Big Mamma is crossing the river of expectations once again. The group behind Gloria, Circolo Popolare and Ave Mario will open Edmondo, a 200-cover Italian osteria, on 6 November 2026 at 6 Lombard Street in the City of London, bringing its trademark maximalism to the Square Mile.
The new restaurant takes over a Grade II-listed building near Bank, and the design brief reaches back to 1930s Milan. Inspired by Piero Portaluppi’s Villa Necchi Campiglio, the interiors combine Art Deco lines with Italian detailing across the historic space. A central bar anchors the room for pre and post dinner drinks, while an open kitchen counter lets diners watch the chefs at work.
Private dining, three ways
Edmondo will be the first Big Mamma restaurant with fully private dining rooms, and the group has gone to town on them. Three separate spaces seat between ten and 24 guests:
- La Libreria, flanked by lit columns imported from Italy and decorated with Enzo Ferrari memorabilia, including original drawings and a vintage racing suit worn by former driver Nigel Mansell
- Il Salotto, a heritage-listed room panelled in historic English timber
- Il Ridotto, the smallest of the three, built for intimate gatherings
It is a canny move for the City, where client dinners and team celebrations fill the calendar from November through Christmas.
The food
The group describes Edmondo as an ode to pure tradizione and exceptional British and Italian produce, and calls the menu its most classically Italian to date. Head chef Alfonso Esposito sources Italian ingredients from the Alpine valleys down to the south, alongside British produce including Cornish crab and turbot.
Signature dishes will include an XL Focaccia and Gnocchi al Gorgonzola from Lombardy. The restaurant also gets Big Mamma’s largest selection of native breed steaks, supplied by Cornish butcher Philip Warren and grilled with a signature spice crust, with cuts running from T-bone to tagliata. Pastry chef Angelina handles desserts, including an Italian chocolate cake that melts in the middle and a take on the classic affogato. Bar manager Ilaria’s drinks list features house barrel-aged Boulevardiers.
Why it matters
Big Mamma’s London estate already covers Shoreditch, Soho, Covent Garden and Battersea, and each opening has drawn long queues for its bold interiors and generous cooking. The City has seen a steady stream of new restaurant openings in recent years, catering to after-work diners, quick lunches and weekend visitors alike. A 200-seat osteria with private rooms and City-pleasing steaks looks like a perfect fit, and as the team puts it, this one is the Square Mile meets pure bella vita.
Edmondo opens on 6 November 2026 at 6 Lombard Street, London EC3V 9LJ.
