Southbank, Italian Restaurant Guide

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.

“Welcome back!” Every cloud has a silver lining and “having been unceremoniously evicted from its longtime Poland Street location during Covid”, this “delightful” Soho veteran has “found a new, better site just round the corner” (it’s actually the second time the restaurant, founded in 1971, has had to move). “Traditional, Tuscan food as it is meant to taste, with a wine list to match” are served by the “superb” staff in a “most convivial” setting. “They are good at remembering their customers” and “it’s a great place to have a conversation, as they play no music”.

This “sophisticated Italian restaurant” north of Pall Mall, from Sicilian-born Carlo Distefano’s national group, inspires relatively limited feedback despite (because of?) its heart-of-the-West-End location. It’s consistently well-rated, though – fans say it “can always be relied on for business and social meals”.

“The décor feels wonderfully indulgent without descending into kitsch” at the Stafford Hotel Group’s “stylish” three-year-old. Something similar could be said about the “interesting spin on Sicilian cuisine” that’s “excellently prepared and full of authentic flavour”, and delivered in generous portions. “Staff are brilliant” too. Top Menu Tip – “a top choice for inventive and not-too-excessive pasta” or small plates (e.g. prawns, monkfish, burrata); “top it all off with first-rate tiramisu and rose-flavoured panna cotta”.

At Bolton's restaurant our philosophy is simple, we are inspired by the finest, freshest ingredients and the most authentic vibrant flavours. In Italian our culinary style is called alla Casalinga which means home-style cookery or as we like to say, "like mamma used to make." It...

This international chain has three London representatives – in Soho, the City and Canary Wharf – and focuses on light Italian dishes (pizza, pasta and salads) showcasing the eponymous cheese from Campania alongside other Italian produce; plus a range of cocktails and wines. A good spot “for post-work drinks and nibbles”.

“Sally Clarke remains very present” at her “sophisticated” and “welcoming” Kensington HQ, which she established in 1984 at the bleeding edge of a trend to a more seasonal, ingredient-led style of dining that’s nowadays become an accepted norm. Consequently, for some fans, this has been “a ‘go-to’ for decades” owing to its “consistently superb cuisine”, creating dishes “with fantastic attention to detail” that “are imaginative without seeming ‘tricked up’”. The décor has always divided opinions here: “quite formal” for some tastes, but to others “romantic” and “perfect for a relaxed evening with grown-up conversation”. Ratings slipped a little this year across the board, though, as even those hailing it as “excellent” may note that “prices seem to have jumped here even more than most post-Covid”.

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.

This international chain has three London representatives – in Soho, the City and Canary Wharf – and focuses on light Italian dishes (pizza, pasta and salads) showcasing the eponymous cheese from Campania alongside other Italian produce; plus a range of cocktails and wines. A good spot “for post-work drinks and nibbles”.

“An old classic that always feels fresh” – this spry 75-year-old Italian in St James’s is “very consistent” and provides “a lovely, busy atmosphere” that’s “suited to eating with clients or friends”. That it’s “a bit pricey” is a theme running through most reports on it, though (“very pleasant, but I have a strong sense that many – most? – diners are on expenses… lucky them!”; “…lovely for the deep-pocketed, with traditional fare that’s well done, but at astronomical prices”). Top Tip – “they do a decent line in business breakfast”.

“Trying to be different”, this new bar/restaurant in King’s Cross is bang opposite the station, yet aims to defy its touristy location with natty décor and a northern Italian menu of some ambition. We’ve rated it on limited feedback which mentions some aspects that were “underwhelming” offset by others that were “very good”; and which imply it’s worth a whirl if you are in the area.

“Never lets you down… always fun… always noisy… always great food” – this “buzzy longstanding trattoria” (est. 1974), a short walk from the rear of Harrods, is “always a favourite” for a very loyal fan club, serving a long and traditional menu. “Ideal for date night” too.

“Great food in a cosy, homely setting” – this Sicilian specialist on a stretch of the unlovely Gray’s Inn Road “is a useful and reliable local restaurant in an area with limited options”. Owner Fabrizio Zafarana “makes a real effort to get to know all his customers and will happily amend a dish to suit personal taste”.

“If you want a family Italian restaurant look no further”, say fans of this trattoria and pizza favourite of two decades standing at the foot of a Wapping warehouse conversion: “supported by locals and always busy”.

“A throwback to old-school dining” – this wittingly old-fashioned chain (created in the last 10 years) channels an imagined La Dolce Vita lifestyle into its “enjoyable if slightly stuffy” mix of chic Italian cafés and restaurants (if you are of a certain age, think 1980s Tatler). They look “pretty” and are “attractive in their own way”: “not bad if a bit overpriced”. That’s the kind view anyway: harsher critics say they “could do better” and “don’t deserve a revisit”. But they must be doing something right, as in July 2021 they opened in St John’s Wood.

Giuseppe & Pamela Turi’s “phenomenal” stalwart was “a long-time favourite even before they moved from Putney to Pimlico” in 2015 (at an age when some couples would be considering retirement). “A place of calm refinement”, they “rode out the pandemic with cheer and great service”; and by providing “precise northern Italian cooking with intense flavours”. The special attraction, though, is Giuseppe’s long term passion project: “one of the best Italian wine lists in London” offering a “to-die-for selection” that “starts at very reasonable price levels” (but “don’t forget your wallet” if you want to do it full justice).

Near Harrods, this Italian of 35 years’ standing is recently part of the San Carlo brand, but fits well into the glamorous, traditional mould of that Manchester-based group. “The food can be excellent, but is also erratic at times.”

“Just part of Chelsea’s culinary ‘furniture’!” – this “always enjoyable Italian stalwart” (est 1994), south of Sloane Square, is an “old favourite” for a dedicated silver-haired following, who’ve patronised it for many years. “The same friendly faces (albeit sometimes masked! in the Covid months)” provide “courteous and amiable service” of “reliable, traditional dishes” (“certainly not cheap but good quality”).

2022 Review: A short walk from Sloane Street, this elegantly panelled Belgravia dining room is part of a luxurious five-star hotel. Perhaps because it’s tucked away in such an expensive ’hood, it doesn’t generate a huge volume of survey feedback, but such as there is says it successfully sets a superior standard of Italian cuisine.

Occupying an impressive Edwardian banking hall in the heart of the City, this high-ceilinged space provides a large, classic Italian menu and – if you still have space – makes a feature of a sizeable cheeseboard, showcasing Italian cheeses. Reports are uniformly upbeat, including as a business choice (and, if Accounts are on your case, there’s a good-value lunchtime set menu).