Sartoria

Mayfair’s restaurant scene is largely split between two distinct camps, namely that of flashy joints which double up as bars and court the young Instagram-loving crowd, and those that speak to the Mayfair of old, serving traditional food in elegant and refined settings.

Italian restaurant Sartoria falls into the latter camp. As befits the Savile Row location, Sartoria is home to a stylish bar by the entrance, which leads through to the stately dining room, where you can expect a mix of honeycomb columns and white tablecloths which give the room a sense of grandeur, while curved banquette seating and vibrant floral arrangements stop things from feeling too stuffy.

The menu is divided up traditionally into antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni. He’s not afraid of simplicity, as shown in starters such as mounds of sweet brown and white crab presented alongside pickled radish and green apple, or a plate of seasonal vegetables with puréed pulses. However, like the well-dressed clientele, Sartoria isn’t averse to luxury either: witness the likes of Grana Padano risotto with saffron and pigeon, or tagliolini with Scottish lobster.

The spaghetti carbonara is always the star of the show for us, arriving at the table hidden underneath an avalanche of black truffle shavings. Push these aside to reveal a glossy egg yolk in the centre, leaking along the thick strands of spaghetti. Creamy, rich and comforting, this is the sort of truly sensational pasta dish that we could see ourselves returning for again and again.

Main courses are also worthy of top billing – we loved the home-cured black cod with its lingering liquorice taste and we also liked the look of roasted pork belly with n’duja and honey.

High prices and a mature crowd may not be appealing to younger Mayfair diners (none of the customers on our visit looked under 40) but Sartoria does have an ace up its sleeve with its sumptuous Libare Bar. A perfect spot for date-night drinks, Libare doles out the Italian classics like Bellinis, Negronis and Spritzes. If that’s not enough to tempt you, the intimate street-side terrace is a great spot for people watching. 

Sartoria is a swanky Italian restaurant in the heart of Mayfair, brought to London by the D&D restaurant collection. It serves an all-day dining menu inspired by Sicily and the surrounding areas of Italy, bringing a slice of the Mediterranean to this elegant part of the city.  

Inside, the restaurant reflects the Italian heritage of the food. Sartoria heralds cutting design by acclaimed designer David d’Almada who wanted to evoke the romance and the glamour of 20th century Italy. Circular leather booth seats create cosy corners within the restaurant to evoke a sense of privacy, while neutral tones, comfortable seating and white tablecloths bring a sense of plush luxury to the room. The restaurant also boasts a heated terrace, destination bar, cicchetti counter, two private dining rooms and wine cellar. 

Looking at the menu shows that it isn’t afraid of simplicity with guests able to start with antipasti such as burrata, fennel and oranges or salami with buffalo mozzarella and nduja bruschetta. For the ‘primi’ course, there’s saffron risotto with roasted pigeon and spaghetti carbonara – because everyone loves a classic. For ‘secondi’, try home-cured black cod with liquorice, veal Milanese and wild turbot with clams, capers and tomato confit. To finish, insist on zabaglione.  

This is an all-day affair remember, so swing by for brunch served every Saturday from 12pm, where you can feast on the likes of smoked salmon with burrata and salsa verde or eggs with nduja and roasted peppers. There is also a four-course set menu that includes homemade tortellini and lemon basil panna cotta if you're feeling indecisive.   

A seriously impressive wine list from regions all over Italy will have you spoilt for choice, as will the series of Disaronno cocktails, perfect for a pre or post-dinner tipple.