The San Lorenzo style of cuisine is predominantly Tuscan, although there is a strong influence from Piedmont and even more so from Rome (Lazio). These regions are steeped in culinary history and have given the world many of Italy's great classic dishes.

The founding family is a mix of Tuscan and Piedmontese, hence the legacy of classic maternal recipes, some dating as far back as the Roman Empire. There are literally centuries of evolution which inform our style, from the kitchens of the privileged nobility to the thrifty and inventive recipes of the poor housewives who were often in their emloyment. We have been paying homage to those simple yet amazing formulas since the early 1960's, always eager, nonetheless, to update and refine them for a vibrant contemporary metropolitan environment such as London.

San Lorenzo has contributed a considerable share of culinary introductions and innovations to this great city, having been among the first to launch such seemingly commonplace things as olive oil, mozzarella, avocado, sea bass, monkfish, milanese, and many other commestibles not widely known before the 60's. It was also the first to introduce wholegrain ingredients such as wholemeal pasta and brown rice, at a time when healthfood was an avant-garde 70's concept, and it introduced our world-famous Crudités con Bagna Cauda. Later, during the 80's, San Lorenzo was pioneering the introduction of the new generation of Italian wines; super-Tuscans such as Tignanello, Sassicaia, and Solaia, to mention a few. During the early 90's, SAN LORENZO FUORIPORTA introduced the very first thin-crust Roman-style pizza to Londoners. More recently, we have been assimilating influences from the far east and adding subtle variations of style and flavour to classic dishes.

So in the context of more than four decades, although innovation has been a complementary and integral part of our culinary tradition, the paramount ethic has always been to strike a balance between our culinary heritage and modernity by emphasising quality and simplicity.