Divertimenti, the cookware specialists, have just closed their site in Wigmore Street and opened in far more impressive and spacious premises in what is quickly becoming another of London's growing food enclaves, 33/34 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 4PT (tel 020-7486 8020) – open seven days.
Just down the street from Orrery, the best restaurant in the Conran stable (tel 020 7616 8000) and within spitting distance of Blagden's, one of London's longest surviving wet fish shops who have just signed a new 12 year lease, Providores, New Zealand chef Peter Gordon's Tapa bar and restaurant (tel 020 7935 6175) and directly opposite the original Daunt bookshop (020 7224 2295), the capital's best travel bookshop, the new Divertimenti is far better laid out, more spacious and, thanks to overhead natural light, a much more relaxed space in which to spend loads of money on the best but not necessarily the most expensive cooking equipment.
This Divertimenti also boasts two new sections. The first and most obvious is Café Divertimenti at the back of the ground floor where Camilla Schneideman, daughter of New Zealanders Mike and Susie who founded the store, is cooking a great range of tarts, quiches and salads as well as first-class desserts for the lunch and tea trade. Alongside her is Ben Presland, a first-class Australian barista, working a £4000 La Marzocco espresso machine (the Rolls Royce of the espresso world), so the coffee is first class too.
And down in the basement is a cookery school which, builders willing, will be completed next week in time for the press launch with courses beginning in April. Full details and how to enrol on www.divertimenti.co.uk.
