Fumo

This all-day restaurant and bar from the San Carlo group won’t disappoint if you’re after a mid-priced Theatreland Italian. Aldo Zilli is menu adviser here and proclaimed Fumo “the most beautiful restaurant in London”. While we found the decor to be a rather clumsy mixture of textures and patterns, its cossetting lighting and soothing creams make it pleasant nevertheless. The restaurant’s trump card on our visit was in fact the entertaining brigade of Italian waiters, all well-versed on Fumo’s lengthy menu. Sharing is encouraged, via small portions of hay-roasted lamb cutlets, deeply tangy tomato paccheri or miniature designer pizzas. Zilli knows his food and his separate, self-titled specials menu produced our richly cheesy pancetta cannelloni, delicately baked for a fine crisp at the edge, supported by shards of almond. With ample choice at various prices on the regional wine list too, Fumo delivers a strong (if not thrilling) package.