Considering the bounty of Italian-inspired restaurants across the city – and a spate of new openings that includes the third outpost of Forza Wine in Soho – you’d think Londoners had seen it all. And yet, nobody was expecting Osteria Vibrato: a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it candlelit dining room that celebrates Soho’s legacy of traditional, decadent Italian restaurants, with none of the red-sauce clichés.
Here, at the northern end of Greek Street, Charlie Mellor and Cameron Dewar have gone unashamedly old-school, from the rosewood panelling, terrazzo floor and white tablecloths to the menu itself.
Following the classic Italian structure of antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci, the pair collaborated with Gaia Enria, founder of the now-closed Burro e Salvia, to come up with a pared-back menu brought to life by head chef Louis Lingwood, formerly of Quo Vadis and Toklas. “The execution is as simple as it can be,” Mellor says.
It doesn’t get much simpler than the made-to-order risotto bianco, which has already become the signature dish. “It’s cheese, water, a tiny touch of veal stock, an excellent carnaroli rice and some parmesan … a bare beige plate of just deliciousness [which] can’t be argued with.”
The compulsory £3 coperto (cover charge), ensures every guest gets a handful of lesser-known Ligurian Taggiasche olives (“quite rare, very delicate – what you want to have with the bread,” Mellor says) and a crisp, rosemary-infused “mother-in-law’s tongue” flatbread hailing from Piedmont.
Antipasti includes generously proportioned serves of baccalà mantecato (whipped salt cod spread) with potato, gratinated Puglian mussels, and house-made fior di latte dressed in Ravece olive oil.
Regularly changing primi are built around house-made pastas such as ricotta-filled tortelli piacentini and sardine spaghetti, alongside the risotto bianco. Secondi include delicately cooked whole grilled sole with Pantelleria capers and Taggiasche olive oil.
For dessert, it’s worth waiting 15 minutes for the baked-to-order amaretti. Mellor describes their effect – coming warm straight from the oven – as “a capillary closing in your lungs kind of feeling … they literally take your breath away”. He recommends following them with “an espresso with a little grappa for a winning way to end a meal”.
The wine selection is, of course, heavily Italian, with a focus on classic producers from across the country. Expect barolo and barbaresco alongside Etna reds, crisp vermentino and textured Friulian whites, with many options by the glass. Cocktails, whisked-up at the eight-seater bar, are concise and old-school, with surprises including the Marlon Brando, made with blended Scotch and sweet, nutty amaretto.
There are more surprises beyond the menu, too. Abstract artworks line the walls, available to buy from Soho gallerist Cedric Bardawil. Mellor, a former professional opera singer, made a mid-renovation decision to put an upright piano in the space. Restaurant manager Harry Smith (ex-Maison François) happens to be a “gigging jazz piano player”, and musicians from Ronnie Scott’s may drop in after their shows.
Osteria Vibrato
6 Greek Street, W1D 4DE
Hours:
Mon to Thu 12.30pm–4pm; 5pm–10.30pm
Fri & Sat 12.30pm–4pm; 5pm–10.45pm
Sun 12.30pm–5pm
