For anyone who’s ever waited for a table at Tipo 00, Osteria Ilaria is a welcome addition to the family.
As the name implies, the menu is like something you’d find at a modern osteria in Italy. The foundations are traditionally Italian, but other parts of Europe get a look in. There’s lamb cutlet, zucchini flower, salumi to start, and more playful items such as duck with a side of nettle gnocchi. There’s a big focus on bread, too, with a few different options including a 48-hour fermented sourdough and a gluten-free grain bread.
This loose approach extends to the wine. The list ventures outside of Italy to Portugal, France and even Georgia.
Like Tipo, Ilaria was designed by architect Briony Morgan. Up the front there’s casual, high-table, booking-free zone, with a beautifully painted and tiled floor. Regular tables and banquette seating are towards the back. There’s also an enormous cellar underneath the restaurant, which is used for storing wine and curing meats.
