Mayfair , Italian Restaurant Guide

This family-owned Italian wins consistently good ratings for the straightforward menu of “authentic” pasta, pizza and more it has served – at a prominent corner site in Mayfair – for half a century now. Despite a recent refurb, prices remain exceptionally reasonable for this part of town.

“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.

Owned by the Ferragamo fashion family and named after their Tuscan wine estate, this Mayfair two-year-old in the former premises of Nobu Berkeley (RIP) is certainly “a bit bling”, but has won over a constituency of fans who say “it seems to be right for the occasion, whether business or pleasure”. Plus points include “some fine dishes – including wonderful fish and vegetables” – and “a pleasant buzz”. The big drawback, if you’re footing the bill, is “the insane price point”.

“One of the best value top-end restaurants in London” – Angela Hartnett’s London flagship (celebrating its fifteenth anniversary) scored consistently highly in this year’s annual diners’ poll and is the rare kind of fancy Mayfair destination where folks like spending their own money rather than needing corporate plastic. The Italian-inspired cuisine is “very accomplished”, with “flavours seemingly so simply presented, you know the effort that must have gone into each elegant dish”. Staff are “helpful but unobtrusive” and contribute to an overall experience that “never fails to hit the spot”. In August 2023, the establishment announced a total refurb (complete with glass chandelier from Venice), and the appointment of George Ormond as Head Chef, who takes over from Emily Brightman.

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.

Sit at the bar where there’s “Prosecco on tap” and hang with the Mayfair glam crowd at this “always buzzy” and “professional” Italian brasserie in Burlington Gardens, at the back of the Royal Academy: “a favourite for some good people watching”. Nowadays part of Soho House, “there’s something for everyone on the menu” and it’s a favoured lunch spot for local business types. On the downside, prices are high, the food is “average” and service can be so-so. (Reports on its Soho ‘Pizza Bar’ spin-off and City branches are few and far between).

This classic Italian set among the tailors of Savile Row (for which it is named and themed) serves “outstanding” dishes – most notably seafood – at admittedly “expensive” prices. Celebrity chef Francesco Mazzei departed in early 2023, leaving the D&D London venue lacking a high-profile figurehead, but thus far, this has seemingly had little effect on the quality of the cooking.

2023 Review: Few restaurants can boast the heritage of this Mayfair two-year-old: the first ever spin-off from a Milanese original of over 120 years’ standing. It’s still a case of promise unfulfilled, though, with reports that are very up and down, despite a general acknowledgement of “friendly service and a pleasant interior” (the latter very classical in style). “Eye-watering prices” are key to the ambivalence felt by diners, despite some dishes that are “clearly wonderful” – if you give it a go, perhaps try the set lunch, which is “exceptional value by comparison to other options here”.

“Request the elegant first-floor dining room” when you dine at this large Italian in Mayfair, imported from LA (there’s also a ground-floor bar). It opened in late 2022 and reports are still not as numerous as we’d like; but early diners are wowed by the classily ritzy decor and high-quality cuisine. There’s also a cigar lounge and terrace.