Celebrated Argentinian restaurant Sucre to open in London this July

Fernando Trocca, renowned for his contemporary Latin American cuisine, is set to open new restaurant Sucre in London, a reconceptualisation of his successful Buenos Aires institution, which was launched in 2001 with his friend and partner Tato Giovannoni. The new restaurant’s opening will be in Soho, July 2021.

Trocca has been a leading light in contemporary Latin American cuisine since launching the original Sucre in Buenos Aires in 2001. The chef champions a cooking style that combines traditional open-fire techniques with a broad palette of international influences. He will now open his first restaurant in London’s vibrant Soho, reimagining the concept on a global stage.

Sucre will occupy an iconic 310-year-old building on Great Marlborough Street, formerly the home of the London College of Music. The 123-cover restaurant will be taking over the expansive ground floor space. Downstairs houses a brand new 75-cover cocktail bar, Abajo (“a-ba-ho”), led by Giovannoni, a stalwart at the top of the World’s 50 Best Bars.

The restaurant, designed by Japanese architect Noriyoshi Muramatsu, will occupy a large, high-ceilinged space, formerly the college’s concert hall. The décor will be warm and welcoming and will pay tribute to the building’s heritage, combining the faded grandeur of its historic fabric with striking industrial features and bespoke chandeliers consisting of over a thousand cut-glass decanters.

The open kitchen will play host to a dramatic fireplace and wood oven, placing the chefs centre-stage. Trocca’s menu will combine old world flavours and modern ideas all through the lens of Latin American open-fire cooking craft. The à la carte is set to feature Ox Cheek Quesadilla, Aged Cheddar and Onion Empanada, Monkfish Tail with XO Sauce and Black Beans and more.

Sucre’s wine list also pays tribute to the journey from old world to new, listing South American labels alongside wines from their European origins. The focused and changing list will explore the historical immigration of grape varieties, techniques and winemakers.

Beneath the restaurant sits a new bar by industry legend Giovannoni. Abajo offers guests a complementary but unique experience to its upstairs neighbour, and will be a Soho destination in its own right, hosting a vibrant programme of vinyl DJs and live music.

The exposed brick walls, original wooden ceiling and steel columns set the tone in Abajo, which takes inspiration from the underground bars and clubs that injected colour and creativity into early 80s Buenos Aires after years of political darkness. The décor pays homage to these reclaimed industrial spaces, with a solid steel bar and eclectic furnishings. The revolutionary “inside out” bar is the room’s centrepiece and will be a brand new experience for bar-goers, allowing guests to see the inner workings of the cocktail creation.

Giovannoni’s unique menu will embody the colour and rebellion of this period in history, featuring primarily high balls, including Pink & Bitter, a distillation of Fernet Branca with coke and fresh cherries; Something Yellow, made of Altos Tequila, Strega and banana; and Something Orange, which is a concoction of Abasolo whisky, Nixta corn liqueur and sweetcorn.

The editorial unit