Pranzo della Domenica

In its truest translation, pranzo simply means lunch. But say “pranzo della Domenica” to anyone raised in Italy, from its mountainous villages in the north to its southern shores, and those words mean something else entirely. "It means la famiglia, it means sharing, it means
slowing down and sitting at the table," says Carlo Ferrigno, our Hotel Manager, who first brought the beloved ritual to Bocconi. "It really is a sacred tradition."

A Taste of Home

Carlo grew up in Sicily, where the weekly family lunch began with the smell of his mother's tomato sauce drifting from the kitchen as early as eight in the morning. "It must be cooked for at least four hours," he recalls. It wasn't a chore, he learned later from his mother, but her
pleasure: a morning spent cooking for the people she loved.

That spirit is exactly what Carlo set out to recreate at our restaurant, a veritable feast of Italian flavours, prepared with heart and served with generosity, enjoyed among friends and
family.

The Bocconi Experience
Carlo brings the kitchen to the table, with chefs preparing dishes in front of guests. They gather around and watch as they are made, perhaps a risotto that is coaxed along in stages,or a spaghetti al pomodoro, deceptively simple yet exacting, that comes together from little more than tomato and time. "Simple things are certainly not the easiest ones," Carlo reminds us.

Bocconi's pranzo travels the length of Italy in one sitting. Picture salt-crusted salmon and roast beef in the north Italian style, a weekly ‘acqua pazza’ fish dish with southern roots, and a long table of tempting antipasti. Every Sunday starts with a Prosecco aperitif or a
refreshing detox juice, and closes with an indulgent dessert buffet. With the help of one of Belgium's most celebrated pastry chefs, Marc Ducobu, the kitchen prepares a table of pastries, cakes, and strawberries with freshly whipped cream. Unlike many dining experiences, guests are encouraged to take their time here, there is no rush. As Carlo puts it, this is the essential art of pranzo.

Something Carlo is also passionate about is bringing a piece of Brussels to the experience. Selected dates welcome a local artisan to the restaurant, whether a tailor, cheesemaker, or winemaker, with something for guests to share, taste, or take home. Pranzo, after all, is also about connection: people who live by the same philosophy, gathered under one roof, with a seat always waiting at the table. Join us for our Pranzo della Domenica, with complimentary valet parking for a smooth start to your afternoon.

€85 per person
Every Sunday from 12.30pm to 3.00pm.