London’s love affair with all things Italy shows no signs of slowing, from foodie festivals to homely trattorias popping up around the capital. But what caught my eye recently? Lavish Mayfair restaurant Il Gattopardo’s new weekend menu, that’s actually more affordable than you might think…
Undeniably Italian decor and opulent finishing touches. Il Gattopardo delivers on all fronts. The cocktails are next level too.
DesignMyNight's Review Of Il Gattopardo Mayfair
In terms of location, Il Gattopardo Mayfair (translated to leopard, in case you’re wondering) is in very good company indeed. You’re right by New Bond Street among designer shops and boutiques like Gucci, plus a short stroll to Berkeley Square. Having opened in 2023, joining its sister site in Dubai, this fancy Italian restaurant is setting itself apart from others in the area by making luxurious meals fun, plus you can’t help but feel at home in the chic vintage surrounds.
While we’re on that note: expect rich mahogany panels, shimmering chandeliers and cool, mismatched antique artwork, plus sapphire-hued comfy sofas paired with vivid red and gold accents. But, as our visit coincided with a sunny day, we were shown to the hidden courtyard, boasting trailing ivy, mid-century mirrors that reflected the light, tortoiseshell lamps, indoor trees, alfresco-style seats and, cleverly, a fully retractable roof.
We were here to try the newly launched Il Pranzo weekend menu (a very reasonable £58 per person). Drawing influence from traditional Italian family meals, everything is designed to be shared, but still retains the fine dining element. Four plates arrived first AKA the antipasti. From the moreish, crispy pizzetta, crafted using fresh fior di latte, San Marzano sauce and basil oil to the calamari’s zesty circular golden bites of joy, we were off to a flying start. Special shout out to the zingy lemon aioli too.
Check out the sleek surrounds, featuring a
glamorous bar area with a Hollywood feel.
I was particularly fond of Treccia, a beautifully presented plate boasting a sunrise-coloured selection of tomatoes, tangy pesto and pillowy mozzarella. As for the Insalata Mista? We loved the attention to detail, served from a traditional wooden bowl by our impeccable host Byron. This cut through the richness of the first course, bringing together mixed seasonal leaves, capers, precise slices of carrot and tomato, drizzled in an aged balsamic dressing and seasoned to your taste.
Having a bespoke cocktail offering to match the new Il Gattopardo menu was a nice touch. So, to start, we opted for a strawberry and basil bellini (£16), proving to be a popular option among guests. Blending fruity puree with Italian sparkling wine that’s poured at your table for theatre, this drink benefitted from when the basil was rubbed around the glass first, enhancing the herby flavour. For £60, you could supersize to four guests too. For actual liquid summer? Try the iconic limoncello spritz (£16).
Next up, the mains. Norma, a generous mound of mezzi rigatoni pasta, still retained its refined edge with flavour-packed aubergine and shavings of salted ricotta; the latter being particularly unusual yet delicious. More please. As I am a vegetarian, my dinner date had the Tagliata all to himself. Think melt-in-the-mouth beef sirloin cooked to perfection: pink in the middle and charred on the outside, doused in a rich red wine jus.
Quite frankly, we needed to take a break from eating. Following recommendations by our fab sommelier, I tried the Fioranello Bianco (£13). Originating from the central part of Italy, this intense but fruity tipple was a great match with the complex notes of our main. We couldn’t help but order a refreshing, bubbly Hugo spritz (£18) too, which seems to be having a moment on TikTok (but hey, maybe that’s my feed).
The terrace was airy, plus don't miss the secret, curtain-draped space flaunting a dedicated cigar menu.
After checking out the Il Gattopardo reviews, I was excited to try the puds, and they were every bit as playful as the other dishes. Gelato Mantecato was an elegant take on a nostalgic throwback - where you add marinated strawberries, a Ferrero Rocher-like praline dip and an indulgent thick dark chocolate sauce to a delightfully soft fior di latte ice cream. Top tip, give it a good mix to fully appreciate the flavour. Tiramisu is honestly up there with my favourites of all time, particularly the mascarpone cream which was unbelievably velvety smooth. The biscuit base wasn’t soggy, plus the hit of espresso went down a treat. Hand-spooned onto our plate by Byron, we also enjoyed the dusting of the leopard logo on top – very smart indeed.
To close our visit, a duo of dessert cocktails. The appropriately titled La Dolce Vita (£19) was a unique espresso martini-like sip made with mandarin liqueur and topped with authentic Italian cream, but with added wow-factor because of the dry ice (everyone actually looked round when it was served). My Django (£18), presented in a charming leopard print glass, reminded me of an upmarket pina colada – blending whiskey, Disaronno, banana jam, coconut and caramel. It wasn’t too overpoweringly sweet which showed the level of skill here. Our advice? Browse through the cocktail menu, even if you’re not thirsty, as the vintage artwork is a sight in itself.
Il Gattopardo Mayfair Review: Overall
I’ll definitely cherish our time at Il Gattopardo restaurant, as
not only were we treated like family right from the start
(including by manager Merve) but the passion in their modern
versions of authentic, timeless Italian dishes was ingrained with
every bite. The surroundings were beautiful and, being in Mayfair,
everything felt very VIP too. The sharing element of the new
weekend menu was fun, plus trust us when we say you won’t leave
hungry. The portions were very generous and we basically had to be
rolled out of the venue.
|
💰 Price: £203 excluding service. 📍 Address: 27 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4HZ. 👌 Perfect for: Relaxed weekends with friends. ⭐ Need to know: There are gorgeous private hire spaces towards the back and underneath for special occasions. |
Have the Il Gattopardo reviews got you wanting more? If so, discover London's top Italian restaurants.
