Belgo plans Italian restaurant chain

An upmarket Italian restaurant opened by Belgo in south London last week could form the basis of a 30-strong chain, says the group's chief executive.

Strada, on Battersea Rise, has 80 seats and an average spend of about £13.50 excluding VAT but including wine.

It has a wood-fired pizza oven and a southern Italian menu which also features seven or eight "high-quality" pasta dishes and specials such as roasted sea bass or leg of lamb.

Belgo has acquired a site in Parsons Green, west London, where it will open a second Strada next February.

Chief executive Andy Bassadone said the first Strada had been well received. "We always said we wanted another concept to roll-out alongside Belgo and this may be it, but it's early days," he added.

"There's a quality gap for pasta and pizza. Pizza Express has filled it to a certain level but there's a gap between Pizza Express and, shall we say, posh Italian.

"People are prepared to pay a little bit more if they get something with an extra bit of quality."

Bassadone stressed that the aim of Strada was not to take on Pizza Express. "It's for the top 25% of the Pizza Express people who might like to have a change."

He added: "The restaurant revolution has been very much in central London and there are a lot of opportunities in the suburbs. There's a sophisticated market out there and we could easily do 20 to 30 restaurants."

If this proved successful, the chain could then move outside London, Bassadone said.