Harden's survey result
Summary
This “really good old-school Italian” in Knightsbridge is a perfect fit for the Harrods shopping crowd it feeds, and “has hardly changed in 30 years”. Expansion in recent years has seen spin-offs open in Cannes and the Middle East, which gives a clue to the prices charged. Top Menu Tip – “the bruschetta they give you as you sit down is great, but make sure you ask for cheese as well”.
Summary
“Classic” old-school trattoria (down to the photo gallery of visiting celebs), five minutes from Harrods, that’s “bonkers expensive”, but keeps its well-heeled crowd powerfully happy. “Portions are huge (they assume you’re starving)” and it’s “good fun, reliably noisy and… well… Italian” – a formula that has served it well for 35 years, and brought spin-offs in Cannes and across the Middle East in recent years.
Summary
Studiously old-school trattoria in the backstreets near Harrods, which “pleases a glitzy crowd with huge portions of yummy old-fashioned Italian fare” and “waiters who are always friendly and ready with a smile and a joke: it’s always packed”. “You’ll also be surprised how many celebs have visited”, as the dozens of colour snaps pasted to the wall testify. The formula is still thriving after more than three decades, to the extent that a Dubai spin-off launched in 2018. “Just know that it’s not cheap”… as no doubt you’ve already guessed.
Summary
“The diner is transported straight back to the 1960s, not least because of the breadsticks and very old-fashioned service” at this traditional Italian, close to Harrods. “No doubt because of the location, it’s not exactly a bargain” – the “pricey food, although good, does not quite live up to expectations” – but it’s popular (opening a branch in Dubai two years ago), and “when busy, it’s pretty much shoulder-to-shoulder”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Scalini?
1-3 Walton St, London, SW3 2JD
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £36.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
1-3 Walton St, London, SW3 2JD
Opening hours
| Monday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10:45 pm |
| Tuesday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10:45 pm |
| Wednesday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10:45 pm |
| Thursday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10:45 pm |
| Friday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10:45 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10:45 pm |
| Sunday | 12:30 pm‑2:45 pm, 7 pm‑10 pm |
Best Italian restaurants nearby
Italian restaurant in Chelsea
Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge
Italian restaurant in Kensington and Chelsea
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
Steaks & grills restaurant in Knightsbridge
Italian restaurant in Chelsea
British, Traditional restaurant in Knightsbridge
