Gourmet breakfasts at Cicchetti in Manchester just got bigger. Due to popular demand we’re extending Cicchetti’s breakfast time. You can now feast on the best eggs benedict, deluxe full English (yes, they do it best), croissants and pastries from our tempting menu between 9am and 1130 am seven days a week. If you haven’t tried our breakfasts yet, it’s worth knowing that they’re the best in town, the MEN rated us the full 5 stars and Manchester Confidential loved it too. See you there.
We were thrilled when much-loved television funny man Harry Enfield chose to film scenes for his new comedy drama at our stunning Liverpool restaurant.
The BAFTA award winning comedian, actor, director and writer is directing ‘Sex and the Chippy’ for Channel 4’s E4. The sitcom follows a group of thirty-something women who work in a chip shop, on a glamorous night out and has been billed as a female version of the hugely popular ‘Inbetweeners’ which also appears on E4.
Harry Enfield told us he was looking for the ultimate sophisticated restaurant setting and chose San Carlo as soon as he saw it.
Late in the night on Sunday 6th February the lighting and rigging lorry’s and vans pulled up, the actors arrived, the windows were blacked out and filming began at Castle Street. Our chefs were on hand to create food for the special scenes which took 12 hours to film. We can’t say too much about what happens but it’s sure to be fun! We’ll let you know when it’s due to be aired.
As for Mr Enfield – he dined with us twice in Liverpool before filming and has become a firm friend of the restaurant; we hope to welcome him again soon.
The great and good of Manchester gathered in late November to toast the launch of San Carlo Cicchetti (pronounced chi-ket-tee), our latest exciting new dining concept. Glamorous guests enjoyed a sophisticated evening sampling Cicchetti’s exclusive venetian tapas style dishes, fine Italian wines, champagne and Prosecco, entertainment was provided by The Northern Royal College of Music.
San Carlo Cicchetti has opened to growing critical acclaim, receiving 5 star reviews from several publications including the Manchester Evening News. A delighted and often star studded host of diners has kept the restaurant and bar buzzing from 8am until 11pm every day. City Manager Roberto Mancini, Martine McCutcheon and Blackburn Rovers’ star Morten Gamst Pedersen have all been spotted dining at San Carlo Cicchetti during its first weeks in business.
The 100 seated chic dining venue and bar is located on the ground floor of the newly refurbished House of Fraser store, Kendals, on Deansgate and has its own entrance on King Street West.
Open from 8am until 11pm Monday to Saturday and from 9am on Sundays, Cicchetti means small plate dishes, similar to tapas, which are typically served in cicchetti bars in Venice.
At San Carlo Cicchetti attention to detail is everything. All dishes are made on the premises using the best ingredients, many of which are sourced and flown in from the owner, Carlo Distefano’s birthplace in Sicily. Diners can choose from a cicchetti menu or a breakfast, mains or afternoon tea menu, and an in-house bakery serves freshly made bread, cakes and pastries.
Cicchetti is our second Manchester venue, our high profile San Carlo restaurant lies just opposite on King Street West.
Jay Rayner, The Observer’s restaurant critic reviews San Carlo Leeds and really rather likes it:
“Everything we ate there was good in an ‘I’ll have that again’ sort of way. When the frittura di pesce Portofino for two arrived it was so large, so volumous, that I became suspicious I had been rumbled and they had decided to deep fry the entirety of the day’s catch just for me. Then I saw exactly the same dish being heaved on to another table – a pile of golden, lightly battered king prawns, knotted squid tentacles and sizable scallops, leaving the plate almost greaseless – and I realised this was just the way they do things here.”
Leicester’s popular San Carlo restaurant in Granby Street celebrated its 10th anniversary with a sumptuous luncheon for more than 60 guests including the city’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Colin Hall.
A massive traditional Italian birthday cake with cream patisserie, fresh fruit and Chantilly cream was the highlight of the magnificent buffet featuring more than 20 authentic fish, meat and vegetable specialties.
Manager Fabio Vassallo together with Proprietor Carlo Distefano and his sons Marcello and Alessandro welcomed guests from Leicester’s business, commercial and academic communities to the event which included a prize draw for two tickets to one of Leicester Tigers major games in 2011.
San Carlo is one of seven restaurants in the rapidly expanding award-winning San Carlo Group which was founded by as a family business more than 16 years ago.
Other venues include Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and London under the brand name Signor Sassi.
In 2009, San Carlo signed an agreement with the giant Americana Group to take the Signor Sassi brand to the Middle East and the first Signor Sassi restaurant was launched in Kuwait in August of that year.
There are plans to open further restaurants in more than 22 countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in Beirut and Bangkok.
All San Carlo restaurants are open 365 days a year from 12 noon until late.
Liverpool’s stunning San Carlo has secured its place as one of the city’s top restaurants.
Since opening almost a year ago, the ultra stylish venue in Castle Street has become a hub for Liverpool’s thriving business community.
Whilst it’s buzzing, vibrant atmosphere has been key to its success – it is the superb food at San Carlo that ensures its popularity with the most discerning of diners.
