If ham’s your man then head on down to SE1’s stylish and oh-so chic Viva Verdi, London’s premiere (albeit only) prosciutto bar and immerse yourself in some of Italy’s finest gastronomic exports.

The Venue
Crouched beneath the factory-like shadow of the Tate Modern sits Viva Verdi, a wine and prosciutto bar serving a range of fine Italian delicacies. Outside, a scattering of white tables and chairs offers a welcome alfresco option whilst inside is a decidedly more stylish affair. A double height ceiling is dominated by a large rouge-lit paper rose reflecting the black-white-red themed room. The trappings are of a red leatherette nature, along with tall, smoky fleur-de-lis stools and narrow bar tables which overlook the chunky rear of the Tate, the place is gleaming with coquettish style. Raised names of famous operas decorate the vast white walls echoes the Verdi theme.

A long dark bar graces one wall and is dominated by a large, shiny-red 1940s Berkel slicer which is slightly reminiscent of a tooled-up Vespa. A display of aged hams are lit up like cabaret stars in cabinets over the bar and faux-wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano sit enticingly (and thankfully fragrant-less) on the shelves below.

The Atmosphere
With a name like Viva Verdi this stylish venue has an obvious operatic theme. Spine-tingling opera floods through the bar all evening which makes a nice change to the bland bluesy tunes in similar outfits. The staff, who are all decked out in red and black, are friendly, knowledgeable and wildly passionate about their menu. It’s a shame not to take advantage of their knowledge as with such a varied choice of meats and cheeses, they will happily recommend a dish to suit. Clientele stems mainly from the local offices, but with the new influx of residential blocks in the locale, this would make a cracking local.

The Food
The venue offers plates which are somewhat different to your standard wine bar fare. A wide choice of platters, paninis, salads and pastas are on offer for a range of pockets and appetites. The Viva Verdi special (£9.90) serves two and comes as a large wooden board filled with freshly carved meats including a soft and sweet Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto Cotta (thin lean cooked ham) and delicious peppery salame di felino. Hunks of salty parmigiano sit on the side with a basket of thin slices of toasted ciabatta, which makes for a fine feast. The cheese platter is an admirable suitor for the Viva Verdi platter and includes waxy pecorino and a fabulous soft cheese called Squacquarone, fresh and creamy and not unlike a thick yoghurt.

The Orchestra platter (available in the evenings) is a selection of confits and cheese served with bread. Imagine being let loose in your favourite deli with a spoon and you have the Orchestra, it’s just delicious. Apricots in mustard is sweet with a gentle mustardy kick and is perfect with some drippy gorgonzola on crisp ciabatta. The figs with juniper berries have an astounding flavour which would be hard to replicate unless you hailed from the tiny village in Italy from which they’re sourced from. A must try is the thinly sliced, translucent Culatello. It’s not cheap, at around £11 per 100gms, but there is a reason why the Culatello is called the King of Prosciutto, laid to rest under a wine-soaked cloth overnight, this pink gold is soft and fragrant and frankly, pretty special.

Throughout the day there are a great range of filled paninis and piadinas, thin, flatbread from Emilia Romagna, available starting at £3.50. Take advantage of the Salumeria and deli and invest in a few slices of Parma ham to take home (from £4.40 for 100gms) Handmade desserts are available and include the fabulous-sounding Nutella Piadina with cream and/or bananas and the Strawberry Crostata, but to be honest, here it’s all about the meat.

The Drink
What’s really nice about this place is that the staff exude passion about their produce and the bar staff are no different. The wine list is not extensive but what it does lack in quantity it certainly makes up for in quality. It’s unsurprisingly Italian biased but it’s not your usual Chianti/Frascati-fest, there are some delicious examples from Sicily and the Piedmont regions, the Nero D’Avola is a fine example of a wine from the warm south of the country, smooth, full of exquisite flavour and a steal at under £20. With bottles starting at £13.95 for a fruity fresh Mazzarello, the standard is much higher than you come to expect from a standard wine bar. At the end of the night try your hand at fire-eating with a glass of Grappa (from £4) or for lesser mortals some fine Italian coffee.

The Last Word
Viva Verdi is all about quality, from the hams to the wines right down to the fiery kick of the Grappa, here you will taste the best that Italy has to offer in a stylish and friendly atmosphere. Recommended.

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