St James's, Italian Restaurant Guide

“Classic, uncomplicated Italian dishes are done accurately and well-flavoured” at Angela Hartnett’s trio of “deservedly popular” modern trattorias. “Consistently enjoyable, with a buzzy atmosphere and lovely staff”, they are widely tipped as a “good standby” for many occasions, and the worst anyone had to say about them this year is that they can seem “unimaginative but competent”. Top Tip – “the pasta is the thing here – especially the spicy rigatoni – but the menu is broad enough for kids and their parents (with a decent wine list); and staff are patient with families”; and “good-value set lunch”.

“Excellent Italian food and a good wine list”, all at decent prices for central London, continue to carve a niche for this St James’s trattoria. You wouldn’t choose it to dazzle a fashionista, but it has a “pleasant if quiet ambience that allows conversation”.

“Good to see it’s open again!” – this “charming and efficient” Italian has built a loyal following over the years, with “caring” service and “a real family feel” that’s a welcome find in stuffy St James’s. The new site is doors away from the old in quirky Crown Passage: “a welcoming space with clean lines and tables not overly close together”. To the uninitiated, the traditional fare – Insalata Caprese; Calamari alla Brace; Ravioli del Buongustaio; Scaloppine al Limone – can seem a little “average”, which undercuts its rating. Most reporters, though, applaud its “well-priced”, traditional cuisine and consider it “a real surprise jewel in this neck of the woods”.

“The energy is fab” at this “busy and buzzy” Mayfair haunt, whose large central bar, pavement tables and green leather stools import a sense of chic Italian glamour to this corner-site a minute from Bond Street. The Italian food (cicchetti, risotti, pastas, traditional mains) doesn’t detract from the occasion, but is “highly priced for average quality”, albeit “all decent”; and “service can suffer when it’s over-busy”. Nowadays part of Soho House, its branches spread from Berlin to West Hollywood, via the City of London (in The Ned). Comments on the latter aren’t terrible, but less enthusiastic than those for W1.

2022 Review: Navigate through the pan-Asian section of Russian restaurateur Arkady Novikov’s ultra-luxe Mayfair scene, and you find an elegant if slightly incongruous classic Italian dining room at the rear. Key themes that emerge in survey feedback: it’s notably “overpriced”; the food’s not bad; and for a business encounter, it’s worth considering.

“You can’t fail to impress with the food, vibes and service”, according to fans of this Moscow-based chain, whose Mayfair offshoot is not short on glam. It provoked less feedback this year, though, in our annual diners’ poll (too limited for a rating), but expansion is coming in the second half of 2023 with a new branch, below the Strand Palace Hotel.

“Delicious pasta at relatively affordable prices” inspires major loyalty to these “busy” pasta pitstops in Soho, near Trafalgar Square and in Borough Yards: for their legions of fans, “a staple option for a quick meal in London”, even if “the narrow WC2 branch in particular is tight for space and can feel a little crowded and noisy”. The experience, though, can tip into just feeling “rushed”, “unimpressive” or “hyped”, not least due to the “hit ’n’ miss service”. Top Menu Tips – “obviously the ‘silk handkerchiefs’ are best”; “Cacio Pepe is like you’ll never find outside Rome at an unbelievable price”.

D&D London’s well-tailored venue on Savile Row “remains a firm favourite” to fans, who applaud its “beautifully cooked” Italian cuisine and elegant standards generally. But high-profile chef Francesco Mazzei left a couple of years ago and our current annual diners’ poll inspired limited and mixed feedback: chief concerns are incidents of “mediocre food” and the fact that it’s “not cheap”.

This “lively family Italian restaurant in Soho” has a “lovely vibe”, “very authentic food” and a “brilliant vermouth bar” (‘vermuteria’) serving their own, home-distilled creations. It’s a modern place, founded by three brothers from northern Italy. Top Tip – “head down to the basement for the best atmosphere”.

“A good spot in the West End if you want to guarantee a table in nice surroundings” – this all-day dining room in a boutique hotel has an “unassuming entrance on Haymarket but once inside, the unique decor, colourful artworks and African mud-cloth screens make quite an impact”. It’s not a foodie choice, but “the set menu is perfect for pre-theatre dining, with a good range of choices”, while the “smart but relaxed” atmosphere also makes it “good for business lunches”.

“Absolutely brilliant” – Jacob Kenedy’s “go-to place in Soho” (in a backstreet near Piccadilly Circus) remains one of the most interesting Italian restaurants in the UK. “No stereotypical Cucina Italiana here”: “the stellar menu is constantly changing” and the finest and freshest ingredients are treated with the utmost simplicity and respect in “regional small plates” that are “seasonal, well-judged and always memorable”; and which can be paired with “a very fine Italian cellar covering every price point”. “Thoughtful and friendly staff” help “everything function like clockwork”; and while “the room is a little challenging” (“it can be NOISY”) it “has a very good atmosphere”. Top Menu Tips – “mince-stuffed olives Ascolani, Amberjack carpaccio with rosemary oil and orange zest, Sweetbreads with morels and Marsala, Sicilian cannoli with a light and tangy ricotta filling”. “Heaven for olive oil and garlic lovers. Courgette flower with mozzarella and anchovies, Wild garlic pappardelle with duck are all to die for. Every dish packs a punch, down to the sweet Pig’s Blood and Chocolate Paté”.

2021 Review: Now over ten years old, this Venetian/Mediterranean chain has suffered a drip-feed of branch closures, with only two now trading: Soho and Chelsea. And in August 2020 it parted ways with its co-founder Russell Norman. Fans do still applaud the duo’s “very convivial and fun” formula, but the groups woes have stemmed from Venetian small plates that are often “no better than fine”, and at worst “uncared for” or “very mediocre”. Perhaps it will now finally turn a corner?

“Typical Italian fare” comes with a moneyed gloss at this 10-year-old venture off Savile Row from a Florentine banking family with a 700-year-old sideline in wine-making. There is a “warm Mayfair buzz if you’re into hedge fund types”, and “if you calm yourself with a couple of drinks before you see the prices on the menu, lunch here can be a very enjoyable experience”.