La Terrazza Kensington

Although the restaurant runs an all-day menu, we tried the afternoon tea, which the following review relates to:

An afternoon tea brings to mind something quintessentially British, like balmy Spring days nibbling on cucumber sandwiches, spreading clotted cream onto jam laden scones (or vise versa depending on where you hail from in the country), and rounding off with a miniature victoria sponge for good measure. So the idea of a Mediterranean inspired affair feels a little unsettling, but La Terrazza at Hotel Xenia have broken the mould and done so with effortless Italian style.

Settled into our seat in the conservatory section of the restaurant, with the sun beaming down and a pianist serenading guests in the background, the afternoon tea kicks off to a fairly traditional start. Before long, a cake stand boasting all the classic components arrives, with dainty sandwiches, picture perfect puddings, and pots of tea arrivin. Upon a closer look, you can see the Italian flavours creeping through. Think Gorgonzola sandwiches, bejewelled with walnuts along the edge, and a delicious beef and mustard option with wafer thin slices of pink beef. But the stand out sandwich was the focaccia with roasted vegetables and olive tapenade. The salty, umami flavour from the olives was well balanced by the slightly acidic tomatoes and charred vegetables.

Dessert sees a variety of tarts and cakes arrive at the table, like white chocolate mousse with a pistachio base and raspberry coulis. But it was the tiramisu that was crowned a winner by us, with a perfect combination of intense coffee and creamy mascarpone. The only downside? We wish we could’ve had full size portions of it.

To round off our dolce vita afternoon, the scones arrive alongside a pot of Nutella. Traditionalists don’t panic - jam and cream was also provided, but we were far too distracted by the chocolate addition to notice. We know it’s a rogue topping for a scone, but we’re here for anything that encourages even more chocolate throughout our day.

All of this paired with the first-class service, and we couldn’t be happier that La Terrazza diversified from tradition to offer us something a little different, but equally as tasty.

La Terrazza, located in Kensington’s glamorous Hotel Xenia, is an equally glamorous all-day Italian restaurant. Here, head chef Raffaele Lauriola serves up creative, modern Italian fare, taking inspiration from his childhood in northern Puglia. All ingredients are carefully sourced, then showcased in simply prepared dishes. Taking a prime spot on the corner of Lexham Gardens and Cromwell Road, the restaurant is a light and bright space. Hang plans surround the stylish bar, while numerous floor-to-ceiling windows flood the dining room with natural light throughout the day. There are cosy armchairs at each table, ideal for relaxed dining.

The menu follows the traditional Italian structure of antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci, with a few contorni on the side. There is plenty of choice throughout, catering to most diets. Diners can snack on a selection of olives, before enjoying the likes of panzanella with grilled octopus, salmon tartare with avocado and calypso sauce or burrata with wild rocket and candied tomatoes. The primi offering is, as one would expect, primarily pasta dishes such as lobster and artichoke ravioli, pappardelle with duck ragu and spaghetti carbonara. There are some non-pasta options too, including aubergine parmigiana or risotto with red radicchio and hazelnuts.

The secondi are the main event, featuring showstoppers like braised lamb shoulder with Sicilian couscous, grilled seabass with sauteed spinach or chicken Milanese with roasted potatoes. Finally, there is an excellent selection of delicious desserts like a classic tiramisu, white chocolate mousse or sfogliata with mixed wild berries. For a quicker bite, there are also sandwiches and ciabattas available, with fillings like scamorza, speck and caramelised onion or ham, pesto and mozzarella. Ideal for catching up over drinks are the charcuterie boards, featuring prosciutto, coppa, salame, speck, spianata piccante and bresaola, as well as cheeses like parmiggiano, pecorino, gorgonzola, auricchio and taleggio with millefiori honey.