Sartoria Review

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Best for: lessons in Italian style and panache.

Great: little Mayfair cocktail bar; Italian wine list; regional specials.

Fashion, aside from music, is the only form of communication that requires no words in order to convey a message. This unstoppable behemoth is the only industry big enough to be seen with the naked eye from space, and it’s an industry in which the models of aspiration are so beyond human that they necessitate the prefix ‘super’. Become a victim in Fashion World and an exposé will see you suffer full frontal public ignominy.

There’s no questioning high standards. You shop on Saville Row, you know what to expect. If it’s not beautifully crafted and reassuringly expensive, leave it for the plebs. This short Mayfair street is woven from a common thread: class. Tucked neatly into its lapel is a confident tailor to shape every taste, size and wallet measurement, and it goes by the name Sartoria; an Italian restaurant, having presumably dropped the bookend ‘L’ plate in a defiant attempt to distance itself from the ‘learners’ of the sartorial realm.

Accessories are the cornerstone of any successful outfit and likewise Sartoria is wisely blessed with many frills and trimmings. For example, the cocktail bar, the opulent silk tie in the full Sartoria ensemble, is where the men take the opportunity to dress down and the women take the opportunity to dress up. This is not beer territory; this is No Country For Oiled Men. Saville Row Slings and far from disappointing Pimms instill a sense of freshness to an early eve; much like changing into a new tailored shirt after a long day at the coal face. The complimentary stuzzichini of basil chilli soup, parmesan, and pork chips helps to loosen that tie just a little.

Slipping into the roomy restaurant and inspecting the contours of its elegant settings, it’s easy to see how one size fits all: couples cuddle up on couches; the middling aged gather at larger round tables; private rooms contain ritzy birthday parties and suits racking up bumper company bills; and the window settings are provided for those who prefer a warm summer breeze to waft in and with it the whooping and hollering from double decker party buses and stretched limos passing by with the cast of The Only Way Is Essex on board, just beyond the leathery, tanned, plastic surgery-obsessed shopaholics filling the pavement with Prada shopping and pomp.

The chirpy waiters, the maitre D’, the sommelier, the bar staff; all handle the job of creating the ultimate bespoke experience with the utmost understated professionalism, quietly communicating the provenance, flavours, and processes involved with each dish, producing for Italian food what the moon hitting your eye like a big-a pizza pie produced for Dean Martin.

Like most aspects, the menu is very Italian (even the toilets are graced by Dolce Vita’s water fountain beauty, Anita Ekberg). Antipasti, pesci, carni, pasta, risotto, as standard, with the addition of a monthly regional food and wine showcase. Our visit to Mayfair included an affordable trip to Sardinia, where grilled aubergine and peppers married a Trebbiano D’Abruzzo from Caldora; where the theatre of a deboned-at-the-table black sea bream was given a standing ovation by a Vernaccia Karmis; and where a hard, mellow, honey-drizzled pecorino cheese was introduced to a Vernaccia di Oristano from the year 2000 (they got on very well). I watched all this unfold from across the table. It was punctuated with a variety of noises that signified complete satisfaction.

Meanwhile, my own happy sojourn was taking in diver caught scallops. They looked very comfortable thank you very much in their individual shell casings, lying on a beach of rock salt. They certainly didn’t cooperate when I attempted to manoeuvre them towards their glad demise. Each time the cutlery was set down, it was instantly covered in salt. That said, the crispness was there, as in all the dishes, in this case thanks to the sharp, bitterness of dandelion’s Italian cousin, itself balanced out by a sweet peach and a fresh Sauvignon Ronco delle Betulle.

Although my suckling pig belly with pickled cherries was so gratifyingly luxurious it could have probably set up its own successful fashion house had I not eaten it, its unusual bean and mash duo accompaniment was possibly an overkill, possibly a lesson in texture, I’m undecided, so instead I should’ve chosen the regional one-offs for better value.

There are many smaller touches that add to Sartoria’s overall appeal - the bar’s comedy legs; the choice of olive oil with bread (spicy pips floral); the overall sartorial theme (button motifs, mannequins, suit patterns, but no dotted lines on the tablecloths unfortunately) - but it's Sartoria’s freshness and élan that reward it with a fitting environment. Italians are, after all, synonymous with style. I counted only two people wearing jeans in the restaurant. And one of them was desperately trying to make cursory efforts to cover up a visible bicep tattoo. He was me and I should’ve known better.

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Christian Rose-Day 25 Jul 2011

Sartoria Description

Sartoria offers a welcome sanctuary for sophisticated West End shoppers and the perfect setting to watch the rest of Mayfair pass by, while you sit back, sipping some of the best wine Italy has to offer and tucking into dishes, such as Ayrshire rose veal Milanese and wilted spinach, or roasted monkfish, Tropea onion purée and crispy Parma ham. The stylish Milanese-inspired interior incorporates a mix of cushioned sofas and chair seating, interspersed with soft-lamp lighting to ensure that you do feel as comfortable as possible.

Customer Reviews for Sartoria

Average (based on 1 votes): 1 Atmosphere: Value: Quality:

The following customer reviews are not endorsed by Fluid London and are simply those of users who wish to publish their independent experiences of Sartoria.

“One of the best Italian restaurants in London. The service is excellent and engaging (they spend time explaining where everything is from), and the standard of the cuisine equals that. Grab a window seat if you can. And pop into the bar for a cocktail beforehand.”
Atmosphere: Value: Quality:
The Restaurant Hunter, London (1 years 10 months 25 days ago)

Sartoria Opening Hours

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: Italian
• Average Price: £55.00
• Dress Code: Not Specified
• Group: D&D London