Get ready for a splash of Mediterranean magic because the masterminds behind Aqua Shard, Aqua Kyoto, and Aqua Nueva have just unveiled their newest venture, Azzurra. What can only be described as London’s most anticipated new opening, this boat to table hotspot in West London is making waves.
Azzurra is the brainchild of Aqua Group founder David Yeo, who drew inspiration from his extensive travels through Italy, particularly the seafood havens of Sicily and the Amalfi Coast. Forget measuring freshness in days; here, it’s all about hours and minutes, as they’re almost fanatical about delivering that straight-from-the-boat philosophy right to your plate.
Nestled on Sloane Street, Azzurra is as beautiful as its clientele. Picture a chic striped awning shading the terrace, leading you into a world of azure blue banquettes, rich English oak tables, and exquisite brass accents. High ceilings and a subtle projection of shimmering water add a touch of seaside charm. Spanning the entire length of the restaurant is a whopping sixteen-meter-long bar cleverly divided into three sections. There is a gorgeous cocktail area, an ice-covered mountain of seafood and a lively pizza counter.
This culinary wonderland is under the expert guidance of head chef Andrea Mura, a Sardinian native with an impressive resume. From his raw bar, he crafts delights like Scottish langoustine tartare with Amalfi lemon oil and smoked salt, and red snapper with pear and Calabrian chilli. Brace yourself for the seafood platters – they’re opulent and jaw-dropping. These treasure troves of Welsh lobster, Scottish langoustines, Sicilian red prawns, Cornish dressed crab and Colchester oysters prove that nothing here is done by halves.
Moving onto the primo dishes – pasta lovers, rejoice. Picture perfectly prepared plates like Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Di Scampi with lightly torched Scottish langoustines, tuna bottarga, and a hint of lemon. The larger plates are equally mouth-watering, offering dishes like Milanese-style swordfish with wild rocket, rosemary and lemon, and lobster with Piennolo tomato, caramelised Tropea and red onions.
In the mood for pizza? Nessun problema. The pizza oven churns out thin-crust delights such as the Isola, featuring yellow cherry tomato, ‘linguine’ of Cornish squid, Sicilian prawns, rocket, and lemon zest on squid ink dough. Or try the Astice Davide – Azzurra’s signature cheese-less pizza with medallions of lobster tail, bottarga, and lemon zest. It’s nothing like mama used to make.
Finally, the tiramisu cannot not be mentioned. With variations such as classic, pistachio and hazelnut, not only can you have your cake and eat it… you might even eat your date’s cake too.
127 – 128 Sloane Street, Chelsea, West London, SW1X 9AS
