Sycamore Vino Cucina, an all-day Italian restaurant and bar, has opened its doors in London’s latest destination, Middle Eight, a new lifestyle luxury hotel that offers a slice of vibrant local life in an elegant and relaxing setting. Located on Great Queen Street, Sycamore offers a contemporary yet authentic slice of Italy in the heart of Covent Garden.
Head Chef Paul Robinson has created a food offering that draws inspiration from his time in northern-
Italy, using authentic and seasonal British produce. Handcrafted menus are inspired by regional Italian
produce combined with contemporary flair, and dishes are aimed at sharing with pizzas, small plates, and a delicious selection of cicchetti (Italian ‘tapas’), as well as larger pasta and ‘secondi’ dishes.
Signature dishes include:
• Sgombro bruciato (torched mackerel, horseradish, pomegranate)
• Sedano rapa (ash-baked celeriac, dates, pickled walnuts, cambozola)
• Coda di rospo all’ amatriciana (monkfish tail, villani, coastal sea greens)
• Bistecca di manzo (35-day aged longhorn porterhouse, whipped potatoes, spinach)
The 89-cover bar offers seating for guests to enjoy drinks from the restaurant’s signature drinks menu which continues the Italian tone. An extensive Negroni section offers not one but 15 varieties of the cocktail.
Complementing the Negronis are Bellinis and Grappatinis, as well as signature cocktails including the eponymous The Sycamore (gin, elderflower cordial, grapefruit bitters and prosecco). For those not wanting a cocktail, a wine list championing small-scale producers from the northern Italian regions of Piedmont, Lombardy and Tuscany, along with award-winning US wines, is available.
Sycamore’s breakfast menu, served daily for hotel residents and drop-in guests, offers lighter options such as Quinoa and Chia Seed Porridge, through to more substantial egg dishes including Whipped Eggs on Brioche (served with smoked salmon, nduja or avocado). Signature dishes include The Sycamore Breakfast (two eggs any style, thick cut old spot pancetta & salsiccia tomatoes, with sourdough) and the Nduja Breakfast Pizza (soft poached egg, nduja, pine nuts). A choice of smoothies and juices, ethically sourced teas and Italian coffees using beans from Musetti complete the menu.
Over and above the food and drink, Sycamore is an urbane, local hang-out with the sharing nature of the
dishes creating an atmosphere that is sociable, cool and informal. Welcoming and bustling during the day, by night the buzz continues as live DJs and musical talent create a vibrant and welcoming social hub.
Head Chef Paul Robinson comments, “We’re really looking forward to introducing Londoners and visitors to the capital to Sycamore. Over the past few months, we’ve been busy sourcing ingredients, speaking to suppliers (both here in the UK and in Italy), and perfecting our dishes – and we can’t wait to showcase the incredible menu we have to offer.”
Designed by Tonik Associates, the interiors channel the same aesthetics of the hotel. An open kitchen set
in marble overlooks the 112-cover main dining room. The luxurious space features mid-century style
furniture and lighting, with cosy booths separated by brass and glass screens. Larger group tables in wood, marble and orange textures create an intimate and sociable space that works in harmony with the sharing style food.
Sycamore is located within the new lifestyle luxury hotel Middle Eight, whose name derives from the
musical term ‘middle eight’, a musical interlude that differs in character from a song's melody and is used
to inject variety through change. The hotel aims to emulate this - adding to the vibrant, bustling nature of Covent Garden with its luxurious and modern accommodation, while still retaining the heritage and
character of the neighbourhood.
Sycamore Vino Cucina at Middle Eight Hotel, Great Queen Street, is open daily from 6.30am – 10pm.
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