On the fifth floor of the Royal Opera House, with sweeping views of the Covent Garden piazza, Cicoria is bringing Angela Hartnett’s ingredient-led Italian cooking into one of the city’s landmark cultural spaces.
Furnished with plush banquettes, marble tabletops and a brushed-gold ceiling designed to cast the room in a soft, gentle light, the restaurant reflects the elevated warmth and comfort that has become a Hartnett trademark over her years at Murano in Mayfair and Cafe Murano in St James’s, Covent Garden, Bermondsey and Marylebone.
The menu forgoes novelty; instead Hartnett leans on her tried-and-tested strengths. “The concept’s nothing different, if I’m honest,” she tells Broadsheet. “It’s what we do anyway.” Like her framing, the food is characteristically straightforward: great, seasonal produce prepared with classic techniques and modern flourishes.
Antipasti of vitello tonnato (thinly sliced veal with a tuna sauce), burrata with chargrilled grapes, and citrus-cured halibut with fennel and orange sit alongside vegetable small plates such as green beans stewed in a sweet, sun-ripened tomato sauce. True to the restaurant’s name (cicoria is Italian for “chicory”) there’s also a chicory salad with walnuts and cheese, as well as a side of the same vegetable, braised, with a scattering of raisins.
Primi of lobster linguini, rigatoni with beef-shin ragu, and densely packed guinea-fowl agnolotti layered with lardo are available in two different sizes. Equally comforting secondi include sea bass with Umbrian lentils, breaded lamb cutlets topped with aged parmesan, and a Ligurian fish stew that requires diners to roll their sleeves up and get their hands messy. Desserts include caramelised Amalfi lemon tart, tiramisu and feather-light Valrhona Manjari chocolate mousse with crushed hazelnuts for crunch.
When asked about her standouts, Hartnett demurs: “I think all the menu’s great.” Still, she highlights the veal chop and a monkfish tail meant for sharing. The restaurant’s real draw, she says, is that “it lends itself to people who want to be there for hours, or people who just want to come in for a quick bite”.
Adjoining the main restaurant is Bar Cicoria, a heated, covered terrace that wraps around the building with bar stools and sofas to enjoy small plates, Turin-inspired cocktails, spritzes and a wine list that features Italian drops – including Hartnett’s own labels.
Not keen on sitting through Madama Butterfly? The chef insists Cicoria is for any occasion – from lunchtime cicchetti to post-performance cocktails. “It’s not just for people going to the opera,” Hartnett says. “We want people to come all the time, use it as a restaurant or have a drink at the bar.”
Cicoria at Royal Opera House
Bow Street, WC2E 9DD
Hours:
Mon to Sat midday–11pm
Sun midday–9pm
