Obica, the international mozzarella bar chain, and Coco di Mama, the London-based quick-service Italian concept, have lined up opening at Land Securities New Ludgate development, M&C understands.
The site in Ludgate Hill will be the fifth in the UK for Obica, which is led ex-Tragus director Frederic Lluch, and a seventh for Coco di Mama, which is currently attracting private equity interest.
M&C revealed last week that The Association Coffee concept had also secured a unit at the development, which is set to come on line later this year.
Obica, whose main shareholders are NEO Capital and founder Silvio Ursini, currently operates c25 restaurants in Italy, Turkey, Japan and the US. It opened new sites in New York and Dubai last year.
The group launched its first UK site in Canary Wharf at the end of 2011 and opened its second site in the UK in South Kensington in 2013, followed by openings in Charlotte Street and Poland Street.
It is thought that two to three private equity players, including Pho-backer Living Bridge, are believed to be competing to invest in Coco di Mama, , which is chaired by Sir Stuart Rose.
The company, which generated turnover of c£5m across four sites in the year to February 2014, recently made its West End debut on Margaret Street.
