A reimagining of Italo-American red-sauce joints, Sasso serves spot-on snacks alongside largely Italian and local wines, and well-made cocktails in a space designed for good times.
The team has gone to great lengths to dedicate an entire page of the drinks list to variations on the Negroni. It’d be wrong to ignore their hard work. You can keep it classic with a crisp blend of Widges London Dry Gin, bittersweet Campari liqueur and a house-made vermouth, or go off-piste and order a well-made Boulevardier, a mix of Sasso’s citrusy gentian bitters, sweet vermouth and Bulleit bourbon. The Negroni of the moment, the Sbagliato, also gets a look-in. This prosecco-fuelled mix features 78 Degrees Rosé Vermouth, a citrusy Aussie amaro liqueur called Imbroglio from Poor Toms, and comes with a grapefruit twist.
Sasso’s drinks list is as deep as its menu, so beer lovers are well catered for, too. There’s the local Aether Brewing Pit Stop Pale Ale on tap alongside Italy’s Birra Moretti, and a barrel-load of bottled choices, such as Birra Baracca from Venice and Aether’s Witching Hour Blackberry Sour. Just a handful of wines are on pour by the glass, but they cover lesser-known Italian varieties such as an organic blend of chardonnay, grillo and viognier grapes from Sicily, and a Pecorino – the wine, not the cheese. Expect a swag of low-intervention wines by the bottle. Zero alcohol? Zero problem. Mocktails such as Sasso’s Espressno Martini, or the Nogroni will neatly avert designated-driver FOMO. And those big ice cubes with the Sasso stamp in your drink reflect the crew’s attention to detail.
It’s hard to beat the fritto misto, tiny fried whitebait, school prawns, calamari rings and more piled steeply on a retro plate, especially with a chilled glass of Pecorino alongside. For something to go with your Negroni aperitivo, Sasso’s olives all’ascolana more than fit the bill. These babies are the olive’s answer to the Scotch egg, the crisp crumbed bites generously stuffed with a savoury mix of veal and pork.
It’s absorbing to watch the talented pizza-maker at work while you’re relaxing, but it’s even better fun to tear into his pane Sasso – a puffed-up, char-freckled wonder bread. It’s perfect for swiping through the whipped ricotta with sherry dressing, accompanied by roasted artichokes. The kitchen leans fairly old-school when it comes to pizza – only some toppings are rejigged with a minor twist. It’s the same story for pasta. Rigatoni Amatriciana, for instance, features cured pork cheek and a pancetta crumble, while gnocchi includes young soybeans as well as peas in the mix along with a parmesan cream sauce.
Later in the week, if Sasso Italiano is fully booked, it’s worth taking a punt on a spot at Bar Sasso – it takes walk-ins only. Bear in mind the bar opens only on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Meanwhile, if you frequent either venue often enough, you might find you qualify for membership of the mini cannoli club. How will you know? A gratis cannolo pastry cigar will magically find its way to your table to acknowledge your status as a regular.
