You would be unlikely to walk past Briciole unless you happened to be lost. It is located on the corner of a small road in the no-man’s land between Edgware Road underground station and the borders of Marylebone. Your reviewer has, however, passed it almost every day for the last decade on his way to and from work. Briciole, which doubles as both a deli and a restaurant, has always looked so inviting, yet circumstance never somehow quite permitted for a visit. That was until recently. Having been, I am now smitten.
Briciole’s background emerged from a team at Latium (a now closed, swanky restaurant in Fitzrovia) wanting to do something more authentic. What they have created would not be out of place in Italy. The smell of freshly baked bread greets arriving guests. The clue is perhaps in the name, for Briciole means breadcrumbs in Italian. Beyond bread, there is an array of cheeses and meats for consumption on or off premises. In the summer, guests can be seen relaxing at the tables outside, sipping an Aperol or Campari. No one seems in a rush. Indeed, our lunch endured for the best part of three hours and although we did not consume anything for the final third of this time, the team at Briciole was in no rush to get rid of us.
The main dining area is light and spacious, if perhaps a little too zeitgeisty. There’s mismatched furniture, whitewashed walls and graffiti-influenced art work. However, it feels cool and on the Friday lunchtime when we visited, the venue remained busy through the afternoon. Beyond the atmosphere, it’s clearly the food the draws the punters in. We commenced with an obligatory basket of bread accompanied with a dish of olives and some wonderful boar’s meat. The bread basket was worth beholding: herb-flecked focaccia nestled alongside pungent (and brightly coloured) tomato bread. My dining comrade and I then both opted for pasta mains, a pumpkin ravioli for him and an effortlessly successful octopus, tomato, olive and caper offering – pictured – for me. The options are extensive and beyond the formal menu, there is also a daily changing specials board (from which our shared chocolate dessert was chosen).
There’s little not to like. Briciole also has an extensive wine list with bottles at all price points and from across Italy. We were delighted to see a Terlano from Alto Adige available – our choice. Service was also superb; with a little Italian charm, but far from overbearing or intrusive. Pricing is reasonable too, at c£50/head all-in. There’s every reason to come back. Soon.