The "authentic" Italian food served up by the Carluccio's chain is pulling in Londoners in droves.

The cafe and food shop company founded by chef Antonio Carluccio and his wife Priscilla in Covent Garden has been so successful it plans to open as many as 100 branches.

Today it told City investors that sales this year are 24 per cent higher than last year at £46.5 million. Profits for the 12 months to 24 September will be ahead of forecasts of £4.2 million. The chain added five outlets in the last year, at Richmond, Chiswick, Westbourne Grove, Oxford and Brighton, bringing the total to 26.

Five more will open in the coming year including at the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury and Walton-on-Thames in Surrey.

It expects to open five a year until the chain is 100 strong.

The company believes it is beating rivals because of its long opening hours, from 8am to 11pm. Finance director Frank Bandura said the group had enjoyed a stronger second half than expected.

On the menu

Starters
Zuppa di funghi con pancetta(mushroom soup with bacon) £3.95 Tortino di tonno (tuna fishcake £3.95 Bruschetta (tomatoes and herbs on bread £4.25

Main Courses
Tonno e zucchini (Chargrilled tuna with courgette "jam") £11.25 Fegato e patate (pan fried calves liver with rosemary potatoes) £10.95 Gnocchi al gorganzola (Potato gnocchi, gorganzola and spinach) £6.25

Desserts
Fondente di cioccolato (warm chocolate and kahlua pudding) £4.75 Gelatina di lampone (raspberry jelly with raspberry sauce) £4.50 Affgagato (vanilla ice cream with espresso coffee poured over) £3.95