London life, Italian style

Stylish, central and impeccably put together by Marco Arrigo and Tony Conigliaro, there is something truly special about Bar Termini. Great coffee and amazing cocktails are what this place’s reputation is founded on, and it’s no surprise – Arrigo is head of quality for Illy Caffe and Conigliaro’s triumphs at 69 Colebrooke Row and Zetter Town House reflect his reputation as an arch mixologist. As for beer, there’s only one: Peroni Nastro Azzurro Piccola.

7 Old Compton St, W1D 5JE. www.bar-termini.com. Leicester Sq tube.

The name says it all: passion for wine. You could call the founders Luca Dusi and Federico Bruschetta (former UK sommelier of the year) connoisseurs, such is their immense knowledge, but this is expertise without pomp and ceremony. Sharing a deep love for Italian wines, the Passione Vino duo have a particular affinity for smaller artisan producers. Their mission is to seek out rare and undiscovered wines and introduce them to a discerning and appreciative London audience. Their wine tasting sessions are a must.

85 Leonard St, EC2A 4QZ. 020 3487 0600. Old St tube. www.passionevino.co.uk.

With its apt location ‘on the Roman’, Vinarius (Latin for wine merchant) is the perfect mix of Italian heritage and East End edge. The format is a classic Italian enoteca, specialising in authentic wines imported directly from small producers in Italy and France (the owners are two Italians and one Frenchman). There’s an all-day nibbles menu including fresh bread from White Hat Bakery in Bow, wood-roasted coffee from a small Italian roaster and selections from artisanal producers at the pop-up market the Roman Road Food Assembly.

536 Roman Rd, E3 5ES. 020 3302 0123. Bow Church DLR. www.vinarius.london.

If you fancy rocking a little old-style Italian glamour – think Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren – hop on your Vespa and head for Il Bar in Knightsbridge. The cool glamour of Il Bar is summed up by its shiny centrepiece, a metal bar created by Italian artisans in tribute to the hammered finish of the delicate silverware of Sortirios Bulgari, founder of the Italian luxury brand. Such chic surroundings scream for a cocktail. Il Bar obliges with a selection including the Apertass, a sparkling mix of prosecco, Aperol and Cedrata. For a crisp and refreshing taste try Peroni Nastro Azzurro.  Cin Cin

171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW. 020 7151 1010. Knightsbridge tube. www.bulgarihotels.com.

How to cater to the diva demands of catwalk models? Anglo-Italian designers HEMYCA London take an ultra-modern approach by using a bespoke iPad app to create digital holographic images of virtual models to showcase their collection. The London-based luxury womenswear label was launched in 2014 by Helen Clinch and Myra Nigris, who met as students at the London College of Fashion. Both designers embrace their family traditions passed down through generations – Helen’s family worked in Savile Row, while Myra’s family owns an atelier in Italy. The HEMYCA collection fuses the best of British and Italian style, with sharp tailoring, geometric patterns, exceptional attention to detail – and lots of black.   

Cute and quirky are bywords for Les2coquettes (L2C), an independent streetwear brand that puts the joie de vivre into la dolce vita. The brainchild of best friends L'ali Silvestri and Carolina Galeazzi, L2C’s mission is to create fashion to make you smile. Their designs are fresh, clear and simple: black and white, pastel colours and original graphics, with a signature of playful illustrations. Based in Shoreditch, their vibe is urban, but much of their inspiration hails from their homeland. ‘Our main inspiration is our everyday life, but we are also influenced by our sunny Italian roots,’ say Les2C. ‘We’re also inspired by a nice glass of Terracruda (Italian wine from the Marche), a pizza margherita and old Italian songs.’

Les2Coquettes is available at Iconoclast on Brick Lane, and their online store at www.etsy.com/shop/Les2coquettes.

When it comes to fashion, London has its Italian haute couture big hitters: Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani and Versace. But for upcoming talent, Wolf + Badger have made it their business to showcase exciting rising stars. Their concept store on Dover Street stocks Arianna Cerrito, whose designs, featuring bold asymmetric lines and quirky details, are an innovative fusion of clothing and jewellery. My Pair of Jeans brings a fresh take on denim, focused on print and colour as well as cut. Wolf + Badger’s online offering also includes fine handmade leather goods by Ascoli 1908 and cotton shirts with a contemporary edge by Made 4 – Manifattura Italiana.

32 Dover St, W1S 4NE. 020 3627 3191. Green Park tube. www.wolfandbadger.com.

This family-owned men’s accessories brand is a pretty new arrival to London but it’s first boutique here (in Shoreditch) is a wonderland of patterns and colour – as the name suggests. Their collection reflects classic styles as well as more modern looks and everything is hand-crafted in their own artisanal factory in Lake Como.

32, Cheshire Street, E2 6EH. www.40colori.com. Shoreditch High Street Overground.

There’s plenty of innovation in contemporary Italian filmmaking. The monthly Cinema Italia screenings at the Genesis Cinema in Mile End feature new releases (subtitled, not dubbed) and award-winning films like ‘The Art of Happiness’, which won Best Animated European Feature at the European Film Awards. There are also occasional classics to commemorate anniversaries and Q&A sessions with directors and actors. Every screening is followed by Italian wine and regional food, all included in the ticket price.

93-95 Mile End Rd, E1 4UJ. Stepney Green tube.020 7780 2000. www.cinemaitaliauk.co.uk.

The Instituto Italiano di Cultura is one of the go-to places for all things Italian in London. The Institute’s calendar of cultural events covers art, music, cinema, theatre, dance, fashion, design, architecture, photography, literature and food. They also run language courses from beginner to advanced levels (with free taster lessons) and have a reference and lending library with 25,000 books, DVDs and CDs, and educational material if your passion for Italia takes you on a more academic trajectory.

39 Belgrave Square, SW1X 8NX. Hyde Park Corner tube.020 7235 1461. www.icilondon.esteri.it.

A life of travel and mingling with artists, politicians and Hollywood stars inspired American sociologist and writer Eric Estorick’s love of Italian modern art. Over the years, Estorick amassed an impressive collection, based on an internationally renowned core of Futurist works. Tucked away in Canonbury like a hidden art treasure, the Estorick Collection is Britain’s only gallery devoted to modern Italian art, housing some 120 paintings, drawings, watercolours, prints and sculptures by prominent Italian artists of the Modernist era. There is also a lovely garden and Italian Caffè, with delicacies from biscotti and panini to pasta and frittata.

Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 39a Canonbury Square, N1 2AN. 020 7704 9522. Highbury & Islington tube. www.estorickcollection.com.

They were an artistic bunch in Florence back in the fifteenth century, when the city had more woodcarvers than butchers and the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were pioneering the polymath principles of excelling in multiple fields. One such Renaissance man was Matteo Palmieri: apothecary, philosopher, historian, poet, politician and buddy of the Medici rulers of Florence, who commissioned artist Francesco Botticini to create the monumental painting known as the Palmieri Altarpiece. This free exhibition explores Palmieri’s fascinating life and gives art lovers the chance to view Botticini’s masterpiece up close with its stunning panoramic landscape of Florence, below a celestial dome filled with angels and saints. Nov 4-Feb 14 2016.

National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. Charing Cross tube. www.nationalgallery.org.uk.