Established in 1984 and situated in the heart of Belgravia, Santini can be appreciated as both a top London restaurant and a popular local eatery. It serves classical Italian food with a Venetian slant in a beautifully appointed dining room or alternatively, weather-permitting, out on the pavement in true Continental style.

The Venue
Situated on the corner of Ebury Street and Lower Belgrave Road, this contemporary looking restaurant is clean-cut and stylish with manicured box hedges guarding the entrance. The interior is immediately calming, a combination of the pastel-coloured walls, the marble floor, the inviting sunken chairs, the crisp white tablecloths and the fresh flowers, candles and sparkling wine glasses on the tables. Attention to detail in Santini seems to be paramount and one senses they will be looked after here.

The Atmosphere
And indeed you are. The service is slick and the staff enormously polite, perhaps even a tad wooden, but attentive nonetheless. If you so much as grasp your arm and curl your shoulders, the heating will subtly be turned up a notch. This adaptable restaurant can be many things: it is romantic, it is cool, it is casual and it is smart. Families come for a bite to eat, lovers for a lobster and Champagne date and corporate parties for a lengthy business lunch and surprisingly each seem at home here.

The Food
It must be said that at Santini they do not gild the lily. An amusingly phrased starter is an iceberg lettuce wedge with a gorgonzola sauce. Equally as understated is the slow cooked globe artichoke (£11) which is spectacular. It is roasted for hours in wine and copious amounts of butter and served smothered in a sumptuous, rich, almost meaty sauce. The traditional bean and pasta soup is heartily warming and full of fresh baby vine-tomatoes (£8). The growingly trendy zucchini flower filled with mozzarella and herbs is a tempting choice (£15) or the feisty grilled scallops Venetian style (£16).

As expected, homemade pasta with only Italian eggs and flour used, is a must. The carbonara is authentically creamy (£13) and the vongole is loaded with garlic and juicy tomatoes with the beautiful sweet baby clams nestled amongst the spaghetti (£17). For the fish lovers and those in need of some culinary spoiling, a seafood risotto (£18), a lobster spaghetti (£24) or a grilled Dover sole (market price) would certainly hit the spot.

On the meat front, the calves’ liver is stunning – gently char grilled pink and served on a bed of baby spinach, steeped in sage butter with crispy pancetta laid on top. The liver is tender, almost velvety and the texture contrast is so well thought-out. Mashed potato is a great accompaniment (to be ordered separately) and this is a dish that one dreads finishing – an utter success (£19). An array of interesting salads are not to be sneered at as a mere starter, they exude the same care and attention as the luxurious Scotch fillet of beef. The prawn cocktail is a slight spin on the original passe version, using huge, fresh, sweet King prawns drizzled with a sharp spiced Marie Rose sauce. It appears that whatever culinary delight arrives at the table, it could not have been foretold by the menu.

The Drink
The house white wine, Manzoni Loredan Gasparini 2006 (£25), is vibrant and lightly perfumed, a refreshing accompaniment to rich Italian flavours. For wine enthusiasts, the cellar also holds a limited number of a select few rare wines to choose from.

The Last Word
Overall, Santini is a family-run local Italian restaurant with a chic international vibe. It is undeniably expensive but considering they source their fruit and vegetables directly from Italy, their buffalo mozzarella is hand-made in Naples and providing you give them 24 hours notice, they will rustle up any Italian dish not on the menu – you'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

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