Hello, Dalla

In Gennaro Leone’s sun-soaked hometown of Naples, one particular spot holds a special place in his heart. Mimì alla Ferrovia is a traditional trattoria that’s been beloved by locals since Emilio Giugliano – more affectionately known as Mimì – and his wife, Ida, opened its doors in 1944. It’s everything a proper Italian restaurant should be: it’s familiar, family-run and serves comforting homemade food. Tables are laid with unfussy white cloths, while framed photographs of famous visitors hang on the walls. ‘It’s where my wife, Tessa, and I had our pre-wedding dinner,’ says Gennaro fondly. ‘For me, it’s the best restaurant there is.’

Old-school institutions like Mimì alla Ferrovia are the inspiration behind Gennaro’s own recently opened restaurant, Dalla, on Morning Lane in Hackney. It marks a new venture for the Neapolitan, who has made a name for himself running Spazio Leone, the east London design store specialising in cult and contemporary objects, art and furniture. His foray into the culinary world might seem surprising but, for Gennaro, it’s been a long time coming. After moving to London a decade ago, the design dealer grew homesick for the nostalgic eateries of his native country. ‘For as long as I’ve been here, I’ve wanted to open something – an intimate space where my friends could come together over Italian food.’

Indeed, Dalla is quite something. Despite its infancy, this perfectly presented newcomer – signposted by lettering hand-hammered by an ironmonger in Naples – has plenty of heart and soul. ‘Creating a neighbourhood feeling was very important to me,’ says Gennaro. ‘At local restaurants in Italy, you know the chef by his name and you want to say hello as much as you want to eat his food. That’s what I wanted to achieve.’ Here the kitchen is headed up by Mitchell Damota, formerly of P. Franco and Burro e Salvia, and Gianmarco Leone, Gennaro’s big fratello, who cut his teeth at Claridge’s. ‘We are all present,’ Gennaro continues. ‘We want to make sure people know who we are and that we make our guests feel welcome.’

Mitchell might not be Italian, but the Canadian’s cooking could have one fooled. He spent a great deal of time sourcing long-lost, nonna-style recipes from old regional cookbooks to create a seasonal menu that’s more humble than haute. It comprises antipasti, meat, fish, sides and dessert (the tiramisu is terrific), but the pasta is the pièce de résistance. It’s a labour of love: Mitchell devotes hours to folding tiny parcels of tortelli and rolling ribbons of tagliatelle before service. The process is painstaking but the idea of using a machine is blasphemy. ‘Being able to spend this much time on food is pretty special,’ he says. Other near-perfect plates include fried artichokes with anchovy oil and a pink radicchio salad that’s almost too pretty to eat.

You can bet Dalla is beautiful too. Under Spazio Leone, Gennaro designed the interiors in collaboration with his good friend, the Sicilian designer Oscar Piccolo. ‘I had very clear ideas about what I wanted the restaurant to look like, and Oscar helped bring them to life,’ he says. ‘I sent him many images of things that inspire me – our WhatsApp chat is madness!’ His references included chairs he’d photographed in a bistro in Bordeaux, picturesque bowls of fruit he’d snapped in a restaurant in Buenos Aires.

The completed scheme is curated but cosy, simple but sumptuous, and beautifully decorated. A 1950s Stilnovo chandelier from a Milanese market illuminates the cream-walled room, as do metal wall lights that were built in Naples to a design by Gennaro and Oscar. The same craftsman made the legs for the dining tables (and Dalla’s sign), while the chairs are Robert Mallet-Stevens, which have been reupholstered with plush leather seats. A Riccardo Dalisi-designed cafetière sits in one corner, while a 1930s still-life painting by Piero Fornasetti commands the eye from another. One of the most charming features is a wooden rotary telephone found in Germany, from which Gennaro takes reservations. ‘Of course, we didn’t want to buy off the shelf,’ he says. Like Mitchell with his views on machine-pumped pasta, for Gennaro generic design is unthinkable.

There are heartfelt touches too: Mitchell’s well-thumbed cookbooks sit on shelves alongside a copy of Gennaro and Tessa’s dainty metal wedding invitation, which was also designed by Oscar. The restaurant’s name is also deeply personal. Dalla is a tribute to the Italian singer, Lucio Dalla, who not only soundtracked Gennaro and Gianmarco’s childhood holidays but whose portrait hangs proudly in the Leones’ favourite trattoria. ‘It just made sense,’ says Gennaro, smiling. It’s safe to bet Mimì himself would approve.

For more information, visit dallarestaurant.com