Laughing Heart's Charlie Mellor to open Soho Italian

Charlie Mellor, the restaurateur behind Hackney's The Laughing Heart, will open a new Italian restaurant in Soho in February next year. 

Osteria Vibrato will be launched in partnership with sommelier Cameron Dewar, formerly of Luca in Clerkenwell and Burnt Ends in Singapore. 

The new restaurant will mark a welcome return to the sector for Mellor, who closed The Laughing Heart in the summer of 2022, saying the restaurant had "fallen victim to these dark times we live in". He finished his announcement of the closure by saying "I promise to rest now, before I dream again."

"Vibrato is more than resonance in sound," says Mellor. "It’s a conduit of beauty and emotion. A relationship between artist, instrument and audience. To deliver it well takes passion, technique and generosity of spirit. The recipient needs to trust you; to feel safe. 

"Osteria Vibrato will strive always to develop this connection with our guests. We’ll delight in showcasing our love of impeccable hospitality, art, candlelight, narrative, nostalgia, vibes, music, Italian food, fine wine, cold martinis, people and generosity."

What's on the menu?

​The menu, created by Mellor in collaboration with Gaia Enria, founder of Burro e Salvia, will be structured around the timeless progression of Antipasti, Primi, Secondi e Dolci. 

For Primi, fresh pasta will be traditionally rolled on site each day, and there will also be durum wheat pasta and risotto. Secondi will feature whole grilled fish, arrosti misti and seasonal dishes. Specials will evolve throughout the year, including pre-order dishes such as Brodo di Vasto, a seafood stew from Abruzzo. 

Dolci will feature Amaretti biscuits will be baked fresh to order, with a 20-minute wait.

Every seat will carry a £3 coperto, a cover charge that unlocks access to servings of premium olive oils, aged parmesan, freshly baked bread for scarpetta, scarti di cucina (kitchen scraps), and a bespoke formulated mineral water.

The rear of the dining room will house a cocktail bar, nicknamed The Green Room, featuring just 12 seats and a standing perch rail for a handful more.

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