Gloria team set to launch second London site

Parisian hospitality group Big Mama will open its second site in Fitzrovia’s Rathbone Square this June called Circolo Popolare.

Big Mama, the Parisian restaurant group owned by Victor Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux, opened Italian restaurant Gloria in February on London’s Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch.

Inspired by the Sicilian coast, Circolo’s menu is set to feature ‘cicchetti’ small plates as well as larger platters to share, with a metre-long pizza topped with San Marzano tomato and burrata from Puglia; sfoglia norma consisting of fresh pasta and aubergine; pork skewers al arrabiata; and calamari.

Desserts on offer will include a choice of homemade gelato in a variety of flavours including Bronte pistachio and Amalfi lemon while an ‘OTT 1L Sundae’ will be served with giant cookie chunks.

The 280-cover, 9,000 square foot site will offer a 60-seater terrace while the interiors are set to be as extravagant as its sister site, with the walls lined with 20,000 bottles of spirits.

Circolo will open in June.