There’s nothing particularly declarative about Dalla on Morning Lane in Hackney—and that’s the point. The room is spare and considered—cream walls, simple tables, a deliberate calm—never precious. The space is designed by Neapolitan founder Gennaro Leone in collaboration with his friend, Sicilian designer Oscar Piccolo. Prior to Dalla, Gennaro founded Spazio Leone, the east London store known for sourcing contemporary objects, art, and furniture. So when it came to design references, his were personal and exacting: chairs Gennaro photographed in a Bordeaux bistro, bowls of fruit in a Buenos Aires restaurant, and the beloved Neapolitan trattoria Mimì alla Ferrovia dating back to 1944 where Gennaro and his wife, Tessa, had their pre-wedding dinner.
This is, in part, why the interior feels authentic and unforced—and why nearly everything in the room is either custom-made or carefully sourced. A 1950s Stilnovo chandelier from a Milanese market and metal wall lights, built in Naples to a design by Leone and Piccolo sit alongside Robert Mallet-Stevens chairs. Opened by Gennaro with his brother, Gianmarco Leone, alongside chef Mitchell Damota, Dalla is named for the Italian singer Lucio Dalla, who soundtracked the brothers’ childhood holidays—a dedication that reflects the character of the space itself.
Photographs by Thea Løvstad for Dalla, except where noted.
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