I reckon we could all use a little of la dolce vita at the moment, couldn’t we? Handily, that’s in plentiful supply at Shoreditch eatery Gloria, which reopens on May 17 and where old-school charm meets ridiculously indulgent food. Subtlety isn’t exactly a key concern here, but when you’re amongst the glamorous décor and mountains of food, you probably aren’t going to care…
Although Gloria steers heavily into retro Italian charm, and carefully sources their ingredients from Italy, the restaurant itself hasn’t come from Italy. The restaurant chain (under the guise Big Mamma) was founded in Paris by two Frenchmen, and Gloria was their first restaurant outside of France; it’s since been joined in London by equally wacky Circolo Popolare. Still, with Italian wines, Italian produce, and Italian waiters, they’ve made it authentic as possible.
Gloria sticks out like a sore thumb from the moment you spot it, with a sunny yellow façade marking a distinct change from the industrial chic eateries now commonplace to Shoreditch. Inside, the dining room is lavished with Italian marble, vintage lamps, and a mirrored ceiling, all of which evokes the style of 70s Capri. And yet, the most OTT thing you’ll see is the food.
The notion of small plates doesn’t really exist for Gloria, which focuses on the big ticket items. That was true upon opening, and remains true even as the restaurant unveils a new menu for summer 2021, featuring Double Filled Giant Raviolo, Carbonara Crocchetta, and melting Chocolate Lava Cake. Expect a steady parade of meats, cheeses, and pasta to keep your mouth constantly watering here.
Happily, Gloria is keeping some of the old favourites around, including La Gran Carbonara and Pasta al Tartufo. And of course, that Incomparable Lemon Pie isn’t going anywhere. Unusually for a lemon meringue pie, it’s roughly 4/5ths meringue, blowtorched into a glorious sugar mountain, and likely to leave you bouncing off the walls (if you’re not too stuffed, that is).
Gloria officially reopens the doors after lockdown on May 17, and whilst we’ll reserve a little judgement until we’re able to sample that tantalising new food menu, things are looking pretty glorious.
Location: 54-56 Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 3QR. Nearest stations are Old Street and Shoreditch High Street. See it on Google Maps.
Opening times: Gloria reopens on May 17, and is open 5:30-10pm every day.
Price: starters from around £7, mains from around £13.
More info: from their website.
Also published on Medium.