Hotel Café Royal, London, is delighted to announce the recent appointment of Matteo Carretta as the new Director of Beverage, overseeing the recipes and menus across all of the five-star hotel’s bars. Bringing a wealth of mixology knowledge and experience in luxury bar management, Matteo will add to Hotel Café Royal’s already exceptional beverage offering with innovative new cocktail and spirit menus.
With nearly a decade of experience, Matteo began his career in London in 2016 with the Inception Group, impressively working his way from Head Bartender to Bar Operations Manager, before joining Claridge’s in 2019 as Bar Operations Manager/ Director of Mixology. Most recently, Matteo was based in Hong Kong, working with global restaurant and bar consultancy, Maximal Concepts, to successfully open bars in Canada, the US and Hong Kong.
Joining Hotel Café Royal’s Food & Beverage Management team in 2025, Matteo is now responsible for the drinks menus at Green Bar and Cakes & Bubbles, which will both be launching new high-end, seasonal menus in the coming weeks, as well as Café Royal Grill where he will act as an integral part of the relaunch of this iconic venue and its beverage offering this year. Matteo aims to bring his esteemed knowledge in refined mixology and bar management to drive revenue and position Hotel Café Royal once again as a sophisticated spot for discerning drinkers.
To mark the iconic hotel’s 160th anniversary, the Café Royal Grill is returning to its origins as one of London’s most exclusive venues, with menus infused with rich history and nostalgia. Two hero cocktails feature on the menu, selected from the original Café Royal Cocktail Book, first published in 1937 by head bartender W.J. Tarling in a defining moment for London’s bar industry. Matteo has given these historic recipes his own unique, contemporary twist, whilst still celebrating the venue’s heritage. These include the The Grill Martini using the ‘Café Royal Gin’ alongside Bottega Cinzano, as well as the Café Royal Appetizer, which blends No.3 Gin, Grand Marnier, Campari and Bottega Cinzano Rosso as a modern take on the classic Negroni cocktail. A selection of other carefully curated cocktails is also available on the menu.
