Long-standing Italian restaurant Manicomio Chelsea is a fixture of Chelsea’s Duke of York Square and well-known among locals as a reliably good place to eat. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Manicomio Chelsea can cater to almost every culinary whim, with well-drilled staff and a warm atmosphere coming as standard.
The dining room here is a sleek and sophisticated affair, complete with navy blue walls, brown leather banquette seating and heavily dressed tables. As for the menu, expect a short but well considered list of classic and contemporary Italian dishes, primed for comfort and indulgence (although there are a few more virtuous offerings for the health conscious too). Start your meal with warm, fluffy homemade focaccia, grilled artichoke hearts and olives, before moving onto antipasti plates like endive and fig salad with gorgonzola, burrata with Romero peppers and Cantabrian anchoves, and calamari fritti.
For your pasta course, choose between classics like Portland lobster linguine with tomato, chilli and garlic or an authentic pasta carbonara, with the option of additional black truffle if you're feeling celebratory. Meat and fish options meanwhile include a classic chicken Milanese with rocket, fennel and radish, as well as veal chop with crispy Parma ham. You can also pad out your meal with pots of crisp zucchini fritti and rosemary chips.
Save some room after all that so you can tuck into traditional Italian desserts of gelato or tiramisu, or plump for a slice of Amalfi lemon tart. For those who prefer liquid afters, be sure to peruse Manicomio Chelsea’s vast selection of European wines, while those who diners who favour other alcoholic beverages won’t miss out either thanks to Manicmio’s selection of classic cocktails sitting alongside house signatures, plus a range of craft beers and pale ales too.