Augustus Harris

A gem in Covent Garden. We actually were trying to find a decent place to drink and we passed this by and the place looked really inviting and cozy.
The staff were so sweet and helpful. We immediately got a table in the corner by the window and got a few cocktails and wine. Everything we ordered were really good. One of the staff even made us paper flowers.
Definitely come back, what a wonderful place for a date!

A little treasure that must be tasted. Simply wonderful in every way. Right across the street from the theater. A wonderful find. Specialty foods by day, wine bar by night.

By day it’s an Italian imports/​specialty goods shop with olive oil, wine, an array of dried meats, etc. By night it’s a low-​lit Venetian bacaro serving small plates of the products sold in the store. It’s sort of like the Batman of the restaurant world. Albeit, a very mediocre one.
We went Saturday night before heading off to see a West End show. It was busy, but not overly so. We were asked if we made a reservation. Well, no, because your website says you can only make bookings for 8 or more. Anyway… We were sat at the sexy copper bar, and then pretty much ignored for half-​an-​hour. I ordered a glass of the sparkling wine (prosecco the waitress called it, however, it’s called something else on the menu), that is on tap. I figured, sparkling wine on tap, what’s the worst that could happen?
Well, it was very, very flat. And while I tried to flag someone down to order something else, I watched the bartender poor the dregs of a bottle of prosecco into a newly opened bottle and then recork it with one of those silicone-​pump-​things. Ew. All the while, the bartender was being dogged on by a woman, who I assume is the manager. Which was obviously helping the speed at which drinks were being made and poured.
We received one plate of crostini we ordered, an excellent salame topped with a cornichon. We finished it, and an unsuspecting waiter asked if we would like to order more. We told him we had, at which point they seemed to realize the kitchen workers may have been sitting in the back watching paint dry –or perhaps doing something illicit, it’s always hard to tell. I honestly don’t know what the hold up was. It’s not like anything on the menu has to be fired — or even heated for that matter!
The rest of the food came out rapid-​fire and nearly everything was excellent. Even the butter they use is silky smooth and wonderfully sweet. The bread, however, was stale, like it had been cut several hours in advance. But I definitely give it three stars, because the product being use is obviously very high-​quality; a sumptuous porchetta with taleggio, and and a nice stinky Gorgonzola with a lovely honey were two of the highlights. The honey was so good, I started dipping the stracciatella from another dish into it. I also had an excellent glass of Puglian red after the unfortunate sparking wine incident. The service was just sad, but I can’t say it’s the waitstaff’s fault; it seems like they’ve really been given no direction. If they can iron that out, this might be a nice little addition to this Covent Garden enclave of pre– and post-​theatre dining.
For now, I think I’ll visit during the daytime for ingredients and make the same things at home for much cheaper.