Brutto
Farringdon, London
Russell Norman’s sudden death in November 2023 shocked the restaurant world, but his masterfully staged final project, Brutto, carries on regardless – thanks to his wife Jules and son Ollie. Inside, checked tablecloths, Chianti flasks and typewritten menus do their best to transport you to Florence, although the 1990s soundtrack pumping out at high volume may shatter your illusions. Note that Brutto’s own Instagram account does say: 'Noisy. Not Fancy. Don’t Expect Too Much.' The restaurant continues to play to packed houses daily. Reservations are released online two weeks ahead; act fast if you want a table at prime time. We ate at noon and looked on as the tables filled all around us. The bar too. Could that be something to do with the £5 Negronis? The menu, in Italian and English, borrows from traditional Florentine trattorie and features such classically straightforward ideas as pinzimonio (crudités) or Sicilian anchovies with toast and butter curls: 'Intrinsically simple, but reliant on the quality of the ingredients,' noted one fan. Vitello tonnato, too, is 'exemplary'. We were impressed by the quality of the 'penne con vodka' (the pasta al dente, the sauce piquant) and by the panzanella – a ‘cucina povera’ classic, here more bread than a tomato salad, made moreish with red onion, basil and a vinegary dressing. Best of all, however, were ‘coccioli’ (fried dough balls) with prosciutto and Stracchino cheese, while a bollito with tongue and fall-apart beef brisket was equally captivating and lifted by perky salsa verde. Dry-aged Florentine T-bones (well-seasoned and rested) are available in limited numbers, best to bag one on arrival. Pudding can be as simple as ice cream with espresso and brandy or ‘brutti ma buoni’ (the ‘ugly but good’ biscuits from which the restaurant takes its name). Out front, the young team is 'superbly drilled' – if, in our experience, overstretched. The house wine is reasonable and more than palatable, and there’s an attractive list of mainly, but not exclusively, Tuscan and other Italian wines. 'Bravo Brutto!'
Dining Information:
Counter seating, Dog friendly
35-37 Greenhill Rents, Farringdon EC1M 6BN
020 4537 0928
