Italy and indeed Europe has long been famous for its grand cafes and these special places are the inspiration for TOZI Grand Cafe, the Battersea branch of this small Venetian chain which already has sites in London’s Victoria and Amsterdam’s Vondelpark. Based in the newly swanky Battersea Power Station, it seeks to revive the café culture of old in a new setting, bringing together the best of Italian produce and hospitality.
Situated inside the new art’otel, the space feels predominantly modern with an all-glass façade and central metal framework. Suspended art and tapestries from designer Jamie Hayon bring colour and movement, accentuating the richness of TOZI’s statement red bar. Seating mixes cosy pistachio-coloured booths with informal olive-green chairs, creating both intimate and open-plan spaces. On the menu, you’ll find a classically Italian array of Cicchetti, antipasti and Contorni for a smaller bite, with hearty pasta dishes such as lobster linguine and pappardelle with braised boar, too. Gelato is a speciality here and guests are encouraged to try a scoop of the raspberry or coconut, or perhaps just a whipped ricotta and chocolate cannoli instead.
TOZI Grand Café is well equipped to deal with private functions and welcomes groups of any size for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with plenty of seating options. Utilising its location in the art’otel, customers are invited to use one of its meeting rooms which overlook TOZI or alternatively book the entire restaurant out for a larger party. While the usual menus work well for a birthday dinner, tailor-made feast and drinks packages can be developed for more specific occasions.