Covent Garden's Lecce-inspired Italian patisserie Capilungo opened last year and fast became one of our favourites. Well now the café slash wine bar has introduced a delicious new menu of Italian brunch dishes, so we of course had to book a table to try it out...
The family-run business started way back in 1991 in Italy, and they are passionate about Puglian specialties. The team brought their signature special ‘pasticciotto’ the West End last year along with a menu of proper Italian coffee and other tasty treats - if you've not tried their pistachio white hot chocolate yet it will change your life. The brunch menu, introduced late last year, serves up a range of classic dishes with an Italian twist and is definitely worth booking over its neighbours.
The Lemon Ricotta & Salmon Toast comes with hickory smoked salmon, whipped ricotta, red onion and baby capers; it's an elegantly elevated take on a classic, full of flavour and delicately indulgent. Italian Ham & Eggs features the rich taste of both capocollo martina franca and prosciutto di Parma (because one Italian ham is never enough), served with soft eggs and a drizzle of tangy hollandaise on crisp sourdough. Their version of the benedict is the lip-smacking Focaccia Royale, a pleasing pile of smoked salmon on house baked rosemary focaccia with soft eggs and a beautiful paprika hollandaise. Our stand out, however, has to be Capilungo's French Toast; with pistachio mascarpone cream, fresh berries, flaked Barese almonds and maple it's utterly delicious, and yet surprisingly not too sweet. Coupled with Capilungo's fantastic Italian coffee - or a Mimosa, Bloody Mary or Aperol Spritz if it tickles your fancy - this might just become our new favourite brunch spot.
Keep an eye on the website for new menu additions and limited edition dishes - at Christmas they had the traditional Italian Pesce di Pasta di Mandorla, a fish-shaped alond cake, so there's sure to be delicious additions throughout the year. Yum yum.
Capilungo, 76 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LB
