Locanda Locatelli retains its top spot as my favourite London restaurant

Locanda Locatelli. After my week-long flirtation with Burgundy, it was a bit like returning to the arms of your loving husband after a torrid affair and realising that, as enticing as the variety was, he has always been the love of your life. Just one bite of Giorgio’s papardelle with wild boar sauce, accompanied by a luscious Sicilian red wine, brought me to my senses.

Locanda Locatelli has held its position as my favourite restaurant in London since I first dined there five years ago. While I’ve been there four or five times since, I haven’t made it since the inception of this blog (and owe thanks to my friends at The Economist for resolving that grim situation), so I was curious to see, after so many other spectacular dining experiences, if it would hold its place in my heart. Yes. It does. Resoundingly.

I am extremely particular about my Italian food. It is my ancestral cuisine, what I cook most often myself and something with which I believe, without flattering myself too much, I create some real magic. If I’m looking for something better than my own creations I think not of restaurants but to my cousin Mildred Carbone, whose eggplant parmaggiana would pull tears of delight from the most sober critic. My evaluation of an Italian restaurant has always, therefore, been: “is this significantly better than what comes out of Ferrara family kitchens?”

In the case of star chef Giorgio Locatelli and his kitchen staff the answer has always been, and remains, a resounding “si”. Giorgio doesn’t do pretension or fuss. His menu is, at its heart, quite traditional. But he manages to bring something exemplary to every dish he touches. I’ve sampled some of my own best dishes here … sea bass baked in a coffin of rock salt, tiramisu, of which everyone usually says mine is the best they’ve ever had … and Giorgio takes them to a new plane. I don’t know how he does it, but every menu item is infused with a magic that makes it the finest example of that particular dish you’ve ever tasted.

It is, quite probably, his passion. Watch Giorgio Locatelli live, as I have been privileged to do at several events, and you see a man who clearly believes that good food is the foundation of everything from personal relationships to world peace. His cookbook is the only one I’ve ever actually read cover to cover; it’s not a book of recipes, it’s a religious tract on the possibilities of food and love, time and attention, to transform the planet.

This visit, in addition to the boar, I went on to venison with a fig compote, followed by white chocolate ice cream sitting side-by-side with a decadent hazelnut and chocolate biscuit. The sweets were perfectly balanced by a gently sparkling Moscato which proved to be one of the best dessert wines I’ve ever tasted. Yes, it’s all gourmet, but it’s also comfort food. It’s the culinary equivalent of everyone who’s ever loved you wrapping you in their arms and humming a Mozart lullaby. The Fat Duck was more theatrical, the Restaurant la Distillerie in Luxembourg more inventive, but nobody tops Giorgio’s place for the sheer impact of taste on tongue.

The food itself is complemented by an establishment that has maintained its style and service despite the fact that it’s outlasted many another famous London establishment. The décor in shades of mushrooms and taupes, dominated by big, round, convex mirrors that let you check out the crowd without looking too obvious, is elegant and understated. The staff is comprised of adept, cheerful native Italians who are mostly male, extremely good looking and smoothly flirtatious. (This has always been an added benefit for female diners.)

Locanda Locatelli is, of course, both expensive and difficult to book. With its long-standing reputation and its Michelin star, you’re unlikely to get out of here for under £75 per person, even if you are not drinking. But the fact is, if you’re not privileged enough to get an invite to dinner at my cousin Mildred’s, consider this a worthwhile investment. Whether you’re looking for fine Italian cuisine or inspiring comfort food, you’re not going to do better.