Italian cuisine doesn't get much better than at these London outposts
Simple, good-quality food in great company are the key ingredients to eating Italian, with meals bringing together friends and family for long dinners and a glass or two of Barolo. Here are five of the finest Italian restaurants in London – chosen by our members – as well as some cosier neighbourhood venues for times when the desire for pasta coincides with the desire to stay close to your front door. Call Ten if you'd like to book a table.
Cipriani
23-25 Davies Street, London W1K 3DE
Ciprani is our members' favourite Italian: the moment you step inside, you become a celebrity. You get the Italian treatment and you get welcomed with their famous Bellini. The menu includes dishes from both northern and southern Italy, including veal Milanese, baccala mantecato and ham ravioli. But members go less for the food than the atmosphere: the restaurant is fast-paced, and is a perfect location to see and be seen.
The wine list is also impressive – reasonably priced, diverse, and with a focus on Tuscan vintages. Cipriani fans can enjoy it when they travel, too – there are branches in New York, Hong Kong, and, of course, Italy (namely Venice and the exclusive Porto Cervo in Sardinia).
Guide price: £75
Locanda Locatelli
8 Seymour Street, London W1H 7JZ
Chef Giorgio Locatelli's Michelin-starred venture serves traditional Italian fare in sleek, modern surroundings. The simple, unfussy food scores points from members: all the courses, from the anchovies for antipasti, gnocchi and meat dishes to tiramisu, are superbly cooked – with an emphasis on quality ingredients.
Ten restaurant expert Hernan Castro Vidal says: 'Make sure you leave room for dessert too, as there is a choice for everyone.' Locanda Locatelli is ideal for groups of up to eight, whether you're celebrating a business deal with colleagues, an anniversary with the family (children are welcome) or a reunion with friends. The extensive wine list serves a number of vintages by the glass and half bottle so you can sample a selection.
Guide price: £35
Murano
20 Queen Street, London W1J 5PR
The décor of Angela Hartnett's Italian venture may not be any more traditionally Italian than Gordon Ramsay, who owns it – but the kitchen serves simple, robust, big-flavoured northern Italian food which is loved by members who have visited.
‘The two Murano-glass chandeliers combine with the restaurant's many mirrors to make you feel as though you're in a music box,' says Hernan. ‘But the delicate appearance isn't reflected in the food: they don't mess around with little salads.' Starters include risottos made from two-year-old parmesan and tortellini with Cromer crab, while mains focus on big meat dishes such as rib-eye steak with Barolo vinaigrette and lamb with shoulder tortellini. There's also a separate vegetarian menu.
Guide price: £80
Cecconi's
5a Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3EP
Nestled between Bond Street's designer boutiques and the art galleries of Cork Street, Cecconi's draws an eclectic crowd. Members go there for morning meetings over fresh juices, intense espresso and eggs, a light lunch or weekend brunch while shopping, or entertaining evening meals. The menu is elegant Italian that ranges from Venetian cicchetti (Italian tapas) at the bar to swordfish tartare and deliciously fresh pasta, such as lobster spaghetti. Cecconi's is open all day. Hernan says: ‘It's perfect for a lazy brunch with the newspapers or a glam evening meal.'
Guide price: Three-course set menu £45
Zafferano
15 Lowndes Street, London SW1X 9EY
This Michelin-starred restaurant is relaxed and sophisticated, and the same could be said of the uncomplicated-but-accomplished rustic Italian cooking. Members recommend the pasta parcels with ricotta and asparagus, homemade tagliolini with crab, roast sea bass with Vernaccia wine, and pan-fried beef fillet in red wine sauce – but all the food here deserves praise. There's also a truffle menu, so if you're a lover of the expensive fungi, you'll be well catered for. Hernan says it's good for groups, and nowhere will you find the famed Italian love of the family more evident than at Zafferano.
During the week, its 18-seater cellar-like private dining room caters for classy dinner parties, but on weekends families use it to enjoy a long lunch. Call Ten about booking a table or the private room (for you or your kids).
Guide price: £35
