Carluccio's launches new Grab and Go concept
The Italian restaurant group will enter the grab and go market with a new brand called Via Carluccio’s.
Opening on Tottenham Court Road at the end of February, Via Carluccio’s is a quick service variation of the brand, offering restaurant quality food for people on the move.
Trading from 7am through to early evening, the menu features a range of breakfast and all-day items alongside Carluccio’s two signature blends of coffee; rich or smooth.
Signature dishes on the breakfast menu include Borlotti Bean Pots topped with a Poached Egg; Egg Frittatine wrapped in Pancetta; Jumbo Oats Porridge with Fig Jam from Campania and warm Panettone with Chocolate Hazelnut Filling. All-day choices come in the form of mix-and-match pasta and salad boxes, all freshly prepared each day. Sandwiches feature typically Italian ingredients and come in focaccia, made to Antonio’s classic Ligurian recipe, whilst desserts and impulse items include Bonet (smooth chocolate mousse with Pasta Di Melega biscuits crumbled on top) and Panna Cotta Pots, Italian cakes and biscuits.
The interior by Design LSM adopts a simple yet bold and minimal palette made up of concrete, leather and wood to reflect the simplicity and quality associated with the Carluccio’s brand. Colour and heritage comes courtesy of tiles inspired by the late Italian designer and architect, Gió Ponti. Seating is minimal with eight covers inside and 10 outside.
The brand has been developed in collaboration with Antonio Carluccio and is inspired by his experiences travelling as a young man.
Antonio Carluccio said: “When I was growing up in Italy my father was a station master and we often travelled across the country by train. In those days there were no buffet cars but on the platform you could buy cestino di viaggio (literally baskets for travelling) featuring a wonderful array of fresh bread, hams, olives and cheese – Via Carluccio’s brings my experience of real Italian food on the move to London.”
Neil Wickers, CEO Carluccio’s Limited said: “Part of our further UK growth strategy and US expansion, is to create a new scalable concept – one that complements and reflects the ethos of Carluccio’s. This is a natural brand extension for us – we have proven retail formats in all our restaurants and our existing larger grab-and-go counters in Canary Wharf and Market Place are hugely successful.”
The company will look to open additional Via Carluccio’s in London over the next 12 months.
