Sartoria offers a dining experience that feels as tailored to your needs as the fine suits made in its Savile Row surroundings.

The Venue
You could be forgiven for mistaking Sartoria for one of the many lavish suit-making shops on Savile Row. A tailor’s mannequin stands in the window, and is suited to greet customers and emphasise the great tailoring tradition of the area. Inside, the low-ceilinged restaurant and bar is chic and sophisticated, with appropriate mood-lighting and fairly neutral, continental décor. The restaurant, bar and private function room are delicately divided into three by black and white partitions, whilst an open plan kitchen ensures appetising Mediterranean aromas waft through the restaurant. The option of sofa seating permits a more casual dining experience, but crisp, white tablecloths reinforce a sense of occasion.

The Atmosphere
Staff at Sartoria go out of their way to make you feel fully pampered. They know the menu inside out and their passion for Italian cuisine is made abundantly clear. The in-house sommelier is a treat - knowledgeable and entertaining in equal parts - and this level of customer service is a much needed feat given the ever so slightly snooty clientele. It does feel like there’s something of a contest of extravagance at play amongst the clientele, but that’s probably all part of the draw for Mayfair diners. And luckily, the sizeable restaurant floor fills out quickly, taking the spotlight off the competition.

The Food
Each month the set menu at Sartoria changes to showcase specialities of different Italian regions. The a la carte menu only adapts seasonally, but it is no less a celebration of authentic Italian foods, and the option of four courses is purely the Italian way. The affettati e carpacci menu will please lovers of fine Italian meats, with the carpaccio ‘battuta Fassone’, pamigiano, rucola (raw fassone beef, aged parmesan, rocket - £14) being surprisingly light, with a delicate balance of flavour and beef that's tender and tasty as it melts in the mouth.

Antipasti options celebrate seafood and vegetarian delights. The vellutata di piselli (pea veloute - £7) is served with summer truffles, giving this simple dish a big kick of earthy flavour that develops on the palate long after the first bite. Frittura di calamari, gamberi, melanzane, zucchini (deep fried squid, prawns, courgette and aubergine with tartare sauce - £12) is a generous platter of giant prawns, calamari and baby squid, and this succulent seafood is all the better for a coating in light, crunchy batter. And the capesante, nespole cicorino (diver caught scallops, nespole, dandelion - £16) comes highly recommended by staff who enthuse over its delicate and sophisticated balance of subtle, fruity flavours.

Pasta and risotto can be enjoyed as a second course or as a main course for a £4 supplement. Linguine all’astice scozzese (Scottish lobster linguine - £22) is a very large plate of beautifully cooked pasta in a sweet tomato sauce; the tender lobster adding further sweetness to the dish. Although Sartoria isn't exactly a safe haven for vegetarians, carnivores will be blown over with what’s on offer for the main course. On the meat menu are options as authentic as vitello Milanese (veal Milanese - £25) and tagliata di manzo, pomodori datterino, rucola, funghi (rib eye beef, datterino tomatoes, rocket, wild mushrooms - £26). A winning fish dish is the orata, piselli, aglio selvatico (sea bream, peas, wild garlic - £22), which has two fleshy cuts of sea bream balanced on a bed of peas and pea emulsion. This dish is as delicate and light as the courses before it, proving once again that Italian food doesn’t have to be all about pizza, pasta and over-indulgence.

For dessert, affogato (£6) is a divine mix of vanilla ice cream and espresso coffee that gives plenty of kick, especially when staff offer to add a shot of Disaronno for good measure. And tortino bergamotto, mandorle, meringhe (almond, bergamot tart, meringue - £7) is presented on a charcoal slab with a crisp meringue mounted on top of a soft and chewy tart.

The Drink
Sartoria impresses with its lengthy wine list, brimming with Italian tipples listed by region. For celebrations, Champagne and sparkling wines are top notch, the cheapest bottle of bubbly being a Piper Heidsieck for £50. Fine wines are matched perfectly according to food by Sartoria’s own sommelier. The 2009 gavi di gavi ‘lugarara’ (£40 a bottle, £9.50 a glass) stands up to the rich and flavoursome dishes on the menu particularly well. Prices start at £20 a bottle and move up to £300 for the more vintage selections, and with over 200 bottles on the list, it’s likely diners will be spoilt for choice. There is also a strong selection of dessert wines and ports to wash down something sweet, with glasses ranging from £6 to £13.50. However, if wine is not your thing, you may feel a touch out of place at Sartoria.

The Last Word
It comes as little surprise that this Mayfair restaurant rolls out the red carpet in such style for its guests. This five star service combines with top-notch Italian nosh and a breathtaking wine list to ensure Sartoria really is a cut above the rest.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (2) image gallery (6) book a table