Como Garden

Restaurateurs and brothers Alberto and Arian Zandi are known for bringing Mediterranean bliss to the capital with their glamorous restaurants. Simply look to the likes of Mayfair royalty Riviera, or luxe Spanish spot El Norte, for a depiction of their signature style – unashamedly luxurious, usually with an immersive element, and a whole lot of fun. Como Garden continues the theme with this Kensington site, transporting guests to the Italian gardens of Lake Como via leafy interiors and regional sharing plates.

The décor is, without a doubt, half the draw. In the centre, a sprawling tree illuminated by a trail of fairylights overlooks three circular booths. While fake green foliage covers pretty much every surface, from walls wrapped in ivy-lined trellis, to hanging pot plants. This lush oasis is the sort of glitzy scene you expect to see on social media feeds – and it is fun. Seats are filled with everyone from families to dates to big groups celebrating a birthday. Clearly, it’s got wide appeal.

The food is a similar deal: decadent dishes served with a touch of theatre, from cone-shaped truffle arancini delivered in miniature copper pans, to neat swirls of cheesy taglioni hidden beneath giant truffle shavings. Those truffle arancini are gooey with Fontina cheese, wonderfully crisp and finished with a lick of honey. There are please-all pasta dishes, including a bowl of tomato and prawn spaghetti which was tasty, if overpriced at £26 a pop. This is crowd-pleasing dining though, and we suggest you stick to the classics. We can't help but crack a smile as its signature ‘meringue torta’ is planted in front of us, a layered extravaganza of soft sponge, lemon buttercream and torched meringue.

Ok, this isn’t quite the height of gastronomy, but for photo-friendly interiors, familiar Italian plates and a hefty dose of glitz, Como Garden ticks every box.

Sister restaurant to the glitzy, glamorous Zuaya in Kensington, Como Garden is an Italian restaurant that takes inspiration from all over the Italian peninsula, creating a menu of big hitting dishes. Small plates are delivered tapas-style, giving diners the opportunity to try a wide spectrum of different dishes and share between themselves. 

For those looking for somewhere elegant for lunch, dinner or a drink with a friend, Como Garden's pastel-pink cushions and marble table tops are perfect. Many of the walls are lined with trellis, allowing climbing plants to wind their way around the restaurant and giving the room the feeling of a Mediterranean garden terrace. 

The menu is split between antipasti, pasta, meat and seafood, vegetables and contorni (sides), with plenty to choose from in each section. It's clear that some love has gone into the menu, and Como Garden takes a lot of pride in making sure dishes are properly executed - all the pasta, for example, is hand made each day by a specialist pasta chef, before going into dishes like trofie with pesto, ravioli with gorgonzola and caramelised walnuts, beef ragu lasagna and truffle and Parmesan tagliolini. Other sections feature classic, beloved dishes from across Italy, whether it's Fontina and Parmesan arancini, vitello tonnato, sea bass alla Siciliana, a rich, melting aubergine Parmigiana, or a beautiful caponata of aubergine, tomato and roasted pine nuts. If you've still got room for dessert, finish the meal off with a creamy tiramisu, or the signature meringue torta. 

If you're struggling to choose, Como Garden also has a set menu available, whilst the cocktail menu features a host of signature Como Garden specialities, as well as Italian classics.