Aldo Zilli says his new £2m restaurant Fumo ‘is the capital’s most beautiful’

Zilli told the Standard: “It is the most beautiful restaurant in London, £2 million later. It is a destination: footballers, celebrities… this is the place to be”

Benedict Moore-Bridger|Amira Hashish19 October 2016

Celebrity chef Aldo Zilli claimed today that his new £2 million restaurant is “the most beautiful in London”.

The 130-seat Covent Garden venue has 15 chefs with Zilli acting as chef consigliere, or adviser. Fumo, which will be open seven days a week, will focus on small plates, or cicchetti, using ingredients mainly sourced from produce markets in Milan. It is the latest opening from the San Carlo group.

Zilli, who made his name with Soho restaurants that attracted stars such as Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, told the Standard: “It is the most beautiful restaurant in London, £2 million later. It is a destination: footballers, celebrities… this is the place to be, and the food matches the decor.”

Ex-EastEnders actress Dame Barbara Windsor was one of the first guests at the St Martin’s Lane restaurant, which opened last Monday. Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer Giovanni Pernice has also been in for dinner.

“Place to be”: Aldo Zilli with Dame Barbara Windsor at his new restaurant, Fumo, in Covent Garden

Alex Lentati

Zilli quit the restaurant trade in 2012, selling his restaurants to tycoon Richard Caring. But just a week later he was recruited by his friend Carlo Distefano, chairman of San Carlo.

Fumo is at 37 St Martin's Lane, WC2N 4ER. Book at sancarlofumo.co.uk.