Il Baretto Riyadh – the only international outpost of London’s beloved Italian fine-dine restaurant – has introduced a new seasonal menu. The first restaurant to open in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Il Baretto Riyadh merges the warmth and charm of its London flagship with regional influences to deliver an exceptional dining experience.
Il Baretto of London was co-founded by renowned restaurateurs Arjun Waney (Zuma, Roka, Coya, LPM, and The Arts Club) and Giuliano Lotto (Zafferano, Memory of China, and Aubergine), Il Baretto Riyadh was launched in partnership with prominent Saudi restaurateur Mohammed Jawa’s MJS Holding, who has over 20 years of experience within the local market and has played a pivotal role in the development of Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning hospitality sector. MJS Holding’s portfolio of international fine-dine restaurants in the Kingdom includes Rüya Riyadh, Zuma, Roka, Inko, Nito, Mr Chow, Amazonico, AOK, and more.
Conceived by the British design firm Sagrada, Il Baretto Riyadh merges signature design elements from its Marylebone location with contemporary influences inspired by KAFD. The result is a sophisticated interior concept that reflects the venue’s inaugural role as the financial district’s first restaurant.
From the contemporary art pieces featured throughout the venue to the high craftsmanship of the restaurant’s eye-catching design features, Il Baretto reimagines the classic Italian dining experience via modernist design. Accommodating guests within its main dining area, as well as on an elegant outdoor terrace, the restaurant offers a relaxed dining experience that reinterprets the warmth and charm of its London flagship venue.
Il Baretto was conceived to pay homage to Italy’s diverse regions and their dining traditions by marrying the fresh, seafood-centred flavours of the south with the rich, hearty flavours of the north. The menu items are prepared using fresh, seasonal ingredients and regional produce. To highlight this feature of the restaurant, Il Baretto Riyadh recently launched its seasonal menu.
Curated by head chef Alex Simone, the new seasonal menu travels through Italy with classics from Milan, Sicily and Tuscany. Simone’s passion for fresh flavours and produce drives three menu changes yearly across its Riyadh and London venues.
Perfect for a small bite over a catch-up with friends, guests can savour bruschetta con calamari saltati (sourdough bruschetta with sauté squid) before moving onto antipasti like midollo gratinato alla Milanese (smoked gratin bone marrow with garlic cream, chimichurri, pickled onion and saffron brioche). For something lighter, the new menu features a fresh salmone affumicato, finocchi, lattuga, frisee dressing alla mostarda (smoked salmon, fennel and baby lettuce salad with frisee and mustard dressing).
A signature across Il Baretto, new pasta dishes include the Sicilian classic casarecce al pesto (homemade casarecce with basil pesto potatoes and French beans) and fragrant ravioli di dentice fave e pomodori confit (red snapper ravioli with broad beans and tomato relish). Mains, or ‘secondi’ include filetto di dentice con pure di lenticchie, funghi, noccola e cavolo croccante (pan-fried red snapper with red lentil puree, mushroom, hazelnut and crispy kale).
Il Baretto is renowned for using the Josper Grill to create deep, smokey flavours, and the new menu features a whole 700g grilled seabream cooked with spring vegetables and spalla di agnello arrosto (roasted lamb shoulder with roast potatoes and ratatouille). Classic Italian desserts complete the delicious new offering: a vanilla cheesecake with zingy poached rhubarb, strawberries and lemon ice cream, and a cremoso al cioccolato (chocolate cream, raspberry compote and delicate milk ice cream).
Il Baretto’s one-of-a-kind ‘Zero Bar’ serves up gastronomical grade alcohol-free beverages that rival the flavours of Italy’s most refined cocktails. Crafted individually by Il Baretto’s mixologists, each drink on the ‘Zero Bar’ menu is crafted without alcohol, sugars, or artificial flavours, making for a unique drinking experience.
Exuding an inherent sense of artistry and refinement, Il Baretto has become the go-to hotspot for Riyadh’s fashion insiders and connoisseurs. One is drawn to the restaurant’s winning combination of immaculate service, tantalizing culinary offerings, and timeless appeal.
