A-Z bags Raccolto restaurant

A-Z Restaurants has taken over the site of the former Raccolto restaurant in London and plans to reopen it as the group's latest Italian neighbourhood restaurant in around six weeks' time.

Giuliano Lotto, A-Z managing director, said the Holland Park restaurant was in line with the group's policy of expanding in London, but outside the West End. It will be called Edera and will have 60 seats. It was previously owned by Signature Restaurants.

Lotto added that A-Z Restaurants would not, as has been rumoured, take over Shi Hon Mei, one of the restaurants of rival London restaurant group Cuisine Collection, operated by Lotto's former business partner, Claudio Pulze.

"I was talking to Claudio but although the price he was asking was very fair, we could not afford it," said Lotto.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 20-26 June 2002