Botanica Hall is a stylish bar and restaurant in Clapham, which recently opened at the end of 2023. The generous dining space is beautifully designed, showcasing deep ochre booths and cafe curtains, a mix of patterned bistro chairs and a rustic, open kitchen proudly displaying the wood-fired oven.
If you're getting a Mediterranean vibe, you're right on the money as Botanica Hall is all about Italian fare. From the freshly made pastas to the killer burrata, it's like taking a mini holiday, just for the day. The brunch spans breakfast, lunch and evening, where typically Italian sharing plates kick off proceedings.
Share the mushroom and truffle arancini with walnut pesto, as well as meatballs in Calabrian chill tomato sauce, with creamy Burrata served with Gnocco Fritto, pistachio pesto and lemon zest, to start. Moving on to the pasta, which handmade fresh every single day, and expect some seriously delicious-sounding combinations. The Tartufo Tagliatelle mixes truffle cheese sauce with crispy shallots, hazelnuts, lemon zest and parmesan crisp, while the Rosa Vodka Rigatoni with pink vodka sauce, smoked stracciatella, balsamic roast tomatoes, parmesan, rocket pesto and parmesan crisp, is a no brainer.
If pizza is more your thing, there's 10 to choose from across red, pink and white bases. We like the sound of the The Hot Don with ‘Nduja, finocchiona, birds eye and pickled chillies, hot red pesto and oregano, but the Vegan Viking with cashew cheese, pistachio pesto, red chillies, rocket and mint is a great plant-based option, too. For mains, smoked stracciatella and crispy kale salad sounds delicious, as does the buttermilk fried chicken, if you fancy something a little bit different.
On weekdays until noon, Botanica Hall offers hot desking which is pefect for freelancers, and comes with a free coffee. There's also a fabulous bottomless brunch to get stuck into, all weekend from 10am til 6pm, which is a fun way to celebrate with friends.