Jim Fisher, founder of Spelzini, the Italian café and all-day eatery, is launching Luigi’s Bar in Shoreditch this September.
Located on Shoreditch High Street, Luigi’s “takes its cues from the best of modern Italian design”, with low-slung leather sofas, elongated marble tables and minimalist pale oak dining chairs.
Inspired by Jim’s Italian heritage and the conviviality of Mediterranean dining culture, the bar will focus on spuntini, antipasti and trammezzini, alongside contemporary aperitivi and wines made with native Italian grapes.
The cocktail menu, which has been designed and curated by Jim and and mixologist Fin Spiteri, draws influences from classic Italian aperitivi with a modern edge, featuring drinks such as a cherry shrub negroni, a clementine Aperol shrub and a truffle and olive frozen martini.
A dedicated vermouth menu showcases Jim’s favourite vermouths, which can be paired with tonic or served traditionally over ice, while the extensive Italian wine list offers an ever-changing range of styles, regions and indigenous grapes.
On the food front, guests can pick from artisan antipasti and spuntini sourced from small producers. There’s craft salumi such as bresaola and mortadella, burrata drizzled with chilli oil, gorgonzola with figs, and salty Calabrian anchovies.
Luigi’s will also serve tramezzini, small Piedmontese sandwiches filled with Olasagasti tuna and caperberries and Coppa and pecorino, and a selection of house pickles and ferments.
Jim said: “The inspiration for Luigi’s goes back three generations to my great grandfather Luigi, a fishmonger and grocer from Liguria who came to London bringing with him the eating culture of the coastal towns of northern Italy.
“I love the generous food and drink culture in European cities, from the delis of Italy and wine bars of Spain to the tabacs of southern France, and so can’t wait to bring this to Shoreditch.”
