Giovanni Mazzei brings a taste of Florence to London

"We were looking for a spot like this and finally we found it – we had something in mind, and the two things came together very organically. We were immediately blown away," said Mazzei of the new opening.

As well as being a member of Tuscany's celebrated Mazzei winemaking dynasty, Giovanni is know in London as a restaurateur and wine merchant, co-founding Petersham Cellar alongside his wife, Lara Boglione, whose family are behind the Petersham Nurseries Restaurant in the London Borough of Richmond.

Now the couple have opened a new restaurant inspired by the trattorias and bars of Florence. Called 'Trogolo', the name meaning 'trough', it opened on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill, West London on Tuesday 11 November.

"We always dreamt of bringing the Florentine experience to London, focusing on using every cut of meat, for frying or slow-cooking," said Mazzei. "Because of the constraints of the kitchen, we need dishes which we can prepare in advance – roasted, boiled, slow-cooked – everything that takes longer and isn't prepared in the moment, so the cuisine of Florence seemed appropriate, it's part of my heritage."

Among the Tuscan classics included on the current menu are ribollita, a soup made from bread and vegetables, and papardelle al cinghiale, or pasta with wild boar.

While many of the ingredients, including the cheese and charcuterie, are being specially imported, Trogolo will also make the most of the "phenomenal" London market, especially for meat and fish.

A big part of the menu, and one which requires very careful sourcing, is concerned with cuts that the Romans would euphemistically refer to as the 'quinto quarto'.

"There are many dishes that we didn't put on the menus of our other restaurants, especially those made with offal. We're speaking with our butcher to prepare some cuts that are particularly hard to find in the UK, to get the most out of the animal."

Mazzei shared that there is also a range of bar food too: "Half of the menu will be from the counter, more as a wine bar for an aperitivo, with things like sandwiches and crostone – I think the crostone will be something good for London: easy and enjoyable, they enhance your wine experience."

Crostone toppings available at Trogolo include Gorgonzola with pear, honey and walnuts, melted cheese with purple artichokes, and truffled pecorino with sausage.

The wine selection

Mazzei and Boglione aim to provide something particularly special with the wine experience, with more than 300 bottles listed – special attention, of course, being given to those of Marchesi Mazzei, which has estates in Chianti Classico (Castello di Fonterutoli), Maremma (Belguardo) and Noto (Zisola).

One notable inclusion in the incredibly extensive selection of Tuscan wine is the 2007 vintage of Castello di Fonterutoli's Siepi. Some English sparkling wines also feature on the wine list, including Langham Estate's Culver Classic Cuvée NV.

"We will have an incredible wine collection, something London has never seen, offering the most authentic Tuscan experience possible," declared Mazzei.

Indeed, one of the aims of Trogolo is to stand out from other wine bars in London.

"As a wine producer, I'm looking to recreate the experiences that I grew up with," Mazzei explained. "One of the reasons why wine is suffering today is because of the barrier that has been created – younger generations have less of a chance to taste the wines that we tasted. Everything comes down to how you experience a wine, and the best place to do that is the dinner table. We wanted to create something approachable that, at the same time, allows the wine to be fully appreciated."

Opening the restaurant

The climate for London restaurants is particularly tough at present. Earlier this year, two of the Boglione family's restaurants, The Petersham and La Goccia, situated in Covent Garden, were closed.

"I'm nervous – it's something you have in mind, but you never know how London will react," said Mazzei ahead of Trogolo's opening.

However, he is optimistic that London diners will react positively to the concept.

"We want people to feel the authenticity – I grew up with it, I live here in Tuscany, so for me it comes very naturally. Some of my favourite restaurants in London are those that focus on specific regions, like the Basque Country, and more and more diners are looking for that identity – it's very similar to wine, people want wines that talk about the place of origin."

With a staff that is largely Italian, both in the kitchen and at front of house, is also optimistic that Trogolo will become a place for Londoners to enjoy Tuscan hospitality: "The biggest issue to find the right people – I always say to my team: 'remind yourself why you're doing this'. Everyone has passion, you just have to feed it."

Trogolo, 296 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 2PS