it’s been nearly two years since their last new opening in this city, when the intimate Carlotta opening in Marylebone came hot on the heels of the luxurious Jacuzzi restaurant in Kensington. We won’t have to wait much longer for their sixth outing, as they’ve just gone ahead and announced that ‘Barbarella ‘ will be opening up in Canary Wharf’s YY Building this summerpromising more of their glorious pasta and immaculate decor.
Check out our visit to Jacuzzi below:
What can we expect from Barbarella?
All the grandiosity that has come to be expected in the Big Mamma restaurants will be on display at their new locations, with guests invited to walk through to the mirrored reception desk before entering, in their words, ‘the tropical jungle of Barbarella’ and ordering a Espresso Martini Espresso Pistachio.
Barbarella as a whole takes its inspiration from the golden age of cinema in 1970s Rome, with glamour inside the YY Building and a retro feel with silk and glitter, an amber chandelier, a chromed lounge upstairs, and an open kitchen for diners to marvel at while drinking in the opulence.
Talking of the kitchen, it’s framed in gold with chef Marco Rastelli and his team slinging out extra-wide Ruota di Caretto pizza in a bronze oven, or crafting up their giant and divine spaghetti dishes that have become synonymous with the Big Mamma grourp. That’s one-metre long spaghettone, to be precise.
The menu is inspired by Rastelli’s hometown, with numbers including the daily changing thin pizzas; caramelised Italian tomato tatin with Parmigiano cream with fresh pasta; Cornish lemon sole to share; Phillip Warren steaks; and much more. Top it off with a gelato from their dedicated selection and a tipple from their extensive wine list and you’ve got another night of glitz and delight complete from Big Mamma.
Barbarella is slated to open this June at the YY Building in Canary Wharf, 30 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, E14 5HX (nearest station is Canary Wharf).
