‘Hands-down the best Italian food in London’, proclaim avid followers of Giorgio Locatelli’s Michelin-starred hotspot – no wonder prime-time tables are hard to come by. The place is usually packed
with a mix of celebrating couples, ‘model Ralph Lauren’ families (kids are welcome) & a generous sprinkling of celebs, although the sexy dining room ‘perfectly balances privacy & people
watching’. You’re also likely to spot Giorgio himself, who regularly steps out of the kitchen to personally greet diners. His pastas are the real showstoppers – delicate yet gutsy offerings ranging
from nutty chestnut tagliatelle with wild mushrooms to pappardelle laced with rich kid ragù. Inventive meat & fish secondi (perhaps poached fillet of beef with salsa verde or wild sea bass in a
salt & herb crust) are also a triumph, & the panettone bread & butter pudding is angelically described as ‘heaven on a plate’. Flawless service secures a tight-run ship, & the
headache-inducing bills are generally deemed worth it. ‘In a word – bellissimo!’.
Wine List: The finest all-Italian list in the land, it name-checks the aristocracy of Italian wine, using notes & maps to unravel a confusing area. There’s a fine selection by the glass
but great-value pricing at all levels, & a vast choice under £30. BEST BUY WHITE 2007 Tocai Friulano Colli Orientali, Specogna, Friuli, Italy, £28. BEST BUY RED 2007 Dolcetto
d’Alba Pra di Po, Germano Ettore, Piedmont, Italy, £31.
Chef: Giorgio Locatelli
One of the best-known Italian chefs in London, Giorgio Locatelli has enjoyed a hugely successful career in the capital since his first stint in Anton Edelmann's kitchen at the Savoy 23 years ago. After a spell in Paris in the late 1980s, he returned to London to head up the kitchen at Olivio, building a solid reputation for rustic Italian food. He opened Chelsea eatery Zafferano for restaurateur Claudio Pulze, gaining a Michelin star in 1999, & went on to launch his own gaff, Locanda Locatelli, in 2002, winning a star the following year. The end of 2008 saw the appearance of Ronda Locatelli in the Atlantis The Palm hotel in Dubai. Giorgio's TV appearances include Pure Italian (UKTV Food) & Tony & Giorgio (BBC); he also has two cookery books to his name.
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One of the best-known Italian chefs in London, Giorgio Locatelli has enjoyed a hugely successful career in the capital since his first stint in Anton Edelmann's kitchen at the Savoy 23 years ago. After a spell in Paris in the late 1980s, he returned to London to head up the kitchen at Olivio, building a solid reputation for rustic Italian food. He opened Chelsea eatery Zafferano for restaurateur Claudio Pulze, gaining a Michelin star in 1999, & went on to launch his own gaff, Locanda Locatelli, in 2002, winning a star the following year. The end of 2008 saw the appearance of Ronda Locatelli in the Atlantis The Palm hotel in Dubai. Giorgio's TV appearances include Pure Italian (UKTV Food) & Tony & Giorgio (BBC); he also has two cookery books to his name.
