Inside Motorino: Chef Luke Ahearne’s Contemporary Italian Restaurant
A design-led Italian restaurant in Fitzrovia, London. combining seasonal produce, contemporary interiors and relaxed hospitality
Newly opened in Fitzrovia, Motorino Fitzrovia brings a confident, contemporary approach to Italian dining in central London. Created by chef Luke Ahearne in collaboration with restaurateur Stevie Parle, the restaurant blends produce-led cooking with thoughtful design and an easy, unforced sense of hospitality, reflecting a wider shift in how London wants to dine.
Photography, Motorino, Fitzrovia, Mark Scott.
Located on Pearson Square, Motorino follows Parle’s recent opening Town in Covent Garden, previously featured by The Fluxx for its contemporary, produce-driven ethos. Together, the two restaurants signal a new chapter in London’s dining scene, one defined by ingredient-first menus, design-conscious spaces and convivial, unstuffy atmospheres.
Chef Luke Ahearne and a New Perspective on Italian Cooking
At the heart of Motorino is Luke Ahearne, an award-winning chef whose career spans some of Europe’s most respected kitchens, including Campagne, The Clove Club and Luca, before leading the kitchen at Corrigan’s Mayfair. Within just ten months of opening Lita, Ahearne led the restaurant to a Michelin star, a testament to his technical skill, creative confidence and deep respect for seasonal produce.
His cooking blends innovation with tradition, delivering bold yet refined dishes that feel expressive without being overworked. Driven by the belief that food should connect people and create memorable experiences, Ahearne continues to push culinary boundaries while remaining grounded in the craft that first inspired him.
As Ahearne explains: “Opening Motorino with Stevie is a chance to create something new, bold and exciting in central London. For us it’s all about celebrating great produce, cooking with joy, and bringing my perspective on Italian food to Fitzrovia.”
Photography, left Chef Stevie Parle and right, Chefs Luke Ahearne, by Circe Hamilton.
Produce-Led Italian Dining for Modern London
Motorino’s menu presents Italian-inspired cooking that feels confident and current rather than nostalgic. The focus is firmly on exceptional seasonal ingredients sourced from Parle’s trusted farmers and suppliers across the UK and Ireland, interpreted through Ahearne’s generous yet precise approach.
Starters showcase bold, ingredient-led combinations, from chopped Dexter beef with fermented green chilli and porcini ketchup to grilled Cornish sardines served with a carpaccio of five varieties of tomato. Handmade pasta sits at the heart of the menu, including pappardelle with slow-cooked beef ragù made from Parle’s Wildfarmed cows, alongside gigli al gin with fennel sausage, tomato and Ford’s gin.
Mains continue the produce-driven narrative, with wild sea bass served with caponata and shellfish sauce, Old Spot pork chop with mustard fruits and pear, and a 45-day aged Belted Galloway rib-eye, simply accompanied by Chianti or peppercorn sauce. Desserts remain comforting and familiar, from Amalfi lemon meringue pie to Irish whiskey tiramisu, alongside seasonal house-made ice creams.
Photography,chopped dexter, fermented green chilli, porcini ketchup & shoestring fries by Beth Evans.
Photography left, Gigli al Gin. Right, Ribeye 45 day Belted Galloway by Beth Evans.
Design-Led Interiors Inspired by British Motoring Heritage
Motorino is a 150-cover restaurant with interiors by North End, inspired by British motor car companies of the 1960s. Bold colour palettes, warm materials and a relaxed spatial layout create an atmosphere that feels lively yet considered, a space designed for long lunches, spontaneous dinners and return visits.
Three private dining rooms reference 1970s recording studios, complete with soft carpeting and timber panelling, offering a more intimate setting without losing the restaurant’s playful edge.
Photography by Mark Scott.
Photography left, Tonic Studio Right, Mark Scott.
Cocktails, Martinis and a Destination Bar
A destination bar anchors the space, overseen by Kevin Armstrong of Satan’s Whiskers. The cocktail list balances seasonal creativity with assured classics, from signature serves such as the Lampone to a confident line-up of icy-cold, quick-serve martinis designed to be enjoyed without ceremony.
Photography, Motorino bar, Mark Scott.
A New Chapter for Fitzrovia Dining
Motorino is designed for contemporary dining lovers, those who appreciate Italian food without formality, thoughtful design without stiffness, and cooking that prioritises pleasure as much as craft. It is a restaurant shaped by confidence rather than nostalgia, adding a quietly assured new address to Fitzrovia’s evolving dining scene.
Photography by Beth Evans. Amalfi Lemon Meringue Pie.
