Marking their first foray into casual dining, Chucs—the acclaimed foodie chain with outposts in Mayfair, Westbourne Grove, Harrods and the Serpentine—have opened a fifth restaurant on Old Brompton Road, Chelsea; Chucs Café Kensington serving up a menu of authentic Italian classics and desserts in a space inspired by the sumptuousness and Jet Set glamour of 1950s Italy.
London- and Los Angeles-based design studio Fettle—whose recent projects include The Draycott and The Hoxton Portland—have adopted a colour palette that evokes the spirit of the Amalfi coast, with refined finishes nodcing to vintage train carriages, Italian sports cars and luxury yachts. A fitting bolt of swank for its moneyed neighbourhood.
The signature feature at the handsome all-day cafe is a very lovely curved, marble-topped bar with an angled oak undercounter featuring brass detailing, above which hangs three oversized burnished brass and opal glass pendants that hark back to yesteryear.
A welcoming space that also boasts an enviable large outdoor terrace, Chucs Café Kensington is decked out in furniture custom-designed by Fettle—the likes of muted pink leather bar stools and freestanding banquettes upholstered in petrol blue leather joining carefully selected antique pieces that whisk us back to that golden era. Contemporary artwork throughout the London restaurant has been curated by Nicholas Campbell of Narcissus Arts; work from artists such as Stuart Cantor and Slim Aarons found hanging from lavish antique mirror panels.
Impeccable design and impeccable service lend Chucs Kensington the requisite swish and swagger it needs to pull off its homage to Italy’s decadent mid-century style. Settle in for aperitivo, stay for dinner, embrace the glamour of times gone by as you revel in Fettle’s atmospheric ode to the good life.
@chucsrestaurant
@fettledesign
Chucs Café Kensington Photography, Helen Cathcart
