When Conor Gadd was 17, he travelled around Italy and was smitten. The Belfast-born chef’s relationship with Italian food is as much about the country as it is about the cooking, he tells Broadsheet. That early adoration led him to the kitchen at Islington Italian institution Trullo, where he was appointed head chef after just a couple of years, and later became co-owner, and now to his first solo restaurant: Burro, the trattoria he’s just opened in Covent Garden.
“Burro definitely carries the spirit of Trullo with it,” Gadd says, “that sense of belonging and hospitality that makes Trullo what it is. It’s a restaurant that has always felt incredibly welcoming, and that’s something we wanted to bring forward.”
The new venture builds on this legacy, reaching back to Gadd’s earliest memories of la dolce vita. What struck him most travelling through Italy as a teenager was how everything seemed to stop for lunch and dinner. “Those moments around the table are really valued, and food becomes a way of connecting with people,” he says. It’s a way of living and eating that has shaped how he thinks about restaurants ever since.
While the Trullo mindset carries through, Burro – which translates as “butter” in Italian – leans a little more into classic Italian cookbooks and older references. Gadd cites Giorgio Locatelli’s Made in Sicily as a key inspiration, as well as Italian cookbooks from the 1970s. “They’re full of beautiful, simple ideas,” he says. “Burro has been a space to explore those influences and bring them to life in our own way.”
The menu reflects that spirit of simplicity, with highlights including vitello al burro (veal pan-seared in butter); tagliarini with mussels, clams, white wine and garlic; whole lemon sole with prosecco, butter and caviar; and tiramisu bomboloni (doughnuts) to finish.
Meanwhile, the drinks list covers every base, from house-made cordials to rare spirits like Cinzano 1980 and a considered cocktail and wine programme.
“Cocktails play a slightly bigger role here [than at Trullo] because we have a proper bar space,” Gadd says. “The feeling we’ve leaned into is something a bit nostalgic, almost like the Ivy in the ’80s, or a classic New York bar.” Expect classics like Negronis, Martinis, Sbagliatos and spritzes alongside seasonal specials. On the wine side, Gadd has worked closely with suppliers to find bottles drinking beautifully now, with key vintages such as 2013 and 2016 baroli sitting alongside more accessible options from modern producers.
Lisa Helmanis of Day Studio (Trullo, Padella) was tasked with capturing the spirit of a classic trattoria, and has anchored the room with a large canvas by Belfast artist Dan Ferguson vividly depicting a trio of Italian men in their swimsuits in front of a bright red wall. The colour palette is inspired by the ancient streets of Rome, running from faded reds to dusty yellows. Burgundy-hued marble, curved woodwork, velvet banquettes and white tablecloths lend the room a soft elegance without formality – nodding to the democratic hospitality of Gadd’s native Ireland – completed by the atmospheric lighting design, including striking tiered lamps and cloth-covered ceiling lights, from Stileman Lighting.
Gadd says the location chose itself. “As soon as I saw the space, it just felt right.” He expects an eclectic crowd to follow, drawn, he hopes, from all walks of life. “That’s exactly what we want for the restaurant,” he says. “Ideally, it’s somewhere you can come and spend £20 and feel just as welcome as someone spending £200.”
Burro
2 Floral Court, Floral Street, WC2E 9FB
02045801495
Hours:
Mon to Sat 12.30pm–3pm, 5.30pm–10.30pm
Sun 12.30pm–3pm, 5.30pm–9.30pm
