We’re well in to October so it’s now officially acceptable to talk about Christmas.

The festive feast at San Carlo this year includes our Italian version of classic dishes such as Turkey with chestnut stuffing, chipolatas wrapped in pancetta, served with Italian gravy and Tournedo Rossini, Fillet of beef cooked in Madeira wine sauce topped with pate as well as seafood such as Seabass Signor Sassi, pan fried seabass fillets, white wine and garlic, seasonal winter mushrooms.

At Christmas indulgence is allowed and our traditional Italian desserts are sensational – Tiramisu made with Savoiardi biscuits soaked in Marsala wine, coffee and mascarpone cheese or Pannacotta made from fresh cream, served with fruits of the forest.

If you’d like to reserve a table for our five-course special Christmas Day lunch, New Year’s Eve meal or book an office party, lunch or festive family gathering during December contact your chosen San Carlo restaurant for more details and a booking form or download our Christmas menus at

Looking for larger private dining space for a festive party? We have rooms available at our San Carlo restaurants in Manchester and Leicester; Fumo Manchester and Signor Sassi, London.

Catering from 15 to 150 each venue is unique. Menus are designed to suit your requirements and our all Italian team will ensure your special occasion runs smoothly. So, if you’re arranging a cocktail party, business lunch, celebration dinner or family gathering please do get in touch.

Earlier this year we announced our franchise agreement with Al Jaber Hospitality and Catering Group to launch a new San Carlo Cicchetti in Qatar – and we’re delighted to confirm an opening date of 10th November.

We are very excited about our latest venture – a 150-cover restaurant and bar in Shoumoukh Towers, a prestigious mixed-use development in the heart of Doha – and are looking forward to expanding the Cicchetti brand into the world’s richest country.

We’re now serving Galvanina soft drinks at our San Carlo restaurants across the UK.

Presented in delicately embossed, beautifully crafted bottles, the 100% natural fruit drinks not only look stylish but taste delicious too – and Galvanina is, like us, an award-winning family-run Italian so our brands are perfect together!

Made from the finest organic fruit juices and naturally filtered, gently sparkling spring water, these fresh blends bring you a real taste of Italy, wherever you are in the world.

Visit San Carlo Group soon and enjoy the perfect Italian refreshment with a perfect Italian meal. We recommend the sharp yet sweet Sicilian Lemon Galvanina.

Our white truffles have arrived from Alba, Italy and Group Executive Chef Filippo Pagani and his experienced team have been creating the most delicious and indulgent recipes.

Filippo explains: “The truffle has a unique and intense aroma so the secret to enjoying it is to avoid using with other strong flavours. Truffle is best served as an antipasti or over pasta as shards with butter and parmigiano reggiano cheese.”

Tagliolini with butter and Alba white Truffle is now available at our Cicchetti restaurants in Covent Garden and Piccadilly London.

Look out for the new truffle dishes on our seasonal specials menus nationwide.

We’ve launched our new Autumn/Winter seasonal menus at San Carlo Cicchetti, Fumo and Bottega in Selfridges this month.

Featuring tasty, comforting, hearty dishes perfect for the colder months ahead, creations already proving popular in Manchester include Black Etna Risotto with Calabrian n’duja sausage and lentils and Veal Milanese, named after the city of Milano, pan-fried in breadcrumbs.

The Cicchetti restaurants in London are enjoying the Venison with pearl barley, onion and Parmesan and Fumo Birmingham diners are loving our Pappardelle Cipriani with wild boar ragu.

Don’t worry if you had a favourite dish on our Spring/Summer menu – the classics are still present including our famous Pigeon Breast Pate with black truffle and toasted altamura bread.

We look forward to welcoming you soon!

“By Cicchetti’s own admission, “The Italians are great at many things but the English still serve the best breakfast in the world.” It’s probably why the chic all-day Italian restaurant in Covent Garden has nodded to the traditional English cooked breakfast: two eggs, smoked bacon, two Lancashire farm pork and leek sausages and the extra special addition of black pudding from Bury. But if you still want a taste of la dolce vite, indulge in one of their breakfast cocktails: perhaps a breakfast Bellini or Martini.”

