Robin Gill to open Bar Brasso in London

This September, acclaimed chef and restaurateur Robin Gill will launch Bar Brasso, a new all-day venue that blends coffee bar, deli and bakery by day with aperitivo bar by night.

Opening beside Robin’s restaurant Darby’s on September 27, Bar Brasso takes inspiration from the vibrant bar cultures of San Sebastián and Venice.

About Robin Gill

Robin Gill started to train as an electrician before realising he wanted to be in the kitchen. He has trained in several top restaurants, including Don Alfonso 1890 and Le Manoir before deciding to open his own restaurant, The Dairy, in 2013.

Since then Robin and his team have received a number of accolades including this year being in the top 50 of the Good Food Guide 2016 and being being given the Editor's Award for Chef of the Year. He has also opened two other restaurants The Manor and Paradise Garage and The Delicatessen next to The Dairy.

Read more: PROFILE: Robin Gill, Chef Proprietor, The Dairy

From morning coffee to evening aperitivo

Bar Brasso is designed to evolve with the rhythm of the day. Guests can start their morning with espresso and freshly baked pastries before moving on to Italian deli-style lunches. By evening, the space will transform into a low-lit aperitivo bar serving seasonal snacks, small plates and cocktails.

Open daily from 8am to 5pm as a café-deli, the daytime menu will feature house bakes, salads, filled sandwiches and a rotating selection of hot dishes and daily specials. Comforting plates will include beef shin lasagne, rosemary and garlic roast chicken with potato al forno, and ricotta and sage brown butter gnudi.

From Tuesday to Saturday, between 5pm and 10pm, the venue transitions into a convivial aperitivo space centred around a long, white marble counter. Snacks and small plates will range from £3–12, with larger dishes priced under £20, encouraging sharing and relaxed dining.

A menu with character

Highlights from the evening menu include sage and anchovy fritters, devilled egg “piemontese” crostini, mussels with nduja soffrito, and the “Bourdain toastie” – a grilled mortadella and fontina sandwich inspired by Anthony Bourdain’s favourite. Desserts will continue the Italian influence, from Campari and blood orange sorbetto to affogato and a tiramisu based on a family recipe.

Robin has also partnered with Master Sommelier Geroid Devaney of Flint Wines to curate the bottle list, which sits alongside a rotating selection of wines from Uncharted.

Provenance and partnerships

Food sourcing has been developed in partnership with Cibo, founded by Vittorio Maschio, a key figure in the Natoora movement. The menu will feature cheeses aged at altitude, artisanal salumi from Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Calabria, and mortadella from Salumificio Franceschini, widely regarded as the finest in Italy.

“Stories like this are everywhere among these producers,” says Robin. “Our relationship with Cibo, and the wealth of these small, authentic stories, is incredibly important.”

A space inspired by tradition

The design of Bar Brasso draws from the warmth and conviviality of traditional bacari and pintxos bars, with tiled floors, wood panelling and a long marble counter for eating and drinking. Staff uniforms will come from Aperitivo Digestivo, a new lifestyle brand born from London’s hospitality scene in collaboration with Campari for Negroni Week, reflecting the easy, stylish spirit at the core of Bar Brasso.

Opening details

Bar Brasso will open to the public on September 27, with a ticketed launch party the evening before. For £10, guests will enjoy a negroni, cicchetti, and a DJ set from Italian artist Mind Enterprises, known for retro, synth-disco sounds.