Welcome to Riccardo’s

The purpose is to introduce you to Riccardo’s, to our food, to the way we do things and to the Tuscan experience.

It is our aim here to explain:

• What sets us apart from other Italian restaurants in London
• What our policies and priorities are
• What you can expect from us from first contact through to ‘regular’ status in terms of service, food, choice and quality

We hope, by the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll be tempted to give us a try and to see for yourself what makes us different and what has made us a firm favourite restaurant in Chelsea for many years (we opened in 1995).

The Basics

These should be considered basic requirements by anyone’s standards.The courtesy and friendliness of our staff should always be taken for granted by our patrons.

1. THE FIRST CALL
When you call to reserve a table you will be greeted warmly, you will not be put on hold

2. YOUR ARRIVAL
When you arrive at Riccardo’s, you will be greeted at the door with a smile, shown to your table and seated

3. YOUR REQUIREMENTS
Your waiter will greet you promptly and take your order for drinks.
He or she will hand you a menu, describe the specials of the day and answer any questions you might have, especially in relation to any particular dietary requirements

4. A WARM WELCOME
Of course you should always expect a warm welcome.We are very lucky to have five key staff members who have each worked with us for between eight and twelve years, which means that our regulars can always expect to see a familiar face

5. CHILDREN
Children are always welcome at Riccardo’s and we have a selection of high chairs

Our Food and Wine

6. WHAT IS “a taste of Tuscany”?
It’s the whole Tuscan experience; it’s not just about the delicious food. It’s the warm colours and the friendly atmosphere at Riccardo’s, as well as the way we serve our modern and traditional Tuscan dishes, that we hope will have you almost believing you are actually eating in Tuscany.We travel there frequently to source new recipes and ingredients as well as for educational and staff training purposes. Indeed, we regularly have prize draws to send our customers to Tuscany so that they can compare experiences.

If it is your first time with us your waiter will explain the Tuscan eating experience; it’s all to do with “starter size portions” … a little bit of everything … and sharing.There are no starters or mains, just delicious dishes to be eaten in the order you wish. For more information see ‘How Riccardo’s Was Born’ – Our Company Story

7. WHAT IS TUSCAN FOOD?
It follows the principles of ‘The Mediterranean diet’ which is widely acknowledged to be the healthiest of all. It is simply prepared, fresh seasonal produce; grilled fish, grilled, gently stewed or cured meats and fresh fruit and vegetables ripened in the Italian sun. Rather than heavy sauces we use marinades and unfiltered first cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil, sage and nepitella (a rare herb used with wild mushrooms).We use almost no butter or white flour and cream is reserved for just a few desserts; the use of all ingredients, including these, are marked on our list.

Because we don’t use sauces we must rely on foods with flavour. We don’t have chefs in our kitchen who do clever things to cover up mediocre produce, we have great cooks who love preparing good food in the traditional Tuscan way…

8. WHO ARE OUR COOKS AND WHERE ARE THEY TRAINED?
Our head cooks are Italian and have been taught in Italy, at Enoteca Pinchiori in Florence (voted 1st in the category “Top 33 Restaurants in Italy”), 4 Seasons in Milan,Villa San Michele in Fiesole (voted one of top 10 hotels in the world), Cantinetta Antinori, Florence and many small family owned restaurants and vineyards.Training is ongoing and our menu evolves with the seasons and our patrons’ preferences; we try to visit Tuscany at least twice a year to keep in touch. We also photograph and film our recipes so that procedures can be replicated exactly by all our cooks, ensuring consistency in both taste and presentation…

9. DO WE MAKE OUR OWN PASTA?
Yes and we use Italian ingredients; even our organic eggs are Italian and the colour they give to the pasta is unmistakable. Our pasta is not made with refined white flour, but with golden semolina, which gives it a much richer flavour. Our cooks make the pasta fresh each morning and they learned how to make it at Zucchoni in Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, one of the most famous hand-made pasta producers in Italy…

10. IS OUR FOOD PRE-COOKED AND RE-HEATED?
No. Many restaurants pre-cook everything but ours is made to order.There is an enormous difference in the quality of a dish that has been pre-prepared and re-heated and one that is made to order. At times there may be a small wait for your food but we’re sure you’ll agree it’s worth it…

11. WITH SUCH AN EXTENSIVE MENU HOW DO WE CONSISTENTLY SERVE SUCH FRESH FOOD?
We offer a wide range of dishes containing fresh ingredients and sometimes we’re asked how we do this without compromising on freshness.The secret is in only ordering and preparing small quantities of food daily; as a result we do occasionally run out of some things before the day is through. (We very rarely have to throw anything out because we feed our staff three times a day!) Another reason for the flavour and freshness of our Tuscan Italian food and what stands us apart from other Italian Restaurants in London is that up to 95% is delivered daily from Italy – it really has almost come straight from the fields of Tuscany…

12. ORGANIC FOOD? GENETICALLY MODIFIED?
The Italians have vehemently refused to allow GM experiments and their land has remained so fertile that much of the fruit and vegetables are grown without the need for artificial fertilisers.There is already a huge movement in Italy to farm organically and as a result we are able to obtain the finest and healthiest produce for our patrons.We buy organic Italian Food whenever possible and we never cut corners on quality, regardless of cost…

13. CAN WE CATER FOR VEGETARIAN,VEGAN OR OTHER SPECIAL DIETS?
Yes.We have delicious vegan and vegetarian menus and we also have a great selection of wheat-free and gluten-free pastas. If you have any allergies or would like to know exactly what is in any dish just ask to see our detailed menu which has every ingredient listed – there is nothing hidden.We do our best to accommodate specific dietary requirements and we work closely with nutritionists to create delicious dishes that are compatible with many special diets, including wheat and dairy-free.We pride ourselves on our nutritious food, and serve organic freshly squeezed juices as well…

14. WHAT ABOUT OUR WINE?
Our wine list features a great selection of the finest Tuscan wines.These are imported directly for us by Berkman Wines, Enotria, Eurowines, Astrum, Liberty, Ciborio, and Alivini who are undoubtedly the London experts in Tuscan and Italian wines.We also have a comprehensive list from the rest of Italy. Both lists contain the top names as well as a few relatively unknown producers.We have organised a tasting menu, which allows many great wines to be sampled by the glass…

15. CAN YOU EAT OUTSIDE?
Yes.To add to the Tuscan feel of the restaurant we have a garden terrace with 30 seats, where you can sit in the sun or partial shade on really hot days – it’s perfect for summer evenings too. The terrace is covered and heated in winter…