Cacio & Pepe

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Family Dream, Rooted in Florence

Cacio & Pepe on Churton Street in Pimlico is the kind of Italian restaurant that comes from genuine conviction rather than commercial calculation. The story begins with Enrica Della Martira, born in Florence in 1980 into a family with deep sporting heritage — her father Mauro was a professional footballer who spent five years at Fiorentina and represented the Italian under-23 national team. Growing up, though, Enrica's consuming passion was food.

She studied at one of Milan's most prestigious universities and spent years in the fashion industry, keeping cooking as a private pleasure she shared with friends. That changed in 2013, when she was selected for MasterChef Italia and reached the final, finishing third. The experience confirmed what her friends had long suspected: her cooking deserved a wider audience.

From TV Kitchens to Pimlico

After MasterChef, Enrica's profile grew through blogs, magazine features, and TV appearances, but her philosophy stayed constant — seasonal ingredients, prepared simply, served with warmth. It was during one of her visits to London that she and Mauro decided to open Cacio & Pepe together, bringing the spirit of Italian home cooking to SW1.

The restaurant reflects that ethos directly. The menu is built around honest Italian cuisine, with dishes shaped by what is fresh and in season. The atmosphere is deliberately homely — the kind of place where professional, attentive service doesn't feel stiff, and where the cooking tastes like someone genuinely cared about it.

Recognition and a Sense of Place

Gambero Rosso, Italy's most authoritative food and wine guide, awarded Cacio & Pepe a fork in its 2025 edition — a mark of quality that places this small Pimlico address among London's most credible Italian restaurants. For a restaurant built on the premise that Italian cuisine should be uncomplicated and ingredient-led, that recognition feels fitting.

Enrica remains the heart of the project: her smile, as she puts it herself, is one of the most important ingredients on the menu.