Teddington Nub News are excited to introduce La Pesca, the brand new restaurant on Teddington high street.

La Pesca is located at number 122, in the place where Gardenia used to have a shop.

With its eye-catching orange exterior and flower garlands, it was already catching attention during this year's long winter lockdown.

Now, following months of excitement and speculation , La Pesca has finally opened its doors to the public.

Nub News Editor Ellie Brown attended an exclusive launch event on Thursday 17 June to find out more about the restaurant.

Stepping into La Pesca, I am immediately enchanted by the restaurant's beautiful design.

It is a place made to be photographed - from the flower garlands above the modern white-topped bar at the entrance, to the sugary pink walls that match the waitresses' bespoke aprons.

Even the toilets have ornately designed gold taps, giving the place a feel of luxury.

As I arrive, Zeynep Aydin, one of the restaurant's managers, greets me warmly.

We talk about the restaurant's history, including her family, the Aydins, who run it.

Zeynep, 22, is the daughter and youngest of the trio which also includes mum Atiye and dad Mehmet.

The family are from Turkey and live in South West London, where they run a bakery in Whitton .

Zeynep explains that though they love the bakery, the family realised it was "too small' for their culinary ambitions.

They wanted to open a restaurant where they could serve gourmet meals and drinks, so in November 2020 the family took over the old Gardenia shop in Teddington high street.

It took a while for the place to be ready for customers, Zeynep says, explaining: "the place was a flower shop so the kitchen is new - we constructed it from scratch."

She attributes the restaurant's gorgeous design to Atiye, who is a big fan of the elegant Mayfair club Annabel's - "my mother really loves interiors."

It's safe to say that the influence shows!

Sadly the restaurant's launch date was delayed due to social distancing restrictions.

"Lockdown changed a lot," Zeynep confirms.

But despite opening during a pandemic the place is full of people, from local influencers to friends of the hosts.

It's buzzing as we are seated and served our starters by the smartly-attired staff, who are friendly and attentive throughout the night.

The meals are all aesthetically pleasing and expertly crafted by the restaurant's two Italian chefs.

As a vegetarian I miss out on some of the fish and meat-based meals but my dining companion assures me they are all delicious.

And I can't complain when the alternatives are such a treat including panzanella salad, rice galette and buratta with plenty of foccacia for dipping.

When one of the chefs comes out at the end of the night, the feedback he receives is universally positive.

He then tells us the story behind the meals - for example, the poached pear dessert is a speciality in the Italian region where he grew up.

It's clear that just as much thought has gone into the food as the decor.

As well as offering all-day dining including brunch, the restaurant serves a variety of drinks including Instagram-worthy cocktails.

Zeynep tells me there will be happy hour deals on throughout the week and I'm already sure the place will be popular with Teddington's young professionals for after-work drinks.

I leave the restaurant feeling that La Pesca has delivered on its promise of being a 'post-lockdown treat.'

With gorgeous decor, friendly people and delicious food, I'm sure I'll be back.

Overall, it is a fantastic addition to Teddington's thriving independent restaurant scene.