Tourism & Hospitality | Wednesday 27 July, 2016 12:29 pm |

 Marka PJSC (DFM: MARKA), the first public stock retail operator in the UAE, has announced the launch of the first Vicolo restaurant in the UAE. Pioneering an Italian street food concept, the restaurant, a home-grown concept conceived by the Marka Hospitality Team, will open in Dubai Design District (d3). The inception of Vicolo will pave the way for many other outlets that will soon open across the Emirates, including the second opening of the restaurant in December 2016 at La Mer – the exclusive beachfront development by Meraas featuring spectacular views of the Arabian Sea. 

Italian for ‘a narrow city street’, Vicolo will recreate the magical, bustling, lively, social culture of Italian street dining, through a focus on authentic regional recipes in a rustic setting. With indoor seating extending to 81 people and an outdoor capacity for 22 more, its menu will be an ode to secret recipes passed down through generations, designed for either a quick meal or a take-away, in true street food style. 

The d3 venue is a homage to the Italian city streets, expressed through urban decorations incorporating genuine Italian artefacts and street pieces imported from the country which will, alongside its delicious menu, contribute towards a true recreation of the world-famous Italian street food experience. Even the most discerning of diners would acknowledge that to experience a perfect stuzzichini or pasta, there is no better place to go than those small roadside cafés and stalls for a variety of original and genuine flavours.

Marka Group CEO, Nick Peel said: “The opening of Vicolo is a perfect fit for Marka and stands squarely beside its extensive portfolio of premium international sports, fashion and hospitality brands. Its first restaurant has been established in the innovative design epicentre of d3, which has a hospitable business environment and a savvy customer base keen to try new concepts. We’re confident that Vicolo will prove to be an astounding success as we continue to open more branches across the UAE.”

Marka Hospitality Managing Director, Hesham Al Mekkawi said: “We are delighted to announce the opening of the first Italian street food restaurant in the UAE. We have a menu with truly exemplary dishes which reflects our understanding of Italian flavours and culture, developed by our Italian head chef. We are certain that Vicolo will rapidly become a must-dine culinary destination for UAE diners, with an authentic and exciting menu full of flavour, which combines with a bold and striking interior design theme and style, to take diners on a culinary journey to the Italian side streets.  It is a great addition to Marka’s portfolio of exciting dining concepts, and is perfectly positioned to satisfy a growing demand for original and real dining experiences.”