St James's, Italian Restaurant Guide

Kudos to Angela Hartnett’s team for the “consistently high standards and predictable quality” of these “handy Italians”, which inspire many recommendations in our annual diners’ poll for “a casual bite with great Italian food” in the West End. “The food is hearty (e.g. rigatoni with fennel sausage ragu), simple but well executed and service charming and friendly”. In summer 2025, she opened her fourth location, with a Marylebone site joining her other operations in St James’s, Bermondsey and Covent Garden. In particular, they are “perfect pre-theatre”; and they also often get a shout-out for their welcome to families (“my two-year-niece from Australia was over and the staff couldn’t have been more friendly”).

“Hidden in a tiny alley off Pall Mall” – this “wonderful, small, family-owned Italian”, is “a ‘banker’ in a part of London where you sometimes feel you need to own a bank to eat out. Not here: great food, wine and service comes at acceptable prices”. Opened in 1994, it has moved a few steps along Crown Passage – “but the new venue is a great improvement”, “brightly but tastefully decorated and tables not overly close together”. “Service by the sisters/owners is as caring and knowledgeable as ever” – “long may the sisters flourish”.

“A buzzy, fashionable Italian that’s thoroughly enjoyable for a casual but high-quality meal” – this smart, all-day bar/brasserie behind the RA in the heart of Mayfair is fast approaching its half-century, and remains a favourite for a loyal clientele of glam local professionals for less formal business occasions; post-work meet-ups; or a “refined brunch”. The sceptical view of it is that it’s “all good, but very pricey for simple food”. Part of the Soho House group for the past 20 years, it now has branches at the Ned in the City, in Shoreditch, and in international cities from West Hollywood to Mumbai.

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.

2024 Review: “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.

“Bowled over by the quality of the pasta and the reasonable prices, especially for central London!” – that’s the appeal in a nutshell of these busy Soho and Covent Garden pitstops, which are – for their legions of fans – “useful go-tos in the West End for an affordable meal”. On the downside, some feel “the homemade pasta is less impressive than the reviews lead you to believe”; the experience can feel “rushed” (“I don’t count being reminded every ten minutes how long until they want your seats back as good service”); and the setting can seem “just too cramped”. Still, they must be doing something right, with recent openings in Borough and (as of summer 2025) Kensington.

This smart and notably “well-spaced” Savile Row veteran from The Evolv Collection (formerly D&D London) remains “super for business lunches”, but opinion remains split on the quality of its cuisine: some praise “exceptionally good and elegantly presented” dishes, while sceptics find only “disappointing cooking from a previously great restaurant”. Top Menu Tips – “great starters of Battuta di manzo, Tagliolini di cacio and pepe, and exceptional Lobster tagliolini; superb Veal Milanese for two with very light Zucchine fritte”.

“Consistently good family-style Italian restaurant in Soho” with “well priced, excellent food, and a nice vermouth bar serving its own creations” (they claim London’s largest selection of vermouths, as well as those they themselves make). Alongside good ranges of pizza and pasta – all of it homemade – the steaks are the highpoint of the short selection of ‘secondi’.

“Inspired, flavour-packed and distinctive Italian food served with flair” and “rooted in owner Jacob Kenedy’s heritage” helps make it “always uplifting to dine” at this “perennial favourite”, in a backstreet near Piccadilly Circus: one of the Top-20 most popular destinations in our annual diners’ poll. “Whether you sit at the counter with a fascinating view of the chefs making the magic happen – or at the tables – they make you feel like a part of the family and keep the exquisite morsels coming”, all from a “thoughtful” and “complex” menu, presented tapas-style, which incorporates all the regions of the country. There are also “lots of interesting Italian wines, with many available by the glass”, not to mention “top-notch Negronis”. “This place has been on the top of its game for 17 years now, probably because the dishes change so often, with a fabulous, clubby atmosphere even if it can sometimes be a little too noisy” (and “too crowded”). Top Menu Tips: “exceptional charcuterie and polenta”; “lovely Rabbit risotto, fennel sausage and courgette”; “the Courgette flowers are unbeatable”; “Stuffed olives Ascolana, speck, prawn risotto, espresso & Fernet may be the perfect lunch”.

Luxe Italian off Savile Row from an ancient Florentine banking and winemaking dynasty (Michelangelo and England’s Henry VIII were historical clients): it’s “nothing special food-wise”, but “the alfresco dining during better weather is the best in the area”. “The wine list is strong, albeit eye-wateringly expensive” – hardly a problem for the Mayfair hedge-funders who use it as their canteen.

“Does one thing and does it well” – pasta is made fresh on site each day at Stevie Parle’s “busy” Soho venue, and the resulting “great dishes are served quickly with a smile”. It’s “great value too”, so “a good go-to with a few friends for a quick bite”. Top Tip – “shows you don’t need burgers and chicken nuggets to make a good kids’ menu”.

“Like a stately ship, Murano glides on” and Angela Hartnett’s “sophisticated but relaxed” Mayfair HQ remains incredibly popular for its un-forced style, particularly for a special “romantic” occasion. Some dishes “put a nice twist on Italian staples” in line with Angela’s heritage, but the cuisine is in fact better characterised as modern European. Chef George Ormond maintains Angela’s “hallmark culinary style” – “deceptively simple preparation puts the emphasis on bringing out the flavour, while avoiding unnecessary faff”; while the “clever menu is designed so you can have any number of courses”. (“The depth of tastes in supposedly simple dishes such as mushroom tagliatelle, as well as the quality of the amuse bouches and breads will just put a smile on your face… less pretentious than some, the focus on excellent ingredients expertly cooked is impressive”). There’s “a lovely ambience” too, which owes more to the “attentive but not overly formal” service than to the “luxurious” furnishings. Despite all these positives, however, this was not a strong year for its ratings in the survey, with marks dragged down by a few uncharacteristic accusations of it being “overrated” and “not worth the cost”.

This “professional and consistently authentic” family-run Italian has occupied a prime corner site in central Mayfair since 1953, and pleases a crowd who are not keen to pay the ‘Mayfair prices’ charged elsewhere in the area. Breakfast (served from 7.30am), pizza and pasta dominate the menu.

“Skip the Pret sandwich and enjoy fresh pasta” – “a three-course lunch in well under an hour and for only £19.50, right in the heart of Piccadilly” – say fans of this smart but low-cost outfit (with a second branch in Covent Garden). But for somewhere that’s the brainchild of a star-chef such as Phil Howard, the feedback and ratings they inspire is mixed, with sceptics saying “it’s OK for pre-show or a quickie meal, I guess, but the thought did enter my head that I could do better at home”.