When Gloria first opened in Shoreditch in 2019, it beckoned in a new era of dining in the capital. Big Mamma Group brought their ethos of classic Italian food done well over from France, and didn’t hold back on the immersive elements or made-for-Instagram aesthetics. Round-the-block queues and super-advance bookings for sister restaurants Circolo Popolare and Ave Mario followed – something we’ll likely see again now that Jacuzzi has opened its doors on Kensington High Street.
Jacuzzi is as extravagant as they come, moulding into its west London postcode with ease. Studio Kiki led the design efforts, dreaming up a dazzling 4,000 square feet Venetian villa set across three floors. Tables draped in red and white, shelves stocked with 1,000 illuminated bottles and clusters of greenery feature on the ground floor, while a backlit staircase leads to a Sicilian haven. Here, intimate corners are hugged by draped curtains you half expect to start rippling in a breeze, while the top floor is a playful hideout – think Versace flip flops on the wall.
The menu is hefty, and takes some time to navigate. However, a series of previews, parties and a mighty influencer push have highlighted what are likely to be Jacuzzi’s most in-demand dishes. A plump burrata doused in pistachio pesto, slithers of salty culatello di zibello and doughy, herb-infused focaccia started us off – with sharp sips of Prosecco to cut through the rich spread. We sampled a pizza (rude not to) and were relieved at the lightness of it – Circolo Popolare may still top the pizza charts for me, but the nduja-splatted base was a warm embrace on a sub-zero weekday evening. Truffle pasta followed and stole the show. Fresh, sticky spaghetti is spun and tossed before you in a giant parmesan wheel, decanted into saucepan-style bowls and littered with more cheesy shavings. The ceremony of it all is what had phones across the restaurant pointed at beaming waiters – as did the serving of the indulgent chocolate mousse from a gargantuan silver bowl. Finish off light with this, or go all-out by ordering the profiterole bun filled with pistachio and hazelnut gelato, finished off with a crazy-generous serving of pure molten chocolate. As a self-confessed tiramisu connoisseur, a return visit is most definitely on the cards – my White Lotus escapade is certainly not over yet. Connor Sturges
Price: ££
Address: Jacuzzi, 94 Kensington High Street, London W8 4SJ, United Kingdom
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