The brand new One New Change shopping centre opens today near St Paul’s Cathedral and, to celebrate, Zizzi is opening a pop-up bar serving free prosecco and Italian nibbles.

I popped into the One New Change branch of Zizzi last night, where illustrator Amy Murray from Edinburgh College of Art was putting the finishing touches to the London-themed pictures on the walls.

The decor is inspired by the history of the local area, with milk churns and street signs for Milk Street, Bread Street and Honey Lane. Look out for the brilliant St Paul’s Cathedral picture on the pizza oven.

I enjoyed a tasty vegetarian risotto, and was impressed by the man on a neighbouring table, who devoured a huge pizza in just a few minutes. (Apparently Zizzi serves some of the largest pizzas in town.)

If you’re in the area this evening, call in for free drinks, free nibbles and a look at London’s newest shopping centre.

Zizzi’s free prosecco bar is on the ground floor of One New Change from 5.30-7.30pm today. The restaurant is also giving away free Prosecco Royales to diners, and collecting donations for the Prince’s Trust charity.

Yesterday I got a sneak peek at One New Change – London’s newest shopping centre – opposite St Paul’s Cathedral on Cheapside in the City.

When it opens next Thursday (28 October), One New Change will have the honour of being Central London’s largest retail destination. It contains 60 stores over three floors (mostly high-end high street such as Reiss, Hobbs and Kurt Geiger) as well as several restaurants and food outlets, including Jamie Oliver‘s Barbecoa, an M&S Simply Food and a Gordon Ramsay restaurant (the latter is due to open in a few months’ time). Plus there’ll be office space for 3,000 workers.

I was impressed by the One New Change development. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the structure is predominantly steel and glass, which reflects and reveals the stunning St Paul’s in myriad ways. I also liked the fact the brown and red-tinted glass seemed to pay homage to the 70s styling of the nearby Barbican.

I was taken up to the roof – a huge space that’ll be open to the public and gives access to an incredible London panorama that takes in the London Eye, The Shard, The Barbican, the tip of The Gherkin and, of course, St Paul’s. (Photos from the roof are embargoed until next week so I can’t share them yet. But check our Flickrpool from next Thursday: www.flickr.com/groups/visitlondon)

Best of all, One New Change is handily located a short(ish) walk from VL Towers. I think I’m going to be a regular visitor!