You might well pass this unobtrusive venue on Portobello Road without giving it a second thought as it looks like an Italian wine and cheese shop. It doesn’t clamour loudly for attention like everything else on Portobello Road, which sets it apart. If, curious, you enter, lured by its quietly crimson walls, you will be in for a wonderful surprise.

The Venue
In the daytime, the place looks like a cafe where you can have authentic Italian coffee and lovely homemade cake on the al fresco terrace or nibble on cold meets and cheese in the smart-casual gallery cafe behind the bar, before shopping for art exhibited on the walls or for wine, cheese and chocolate from the mini deli on your way out.

The Atmosphere
During the themed events and tasting menus, the gallery cafe at the back metamorphoses into a private dining room with a magical setting, matching the evening’s theme. For example, during the week when they had the Tuscan white truffle tasting menu, the private dining area looked like it had been imported from Tuscany. In the middle of the romantically-lit room stood a round table upon which a glass case containing the queen of truffles, the Tuscan white truffle, sat majestically, crowned by a lush wreath of wines and grapes from the Barolo region, representing the wines served that evening.

The Food
The concept is that they create a tasting menu around wine from a particular region or country. The Hungarian night, for instance, would be a night of discovering Hungarian wines and food over five or more courses. Their annual white truffle dinners are a must. Unlike at most places in London, here the delightful staff are extremely particular about attention to quality and would fly to Alba in the morning to source truffles for the evening’s white truffle dinner. Expect delights such as a six course white truffle meal, including oysters with truffles and wondrous pumpkin creme brulee. The meal is about £150 a head, but that’s why it’s the prerogative of food connoisseurs with a fine palate and fat wallet.

The Drink
This is where you find the world’s best Prosecco. The Italian wine selection is one of London’s best. The place is unique in that most of the tasting menus are organised around the wines that are to be served rather than vice versa and evening is entertaining as well as educational because the wine merchants supplying the wine are present during the evening and explain to you exactly why the wine that you are drinking goes with the food that is selected with it.

The Last Word
Negozio Classica is perhaps London’s best kept secret. Don’t miss out.

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