“We never compromise on quality and that is why everyone says our food tastes so good,” said Carlo Distefano, Proprietor. He attributes his success to his own passion for food and his insistence on using only the very freshest ingredients including importing the best olive oils, herbs, pasta and fresh tomatoes from his native Sicily.
San Carlo Liverpool is part of the award-winning San Carlo Group, which was founded as a family business more than 16 years ago.
Other venues under the watchful eye of Carlo Distefano include Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester and London. The group also has associate restaurants in Milan and Rome.
Though the pace is fast, the atmosphere in San Carlo Liverpool, and indeed all restaurants in the San Carlo Group, is informal and relaxed. Diners can browse over the extensive menu that features more than 150 exquisitely presented dishes.
There is a huge choice of starters from soups to authentic antipasti and salads. Fish specialities include salmon, wild sea bass, Dover sole, giant prawns, oysters and crayfish.
From a perfectly cooked bowl of pasta and bottle of wine to the finest Lobster and Champagne, the menu offers the perfect choice for any occasion and its impressive and comprehensive wine list that complements the dishes is 90 percent Italian.
San Carlo Group is proud of its many accolades, which include the industry-leading Les Routiers in Britain Hospitality and Service award, a listing among The Times Top 10 Italian Restaurants, as well as praise from gourmet critic Lord Bradford, who features the restaurant on his website.
Open 365 days a year from noon until late, San Carlo restaurants nationwide are always a lively hub of activity.
As one table empties it is full again in a matter of minutes, so making a much-soughtafter reservation is highly recommended to avoid disappointment.
For further information please call 0151 236 0073 or visit the San Carlo Group website at www.sancarlo.co.uk
London’s legendary Signor Sassi restaurant is renowned for its superb food, impeccable service and lively, friendly atmosphere.
Originally opened in 1984 and situated opposite the world famous Harrods department store in prestigious Knightsbridge Green, Signor Sassi epitomises all that is best in genuine Italian hospitality.
In 2007 Signor Sassi became part of the family-owned, award winning San Carlo Group, and continues to enjoy an enviable reputation for attracting the top names in show business as well as politicians, business leaders and high profile sports personalities.
Diners have included Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, George Michael, Russell Crowe, Tom Jones, Sven Goran Eriksson and a host of television ‘soap’ stars who all enjoy the buzzing, vibrant atmosphere and exceptional food.
“We never compromise on quality and that is why everyone says our food tastes so good,” said Proprietor Carlo Distefano. He attributes his success to his own passion for food, and insistence on using only the very freshest ingredients including importing the best olive oils, herbs, pastas and fresh tomatoes from his native Sicily.
Though the pace is fast, the atmosphere in Signor Sassi and indeed all restaurants in the San Carlo Group is informal and relaxed. Diners can browse over the mouth-watering menu which features more than 150 exquisitely presented dishes.
There is a huge choice of starters from soups to authentic antipasti and salads. Fish specialities include salmon, wild sea bass, dover sole, giant prawns, oysters and crayfish.
From a perfectly cooked pasta and bottle of wine to lobster and Champagne, the menu at Signor Sassi offers the perfect choice for any occasion, and their impressive and comprehensive wine list is ninety percent Italian.
Staff are also mainly Italian adding an extra air of authenticity to the fast yet relaxed atmosphere.
Signor Sassi is twinned with sister restaurant in Rome – Alfredo alla Scrofa – the birthplace of the classic dish Fettucine Alfredo.
Alfredo’s became famous after American movie stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Fulford ate there during their honeymoon in 1927. They fell in love with the restaurant and presented the owner with a golden spoon and fork.
Signor Sassi is open every day of the year from 12pm until late.
As one table empties it is full again in a matter of minutes so making a much-sought-after reservation is highly recommended to avoid disappointment.
For further information please call Signor Sassi on 020 7589 3586 or visit the San Carlo Group website at www.sancarlo.co.uk
To celebrate Fabio Capello leading England in the World Cup, Birmingham’s popular Italian restaurant San Carlo has added a speciality dish from his home province of Friuli in North East Italy to their menu.
Tagliolini San Daniele is a delicious combination of fresh pasta with butter, ham, petit pois (peas) and parmesan cheese wrapped in prosciutto San Daniele.
San Carlo Group also has restaurants in Bristol, Liverpool, Leicester, Manchester and London – under its Signor Sassi brand.
If England wins the World Cup, the dish will be offered in each of the venues – for free to celebrate the success!
Damon Macgowan, Head Chef at San Carlo restaurant in Temple Street, Birmingham, gives us a taste of an authentic Italian Pancake day.
Across Italy, the days leading up to our much-loved Shrove Tuesday are very much a time of merry-making, masquerade processions, singing, dancing, fireworks and outdoor feasts.
Carnevale is the name given to this traditional world-famous celebration, and like every other holiday in Italy, there are traditional foods and ‘dolci’ – desserts – associated with it.
Birmingham’s popular San Carlo is renowned for authentic Italian cuisine, so Damon has cooked up some quite unusual pancakes with an Italian twist.
We have included his delicious recipes so you can bring a taste of Italy into your homes too.
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