How the closed Don Ciccio Osteria looks in October 2026

A YEAR has passed since a restaurateur went viral online with a furious broadside against the “sheer indifference” of the people of Highgate, and his old trattoria venue is still empty.

In October last year, Marco Valente shut down Don Ciccio Osteria in Highgate Village after six years, blaming neighbours for ordering pizza deliveries from further afield.

Anyone peering through the windows can still see tables set for customers, laid out with dusty glasses and salt and pepper shakers. The bar at the back of the restaurant remains fully stocked with bottles of wine and Aperol, while the menu is still displayed outside, lit by floodlights that remain on 24 hours a day.

Speaking to the New Journal a year after the closure, Mr Valente said he didn’t know why the unit had remained empty. However, he warned that any prospective tenant should do some careful research.

He said: “The only thing I can think of is, every new business owner that is willing to rent needs to make a thorough research of the area, what opportunities are there, the audience, what is the situation, how many other similar premises are around. Perhaps people who may be interested are thinking it will not be worth it.

“I believe that after Covid things are dramatically changed in the hospitality sector, so probably they will never go back to the beginning. In London it is very complicated and for this reason I will never ever again open a restaurant.

“I’m not saying that the people in Highgate were 100 per cent responsible, but they didn’t help me at all, but I can easily say that the Covid situation in 2020 and what followed afterward, can count as 30 per cent of the reasons we had to close.”

Don Ciccio Osteria businessman Marco Valente and last year’s front page

The commercial unit is currently on the market for a rent of £55k a year, with Ives Street Developments Four Limited the freeholder. The company also owns the neighbouring property at 1 Hampstead Lane, currently occupied by Riverstone, the developer behind a multimillion-pound luxury retirement development nearly completed in nearby Bishops Avenue.

The two units were previously combined into one larger premises when All Bar One occupied the site in 2004. Don Ciccio, close to the roundabout on Hampstead Lane, opened in October 2019. The site had previously been home to a branch of the Dim T restaurant chain. Other restaurant businesses have also departed from that stretch of road over the years, including Zizzi.

John Plews, who ran Upstairs at the Gatehouse for 35 years and remains involved with the theatre, said empty commercial units were relatively rare in Highgate but said the Hampstead Lane restaurant was “not quite on the high street”, sitting just round the corner from much of the passing trade from locals and tourists.

He added: “Covid obviously ruined Don Ciccio like a lot of hospitality businesses – some survived, some didn’t. I think the restaurant put its prices up to try and compensate for that. One or two people blame the fact that the unit changes hands a lot because it’s just a little bit more round the corner compared to being on the high street.”

How the Highgate restaurant looked before it closed

Mr Plews said Highgate could potentially benefit from a new supermarket taking over a site in the area.

He said: “When the rumours were happening that All Bar One was going, I think a few residents approached Safeway [now Morrisons].

“One of the things that irks us a bit in Highgate is that Tesco is tiny and I know we have some really nice specialist food shops but everywhere needs a good old supermarket. You need your bread, milk and biscuits. One of the issues round there though is delivery, it may be quite difficult to open a supermarket there because of that. It’s not tricky to run a business here, it’s like any other area, you have to try and build your loyalty and that’s what we have found.”

Riverstone has given notice to the landlord and will fully vacate 1 Hampstead Lane at the end of the lease in early December. Riverstone will support the landlord where possible in finding a new tenant.

Duncan Garrood, CEO of Riverstone Living, said: “We are really proud to have been an active part of the local community during our time here. From sponsoring the festive lights to hosting local events in the space, we’ve loved being involved and are pleased to leave the building in fantastic shape for the landlord and whoever moves in next.

“Although our permanent residence at Bishops Avenue is opening soon, our commitment to Highgate isn’t going anywhere. If anything, we are putting even more energy into the area from our new permanent home. We are here for the long-term, and we look forward to staying connected locally, including supporting the Highgate Fair in the square and welcoming neighbours around the corner for future events.”

Ives Street Developments Four Limited were approached for comment.