Read more…

As white truffles come in to season here’s a delicious, comforting, creamy and indulgent dish for you to cook at home.  Invite friends round one Saturday night and try this perfect pasta dish with a mixed salad and a bottle of Italian wine.

Ravioli stuffed with Pecorino & Truffle Cream Sauce – Serves 4

To make the pasta

• 500g strong flour (00)
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oi
• Pinch salt

Ravioli Filling

• 400g Mascarpone or Ricotta cheese
• 200g grated pecorino cheese
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Truffle Cream Sauce

• 75g butter
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 8 white mushrooms sliced
• 100ml white wine
• 220ml chicken broth
• 570ml double cream
• 2 teaspoon white truffle oil (or shaved white truffle)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Basil leaves

Method for Pasta

Place the flour on work surface and make a well in the middle, add the whole eggs, yolks & olive oil to the well and then drag the flour over the eggs and pull together, knead the dough briskly for 1 minute (until it becomes stiff and hard to knead). Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in a cool place for 1 hour.
Flour the pasta machine with semolina and divide the pasta into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the lowest (thickest) setting, feed one piece of the dough through the machine, turning the handle with one hand and holding the dough as it comes through the machine with the other. Change the setting on the pasta machine to the next-thickest setting, flour it again and feed the pasta sheet through the machine again, as before.
Repeat this process 3-4 more times, flouring the machine and reducing the setting each time. The pasta should be thin, but still easy to handle without tearing. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
Once the pasta sheets have reached the ideal thickness, dust with semolina and set aside.

Method for Filling

Mix together the mascarpone or ricotta and pecorino with the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Creating the Ravioli

To make the ravioli, put a pasta sheet on A board and place a heaped teaspoon of the ricotta mixture at equal intervals along the pasta. Brush a little of the beaten egg around each filling then lay another pasta sheet on top and carefully press down around each filling ball to remove any air. Cut in squares with your ravioli cutter or knife, then dust with semolina flour and set aside.
To cook the ravioli bring some water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt.
Drop the ravioli in to the water in small batches and cook until they float to the surface,
Method for Truffle Cream Sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, add the onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, add the mushrooms, cook until soft.
Add the chicken broth and wine. Simmer until the wine cooks off.
Add the cream and white truffle oil (or shaved truffle), then add the salt, pepper and torn basil
Cook for around 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve over the ravioli and top with freshly grated pecorino cheese, ground black pepper and fresh basil.

Tweet us a photograph of you enjoying your ravioli with your friends to @SanCarlo_Group

Our Christmas and New Year menus are now displayed on the San Carlo Group website and in our restaurants nationwide.

If you’d like to join us for a seasonal celebration – our five-course special Christmas Day lunch, New Year’s Eve meal or our set-menu during December – contact your chosen San Carlo restaurant for a booking form and reserve your table early to avoid disappointment.

Looking for a private function room in the East Midlands? 

San Carlo Leicester’s upstairs space seats 120 and is ideal for large Christmas parties and formal dinners.  Festive menus can be designed to suit your requirements, with our all Italian team making sure every occasion runs smoothly.

For details of San Carlo Leicester’s private dining contact the restaurant manager on 0116 251 9332.

Afternoon Tea is often seen as a decedent treat, an enjoyable and relaxed experience reserved for special celebrations … but sometimes it’s nice to do something indulgent just because!

Our Italian take on this British tradition is ideal for all occasions – a family gathering, a birthday surprise – or just a break from shopping.

Choose from a simple ‘Cream Tea’ of Fruit Scones with Jam and Clotted Cream served with your Choice of Teas or go extravagant with our ‘Champagne Tea’  with Assorted Finger Sandwiches, Fruit Scones, Savoury and Sweet Pastries,  Choice of Teas and Glass of Veuve Cliquot Brut.

Afternoon Tea is served at Gran Cafe at Selfridges, Manchester and our Cicchetti restaurants in Manchester, Covent Garden and Piccadilly, London.  Days and times of availability vary so please contact the venue to enquire and make a booking.

Other freshly made Italian cakes, pastries and our Gran Cafe macarons are available to eat in or take home.