At this point, Big Mamma are dominating a large portion of Secret London’s site and social media pages. Are we mad about it? Evidently not.
And why would we be, when they keep giving us restaurants like Circolo Popolare and the recently-opened Jacuzzi? They keep bringing us gorgeous spaces with striking interiors matched only by their helpings of glorious truffle pasta. How could we possibly complain?
(See what happened when we paid Jacuzzi a visit below)
And now, following its opening last week, London is now the recipient of the group’s fifth offering in the city: Carlotta. Gracing Marylebone Village, it’s been described as a “sexy Big Mamma den” in the capital, and their most intimate trattoria yet.
Following the pleasure palace that is Jacuzzi, Carlotta is certainly an altogether smaller, cosier affair. But that doesn’t mean they’ve cut back at all on their signature opulence and glitz.
On the menu at Carlotta
As this is Big Mamma we’re talking about, the expectations are high–when you’re serving up cheese wheels of truffle pasta that will happen. How high is that? About as high as the ten-tiered choc-fudge cake they’ve got ready and waiting for us.
Famiglia-style Neapolitan and Sicilian classics are on the agenda here, so when you head there this May to suitably stuff your faces, you won’t be leaving disappointed.
Waltzing in with a brand new menu, guests at Carlotta can expect a feast. Their Rosé Veal tartare and tempura shrimp cocktails have me particularly intrigued. And let it be known that their penne alla vodka with Cornish crab has just put me in a pre-determined boozy seafood pasta coma.
Carlotta also has a substantial whiskey list, perfectly matching the 80s-style drinking den vibe that snakes through the venue. Talking of their interior, guests can expect—*deep breath*—a ruby red terrace, a long skylit dining room with leather furnishings, golden drapes, and soft-suede ceiling, and a Venetian marble bar where guests will sip their pre-dinner cocktails before lumbering over to their tables at this moveable feast.
More details? Fine. There’s also an 80s-kissed basement, the midnight blue paradise, where you will find their Chef Armando conjuring up that devilish menu. Oh, and be sure not to miss a trip to the bathroom. Carlotta keeps up Big Mamma’s reputation for having some of the snazziest toilets around. (Remember the disco toilets from Jacuzzi?)
Carlotta is now open in Marylebone, and is Big Mamma’s fifth restaurant. The restaurant group’s other London openings are Ave Mario, Gloria, Circolo Popolare, and Jacuzzi. Find out more about them via their website.