Nonna Bakery opens second London site in Covent Garden’s Drury Lane

Italian bakery Nonna Bakery opens its second London branch on Friday 23^rd October 2026, at 161 Drury Lane in Covent Garden. The new site follows the brand’s Holborn bakery, which opened last year, and introduces two menu items available only at the Drury Lane location.

The bakery, which began in Shanghai in 2022, occupies a corner site with large windows and outdoor seating. Inside, the layout is arranged around a central island, with a curved counter, a large mirror behind the display and a selection of Italian grocery products for sale. It is open from 7am to 8pm on weekdays and from 8am to 5pm at weekends.

The core menu mirrors the Holborn branch, with cornetti filled with pistachio cream, chocolate or seasonal custards, ricotta-filled cannoli, focaccia, regional breads and desserts based on traditional Italian recipes, alongside coffee.

The two Drury Lane specials combine Italian and British influences. The Eton Mess Maritozzo is a version of the Roman sweet bun filled with fresh cream, seasonal strawberries and meringue. The Pane Cunzatu is based on the Sicilian sandwich from the Aeolian Islands, where the bakery’s owners first met. According to the company, both items will change through the year to reflect seasonal ingredients.

The business is run by Matteo Cicero, a Sicilian lawyer based in Shanghai, and Dr Jonathan Hazon, a GP who has worked in Holborn and Covent Garden for more than 16 years. The pair met on Salina, off the coast of Sicily, where Hazon became a neighbour of Cicero’s family.

Covent Garden had been the founders’ first choice for a London bakery, but finding a suitable site took time, with Hazon spending weekends searching the area before settling on Drury Lane.

“I’ve always loved the sense of community in Holborn and Covent Garden. When I met Matteo and we started talking about bringing Nonna to London, Covent Garden was always where we imagined the bakery would be. It took patience to find the right location, but we wanted somewhere that felt welcoming, vibrant and full of character. Seeing Nonna become part of this neighbourhood feels incredibly rewarding,” said Hazon.

Cicero said the bakery grew out of his own search for familiar food after moving to China. “Nonna began because I simply couldn’t find the bread I grew up eating after moving to Shanghai,” he said. “Every pastry, loaf and dessert is rooted in familiar and comforting Italian recipes, served with genuine hospitality.”

The company is also introducing an updated brand identity across its bakeries in the UK and China.

Food Desk

Nonna Bakery opens at 161 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, on 23^rd October, and is open from 7am to 8pm on weekdays and from 8am to 5pm at weekends.