Capilungo – a one-of-a-kind Pugliano café and bakery in the heart of Covent Garden – is partnering with acclaimed Italian chef, Claudio Tripodi, to transform Capilungo’s downstairs restaurant and transport diners into the heart of Southern Italy. Opening from 8th May 2025 every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the residency will run throughout summer, bringing dishes which emulate and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Italy to the table.

Claudio Tripodi hails from Novara, Italy. Starting his culinary journey at the prestigious VCO Formazione, he arrived in London in 2010. Claudio has gone on to work in some of the city’s most acclaimed kitchens, including the Baglioni Hotel, Babbo Restaurant, Royal Ascot Racecourse, OXO Tower, and Soho House. All allowing him to hone his skill and develop a style which combines Italian flair and flavours with modern British techniques and ingredients. His philosophy emphasises high quality, seasonal and sustainable produce, including sourcing items from Capilungo’s Pugliano heartland.

Together, the Capilungo team and Claudio will create an evolving menu which will take diners on an elegant journey through Southern Italy, celebrating bold traditions, refined techniques, and the vibrant flavours of Puglia and beyond. Menu highlights will include:
Burrata di Stagione: Creamy, hand-pulled burrata, sourced from Andria, will be a seasonally changing dish. In late-spring, diners can enjoy it with sweet peas, mint oil, and lemon zest, and in summer heirloom tomatoes and basil.
Capocollo di Martina Franca DOP: This prized cured meat from the Itria Valley is gently smoked with oak bark and aromatic herbs and served thinly sliced, topped with Bella di Cerignola Olives alongside a rich salsa verde.
Mezzi Rigatoni Arrabbiata with Duck Confit & Negroamaro Jus: A bold, soulful dish marrying tender duck confit with the richness of Negroamaro — a red wine native to Puglia — elevated by a touch of heat and perfectly cradled in al dente mezzi rigatoni. A celebration of southern Italian depth with modern refinement.
Pici Carbonara di Mare: A coastal interpretation of the Roman classic: al dente Pici pasta enveloped in a silky egg yolk, enriched with delicate smoked salmon and crowned with pearls of roe caviar. This dish pays homage to the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, where sea and tradition meet in every bite.

Together, the Capilungo team and Claudio Tripodi believe in the power of good food to tell a story and bring people together.

The upstairs café at Capilungo is the perfect spot for brunch, with bright and natural light streaming through the glass front, and baked Italian delicacies, both sweet and savoury, adorning the bar. Heading downstairs, the restaurant and bar have a sophisticated and intimate, yet cosy and warm feel. Natural, rich and earthy tones welcome diners in and provide the perfect setting for an Italian feast. The walls are adorned with bespoke artwork by Italian artist Stefania Spedicato.

Gianluca Capilungo, owner of Capilungo, reflects: “I met Stefania whilst walking in the Old Town of Lecce last year and her paintings grabbed my attention. Working with Stefania, who was born in a small town near Lecce and has a passion for drawing and arts, we have been able to bring to life the memories, corners and details of the city, landscape, and coastal spots which I grew up with and have been a core part of my life.”

Stefania Spedicato has explored many mediums, starting by deepening her appreciation for visual expression through architectural sketches in ink and watercolour post-graduation, before teaching herself how to work in oils. Devoting herself to portraiture and sacred subjects, one of her most significant pieces, the “Merciful Jesus” created in 2011, is now housed in one of the most important churches in Lecce. After a period of pause, she returned to painting with renewed energy and revisited her love for watercolour to explore the architectural views of Lecce’s historic centre, seascapes, and landscapes from the Salento region. It is this passion and love for her local area which has been translated into the artwork which now hangs on the walls at Capilungo.

Alongside the residency, Capilungo will continue to serve its day-time brunch menu which celebrates the vibrant culinary traditions of Lecce – where Luca Capilungo opened his first (and still runs today) bakery. Dishes draw inspiration from Lecce and the surrounding Pugliano countryside and are rich in ingredients made by local products – such as the Capocollo di Martina Franca ham on the Eggs Benedict, and the fresh ricotta and stracciatella cheese produced by one of Luca’s neighbouring farms.

Pasticciotto– a Pugliano speciality and what the Capilungo family are most famous for in Italy – will continue to be baked daily. A moreish treat, Pasticciotto are a shortcrust pastry filled with an indulgent flavoured cream available in classic custard cream, Amarena cherry, pistachio, and chocolate. Best eaten straight from the oven at breakfast time and enjoyed with a fresh espresso.

The café is a family-owned business, with the bakery in Lecce founded in 1991 and dedicated to quality ingredients, local delicacies, and today bringing a little piece of southern Italy to London.