C London

Whether it’s Johnny Depp fresh from a Leicester Square premiere or X Factor judges recovering from a nail-biting deadlock, C London is the go-to diner for A-list celebrities. If that conjures up giddy images of beau-monde sophistication, think again: this is fundamentally a very expensive version of an old-school Italian, catering to the undemanding tastes of the international super-rich. There’s a ‘Dubai does art-deco’ feel to the dining room with its high-gloss woods, mirrors and marble, while dapper waiters are mostly past the first flush of youth. If you can stomach the excruciating prices, the kitchen’s very generous renditions of risotto primavera, veal milanese (£41.10) and calf’s liver veneziana are competently done, and there’s a treat to finish in the form of ice cream whipped tableside. Italy leads the wine list, with little under £50.

C London is the result of four generation of Italians, starting with Giuseppe Cipriani in 1932, who started out in the restaurant business in Venice with Harry’s Bar. The restaurant is a well-established institution in the heart of London that has welcomed high-class clientele from all around the world for years.

The Mayfair restaurant caters to a well-heeled audience with their outstanding range of Italian fare, set within a beautifully decorated interior. Inside the restaurant, the décor is sophisticated and chic, a time capsule of a grander time with plush furnishings and rich colour palette. C London is classy and timeless.

The menu features a great variety of Italian classics and specialties, with many borrowed from Cipriani’s original restaurant in Venice, Harry’s Bar. Plus there are a few internationally-inspired dishes such as the sashimi and Japanese dover sole, from the Yotto Selection.

There are several daily menus, however the dishes rarely change, to keep up with the authenticity of the establishment, so you can expect the likes of veal chop ala milenese, beef carpaccio, and steak tartare as starters. The range of ingredients in the dishes is impressive and luxurious too, such as imperial gold oscietra caviar, as the restaurant places great emphasis on sourcing stunning produce.

The main menu features plenty of freshly made pastas and pizzas, such as spinach and cheese cannelloni, bucatini cacio e pepe, pappardelle with veal cheeks, scampi ravioli, and many more exciting dishes. For secondi piattis, punters can dine on seabream with lemon and capers, lamb chops, and veal kidney, while the grill section delivers hearty rounds of wagyu beef and ribeye tagliata.

For dessert and wines, there is a lovely selection of puddings such as crema antica and a well-executed rendition of tiramisu, while the wine list heavily features Italian regional specialties in additional to well-sourced international bottles.