Burro, the first solo venture from Conor Gadd, chef co-owner of Trullo, will open in Covent Garden on Wednesday 11 March.
Translating to ‘butter’ in Italian, Burro draws on the produce-led cooking and hospitality that have defined Trullo for more than 16 years. Gadd describes these as values shared between his native Ireland and Italy, where hospitality centres on the kitchen table.
Conor Gadd, Chef Co-Owner“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine opening a restaurant in Covent Garden. But as soon as I saw the room – and the courtyard – I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. It’s been a labour of love with a brilliant team, and we can’t wait to welcome guests with some amazing food served in the warmest, most elegant of rooms.”
Conor Gadd, Chef Co-Owner
The Food
Burro’s menu focuses on the core principles of Italian cooking: generosity, care and ingredients.
Antipasti will include salumi and house-made focaccia, Venetian chicken livers on garlicky toast, a house ‘Burro’ caponata, and cuttlefish stuffed with breadcrumbs and anchovies, referencing long lunches on the Italian coast.
As at Trullo, pasta forms the centre of the offer. Dishes include duck ragù made from Aylesbury duck, enriched with dried porcini and cooked for five hours, served with tagliatelle. Tortellini in brodo follows a classic Emilia Romagna approach, shaped by time spent in Bologna and refined in the kitchen, with a filling balancing pork and salami including mortadella and prosciutto.
Burro will also serve fettuccine Alfredo, made with egg-rich pasta rolled daily, bound with butter and finished with 36-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano.
Secondi dishes reflect long-standing supplier relationships with British farmers, growers and fishermen, allowing the menu to evolve seasonally. Options include vitello al burro, Dover sole with prosecco and caviar, and a lobster acqua pazza using British lobsters and seafood sourced from day boats around the coast. Daily specials and large sharing plates will be available on request.
Desserts include tiramisu doughnuts and almond cake served with butter and a glass of sweet Marsala from the Curatolo Arini vineyard in western Sicily.
The Drinks
Head Wine Buyer and Sommelier William Amherst has developed an all-Italian wine list focused on regional expression, particularly Piedmont and Tuscany. Producers include Montevertine, Quintarelli and Fontodi, with between 200 and 300 wines held in the cellar.
A concise Champagne list will sit alongside the Italian selection. Cocktails reinterpret classics such as Negronis, Martinis, Sbagliatos, Spritzes and Old Fashioneds, alongside seasonal specials. The wider drinks list includes Italian amari, spirits including 1980s Cinzano, Italian brandies, vermouths and bottled beers including Peroni Rosso.
The Design
The restaurant has been designed by Lisa Helmanis of DAY Studio, drawing on Italian trattorias with a Celtic influence and described as “part Irish country house kitchen, part 1950s Italian bistro”.
Faded red and dusty yellow walls are paired with burgundy marble, curved woodwork, velvet banquettes and white tablecloths. Lighting by Stileman Lighting creates an intimate atmosphere.
A large canvas by artist Dan Ferguson, depicting an Italian scene, spans much of one wall. Additional artworks, including photographs of Tuscan Butteri, have been sourced by Gadd and Helmanis.
Burro officially opens on Wednesday 11th March. Reservations are now available online here.
