Scalini has long been a favourite with west London locals, visitors and celebs alike, well-regarded for excellent Italian cooking and slick service. This smart restaurant has been going strong for 35 years and counting, and offers a cosy private dining room for those planning a special occasion in the vicinity of Chelsea, Belgravia and Knightsbridge.
You can hardly miss Scalini’s striking royal blue frontage with golden yellow awnings, and inside the restaurant is a little more understated, with starched napkins, tablecloths and neutral colours setting a sophisticated vibe. If you want to book for a larger party, groups of six or more will need to consult the team, and the private dining room hosts up to 24 guests for a special meal, hosted exclusively on the first floor.
The menu is packed with classic regional Italian cooking from all over the country. Guests have a huge choice of hot and cold antipasti to look through, including courgette flowers stuffed with mozzarella and tomato sauce, baked avocado, crab and creamy cheese sauce and seared scallops with garden peas puree and black truffle. Make sure you save room, though, because there’s an equally large choice of excellent pasta dishes - we recommend having a look at the signatures like fettuccine al ragu bianco and tartufo nero, or spaghetti all’ astice.
There are fish and meat dishes too, with plenty of choice offered between the likes of grilled baby chicken and a rack of ribs, as well as dover sole cooked in lemon butter sauce or lobster in a creamy mustard sauce with mushrooms. Meanwhile, you can kick off your meal with a spot of aperitivo, before diving into Scalini’s extensive Italian regional wine list, with options spanning across red, white and rose wine, as well as sparkling by the glass and in magnums, if you really want to push the boat out and do something special.