Venetian Chef brings cicchetti to London Victoria

New restaurant TOZI will open in central London on 15 May 2013, bringing classic Italian flavours and an informal, design-led dining environment to the Victoria area.

The 15-strong all-Italian kitchen team will serve an authentic Venetian menu of cicchetti (Venetian-style small plates), charcuterie and cheese platters, wood oven-cooked mains and sharing dishes. Prosecco on tap will be available as an aperitif, produced in the Veneto region of Italy, as well as barrel-aged Negroni - the quintessential Italian cocktail.

Chef Daniele Pampagnin, the creative force behind the project, previously worked as Executive Italian Brand Chef at Cecconi's, the first restaurant to bring the cicchetti concept to London. He will be joined by Head Chef, Maurilio Molteni, who brings a wealth of experience from Shoreditch House where the pair previously worked together.

The 80-seat restaurant, whose simple yet stylish interiors focus on natural materials such as oak, marble, stone and bronze, is the pair's first joint venture. The name TOZI, which, in local Venetian dialect, means 'a group of friends or guys', reflects the restaurant's concept of sharing and enjoying food with friends and family.

Combining an assortment of custom designed wooden furniture with antique industrial pieces, TOZI will feature a choice of seating options including a 12-seater Chef's table for groups and an informal bar area, while an open kitchen and a walk-up charcuterie counter with hanging hams and cured meats will offer guests a view of the chefs at work.

The new restaurant will focus on offering the highest quality locally-sourced Italian ingredients at affordable prices. Small dishes such as Buffalo Ricotta Ravioli with Black Truffle, Swordfish with Caponata, basil and garlic and Baccala "Mantecato" with Polenta Bramata will be served.

Additionally, the menu will feature counter food including Italian salumi and cheese such as Coppa, Wild Boar Salami, Burrata and Buffalo Mozzarella. Continuing the sharing trend, there are also larger dishes, such as Spaghetti allo Scoglio.

TOZI's bar will offer a selection of classic Italian cocktails including the Bellini, Negroni and Aperol Spritz.

TOZI is located at 8 Gillingham Street, just a few minutes' walk from Victoria station. Cicchetti are priced from £3.50 and Prosecco by the glass is priced from £4.

For more information, visit tozirestaurant.co.uk.