New Italian Restaurant and Bar, LAVO, Opens its Doors in Marylebone

Tao Group Hospitality, the company behind Hakkasan and Yauatcha, is delighted to announce that LAVO, its popular coastal Italian restaurant with flagship venues in New York, LA, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Singapore, is now open. 

Making its debut during Fashion Week in London with a star-studded launch party that saw the likes of Jared Leto, Winnie Harlow, and Poppy Delevingne, LAVO has since become a hotspot with diners including Naomi Campbell, Damson Idris and FKA Twigs.

Set within The BoTree hotel at the crossroads of the esteemed Marylebone and Mayfair neighbourhoods, LAVO will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.The menu features a selection of high-end Italian dishes created by Chief Culinary Officer Ralph Scamardella and Head Chef Stefano Lorenzini, including fresh homemade pasta such as Tagliatelle al Limone infused with marjoram, sweet butter and Oscietra caviar, whole grain single-source flour pizzas, The Meatball, a show-stopping Wagyu meatball topped with whipped ricotta, a delicate Salt-Baked Mediterranean Seabass and an indulgent 20-Layer Chocolate Cake. 

LAVO’s Head Chef, Stefano Lorenzini, has been honing his skills in Italian cuisine since he was a child growing up in San Severino Marche, Italy, with his grandmother. Lorenzini has over 24 years of experience in the culinary world, working at venues such as Santini restaurant, Cecconi’s Mayfair, Shoreditch House and ME London Hotel before moving to New York and working as Executive Chef for Tao Group Hospitality.

The cocktail program features dramatic iterations on classics and bold signature drinks, such as the LAVO Negroni which allows guests to build their own version of the iconic tipple, alongside a curated wine offering.

Located on the corner of Marylebone Lane and Henrietta Place, The BoTree’s golden, leaf-framed entrance welcomes guests into the elegant restaurant. Split over two floors and with interiors overseen by Tao Group Hospitality’s Vice President of Design and Development Susan Nugraha and award-winning designers, Concrete, LAVO will be flooded with natural light and will feature a sleek bar area with an intimate terrace, offering guests the opportunity to sip on one of their signature cocktails pre or post dining. 

A breathtaking ceiling installation by Dorian Van Braam inspired by LAVO’s ‘Fleur de Lis’ invites diners to follow its diverging and forever changing formations. At ground level, the restaurant will offer 70 covers and will be beautifully lined with deep blue crescent-shaped banquettes as well as an eye-catching, bespoke lattice wall design, and magnificent artwork by Miao Xiaochun and Jesse Grylls.

As guests descend to the restaurant’s subterranean level, they will be greeted by the leafy branches of a striking olive tree, with warm lighting creating an inviting Mediterranean ambiance. The feature-wall, adorned with lush green foliage, will span the two floors and frame the pizza oven, where guests can admire LAVO’s chefs creating freshly made pizzas.

Noah Tepperberg, Co-CEO for Tao Group Hospitality, expresses the group’s enthusiasm to expand their premium lifestyle portfolio and bring LAVO to London through a luxury hotel partnership: 

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with The BoTree on this new dining and entertainment concept and are excited to grow our London footprint with this addition to the West End’s fine dining scene. Introducing LAVO to the city represents a truly exciting chapter for Tao Group and our development globally. We have an opportunity to showcase the star-quality and flair associated with LAVO while creating a menu and experiences that feel relevant to London and its unique energy.”

The BoTree Bar also launched in September, providing a vibrant space illuminated by shades of blue and green from a light feature that expands across the ceiling. Guests can indulge in an extensive drinks offering with cocktails such as the Bees by The BoTree, House Mojito, Heritage Manhattan, while sitting at the teal-marble bar which curves across the space and admire the golden walls laden with bottles. The bar menu features equally luxurious dishes such as the Oyster on the Half Shell with limoncello mignonette, the Caviar Sandwich with egg salad, caviar and homemade chips and the Truffle Grilled Cheese with hot honey.

With additional concepts set to be revealed in the coming months, the company’s renowned London portfolio already boasts the success of the prestigious Michelin-starred Hakkasan Hanway Place and Mayfair, as well as Yauatcha, a beloved Cantonese dim-sum tea house with sites in Soho and the City. 

LAVO is now open to the public.