Alba London

Alba splashed onto the scene in 2025, with all the glitz and glam you’d expect from a restaurant that neighbours Harrods. The capital is hardly lacking polished Italian restaurants, but Alba dials things up a notch, leaning confidently into its luxury, with a few theatrical moments thrown in for good measure.

The dining room is long and narrow, flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows on one side and a bustling open kitchen on the other, where the day’s catch is displayed on ice. The stretched room, with its low lighting and wood-deck style tables, draws inspiration from superyacht aesthetics, balanced with citrus trees, terracotta hues and pops of yellow that seamlessly ties together the site’s Mediterranean feel.

It’s a space clearly built for spectacle, attracting a well-heeled and camera-ready crowd, soundtracked by Ibiza-style beats and a buzzing energy that never fades. It’s undeniably glamorous, perhaps a touch performative, but the food more than holds its own. A nine-course tasting menu offers a whistle-stop tour of Italy, drawing on regional recipes that have been elevated with premium imported ingredients.

Each course is pure indulgence, executed with expert precision: oysters arrive sharpened with parsley oil and white balsamic; wafer-thin beef carpaccio is layered with black truffle, Grana Padano and aioli, and a langoustine tartare with foie gras leans fully into decadence, lifted by a sweet balsamic glaze.

Pasta, however, is where Alba truly shines. A cuttlefish raviolo, generously filled with the fish - ink and all - is bold and briny, cutting through a luxuriously creamy sauce. Equally impressive is the caramelle Genovese, its veal ragu filling wrapped in sweet, butter-glossed pasta and finished with sage and heaped spoonfuls of savoury jus. Each bite is rich, comforting and beautifully executed.

Whilst most of the evening’s dishes come with a final flourish at the table, dessert is the true showstopper. The Ferrero Rocher gelato - a giant hazelnut-coated sphere - is theatrically sliced tableside, smothered in a dark chocolate sauce and a sprinkling of crushed nuts. It’s clearly designed with social media in mind, but it’s undeniably delicious all the same, and makes for a suitably extravagant finale.

Prices are firmly in Knightsbridge territory, but Alba delivers on its promise of unapologetic luxury and excellent Italian cooking.

Right across the street from Harrods, Alba is an Italian restaurant bringing a taste of the Amalfi Coast to Brompton Road. At Alba, guests can revel in the heart and soul of Southern Italy with a Knightsbridge Dolce Vita touch. Think lobster linguine, taglioni with Mazara prawns, and pizza topped with caviar, plus a bespoke wine cellar brimming with some fantastic tipples from France and Italy.

The name means 'sunrise' in Italian, and space makes guests feel more like they are on a sea view terrace in Sorrento rather than a busy Central London Road. Real citrus trees line the space, while furnishings follow a coastal colour palette. The floors are Venetian, and the interiors are slick and elegant, with furniture designed by a company that usually focuses on yacht design rather than restaurants. These elements work in harmony to bring a sense of luxury and elegance to the space.

The Alba menu is all about regional classics with a luxury facelift, offering up the likes of saffron risotto with Mazara prawns and black caviar, and yellowtail crudo with black truffle. It kicks off with Maldon, Jersey and Scottish oysters, as well as a selection of premium caviar, and continues with a selection of raw fish dishes, including langoustine tartare with foie gras. There's also a range of sharing dishes, featuring a classic beef carpaccio with black truffle and artichoke, and a plato di mare with oysters, a selection of seafood, fish carpaccio and clams. 

Alba pizzas, meanwhile, include toppings like porcini mushrooms and black truffle, along with a signature number with scrambled egg and black caviar. You'll also find more classic dishes, like courgette flowers, fritto misto, and aubergine parmagiana. There's a lot of seafood, but the meat section also offers A5 Japanese Wagyu steaks, veal Milanese and lamb chops, while desserts include a very tempting pistachio tiramisu.