Food & drink news: What’s hot this summer

Italian Job: Gloria 

Unashamedly kitsch and joyfully bonkers, dining at Gloria is a guaranteed good time. The first UK venture from Parisian group Big Mamma, the Shoreditch-based restaurant is so popular that it’s not uncommon to see queues stretching down the street. Here, the concept of a traditional Italian trattoria is filtered through a retro 1970s lens (and cranked up to 11). Once you finish blinking at the decor — a riot of frills, chintz and plush — you’ll find that the food is, in fact, very good. Bring a team of hungry friends to justify the enormous sharing platter of excellent carpaccio, before attacking the 10 (10!) layer lasagne or Brexitalia Truffle pizza. For dessert, tiramisu comes dolloped straight on to your plate, while the famed lemon meringue pie arrives in the form of an enormous, quivering tower. Be warned: the two-way mirrors on the cubicle doors in the bathroom take some getting used to. 

bigmammagroup.com

Pick and Mix: Champagne Bollinger

To celebrate its stunning new 2008 La Grande Année, Champagne Bollinger has launched Le Grand Tour for summer. Collaborating with chefs on a series of lunches and dinners, it is a chance to try this standout new vintage alongside a particular ingredient chosen by the chef. The first, with Brett Graham at The Ledbury in Notting Hill, saw diners served a supersize Duchy Estate Helford Oyster alongside the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend. Forthcoming collaborations include chefs Ollie Dabbous of Hide using crab, Lisa Goodwin-Allen of Northcote using Petrossian caviar and Chris Denney of 108 Garage using celeriac.

bollinger.com

Local Hero: Orasay 

The neighbourhood restaurant is something of a holy grail and harder so in an area like Notting Hill. In Orasay, a feeling of the old W11 pervades, with Jade Jagger nestled in one corner and a smattering of die-hard local merrymakers on another table. Jackson Boxer, who also oversees Brunswick Dining Rooms and the estimable St Leonards, cooks up delicate morsels such as grilled cockles with smoked ham and burnt chilli. Stand out is the Tamworth chop with
white beans and turnip tops.

orasay.london

House Call: Mortimer House 

Combining Italian style with Middle Eastern flair, Mortimer House Kitchen — part of private member’s club Mortimer House in Fitzrovia — sees star chef Lello Favuzzi serve up a pleasing clash of cultures. Enjoy quasi-Italian and Middle Eastern dishes such as house-baked bread swimming in a pool of unctuous tahini and crushed tomatoes, green herb tortellini plump with smoked burrata and pistachio nuts, and a hunk of charcoal-roasted cauliflower crowned with
a creme fraiche thick with za’atar.

mortimerhouse.com 

Star of the East: EartH Kitchen 

Introducing a smart all-day restaurant to Dalston, EartH Kitchen is the heart of the eponymous new events space it’s located in (in true hipster style, “Earth” refers to Evolutionary Arts Hackney). Locals will be astonished at the airy, light-filled renovation, given the building’s previous incarnation as a notorious late-night snooker hall. Chris Gillard – previously of the St John Group – heads up the kitchen, turning seasonal ingredients – many sourced from nearby Ridley Road Market – into hearty British fare with an East London influence. While the meat options are robust and well-executed, from jerk ox heart through to the crispiest of pig’s cheeks, it’s the veggie dishes where Gillard’s experimental nature really shines. Heirloom tomatoes are served with salted yoghurt, while pardina lentils marry perfectly with goat’s cheese. For dessert, the unabashedly huge slab of ginger pud will keep you going for days. Linger for a cocktail at the bar afterwards, though be mindful of crowds post-show.

earth-kitchen.co.uk

Box Fresh: Rémy Martin

Renowned for his fine savoir-faire metalwork, Paris artisan Steaven Richard has collaborated with Maison Rémy Martin to create a limited-edition box and XO bottle. In addition, he has created an artwork with a bespoke pattern referencing the Rémy Martin centaur, with vertical structures mimicking the house vines. Available exclusively in Selfridges, the box and bottle of XO retail at £195, while the artwork will travel the world. Known for his deft work, Richard has previously turned his hand to the lift doors at the Hotel Paris Monte Carlo in Monaco and the metal flooring at Studio Karl Lagerfeld.

remymartin.com; selfridges.com

Floral Tribute: AOK

There is a lot to praise about this smart dining room in Marylebone with daytime bakery attached. Roasted cauliflower, beetroot and ravigote dressing bursts with freshness, and grilled chicken paillard is waistline appropriate, with rocket and cherry tomatoes. The jaunty floral design with a replica tree inside the dining room makes it a top summery spot, washed down with a glass of the excellent sommelier’s choice Montrachet. Pick up a gluten-free croissant and healthy green juice in the bakery during the day.

aokkitchen.co.uk