Last week we dined at Li Veli to try out dishes that appear on their new Autumn Winter menu.
We were also introduced passionately to suitable wine pairings with each of the courses
One
Li Veli, the Pugliese wine bar and bistro in Covent Garden has recently introduced a brand new menu for the autumn winter season showcasing an authentic taste of Southern Italy, and their very own namesake wines. Open for lunch, pre-theatre and dinner daily, diners can enjoy a meal or quick bite al fresco in the smart dining rooms or at the bar.
Two
The new menu at Li Veli celebrates the best of newly harvested Italian ingredients to recreate the clean, fresh flavours of Puglia in London. The dishes include the Li Veli favorite such as “Latticini Pugliesi” – a selection of classic Apulianmeats and cheeses; grilled, herb-marinated chicken with spinach and roast potatoes, or Apulian burrata cheese with raw organic tomatoes. Pastas include home-made orecchiette “alla Crudaiola”; or home-made tagliolini with fresh tomato sauce, cacioricotta cheese and basil; and mains feature polpo “in Pignata” – the traditional Pugliese octopus stew.
Three
An excellent value set lunch menu is priced at just £12 for two courses, which can include a selection from a daily changing salad counter; and the pre-theatre dinner menu, featuring dishes such as mixed bruchetta; baby octopus stew; and Borgo Egnazia pistachio ice cream with S. Domenico olive oil, is just £18 for two courses or £22 for three.
Four
Li Veli Winery & Bistro is a joint venture between two families, the Falvo family, owners of the acclaimed Masseria Li Veli Winery, and the Melpignano family, founders and owners of the San Domenico Hotels Group.
The Masseria Li Veli is located on Puglia’s Salento plain and produces a range of wines featuring ‘classic’ grapes, as well as a project called ‘Askos’, using traditional Puglian grape varieties, which had been disappearing. This fall Li Veli is debuting their new season wines Orion 2014 and Passamante 2014 after a highly anticipated harvest over the last year.
Five
The team are proud to offer the full range of Li Veli wines in London – which can also be bought from their on-site wine and speciality food shop – but the wine list also features an interesting selection of wines from across Italy, many from similarly small or artisan wineries. Li Veli also offers exclusive wine classes with the Winemaker and Patron of Li Veli, Alfredo Falvo for wine lovers to discover the heritage of Apulian grapes and winemaking.
Li Veli has around 75 covers in total, split between a spacious, light and open ground floor dining room and bar, and a stylish downstairs dining room that can be booked for private events and holiday bookings. The interiors feature elements of traditional Apulian design, brought to Covent Garden by Pino Brescia, who also designed the Borgo Egnazia hotel owned by the Melpignano family.
Li Veli Winery & Bistro, 69 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9JS
Opening times:
Mon-Thurs 11am-11:30pm
Fri-Sat 11am-12am
Sun 12pm-10:30pm