Last Updated on February 2, 2025
Italian Style in Duke of York’s Square at Manicomio
4.0 out of 5.0 starsEveryone who has lived in London for a while will know Manicomio. It’s a friendly and welcoming Italian restaurant right by the Saatchi Gallery and a stone’s throw from Peter Jones and Sloane Square. The kind of place you might go on a date night, meet up with friends or even take your mum. Open for 21 years, this London classic offers a menu of Italian dishes that will satisfy everyone – from excellent pasta to a 45-day dry-aged beef sirloin tagliata. There’s a large marble bar, perfect if you’d popped in for a glass of wine and a light bite after shopping, and plenty of comfy seating in the main restaurant area with banquettes and upholstered chairs and classy dark blue paintwork on the walls punctuated by quirky photos and artwork. There’s even a couple of private dining rooms – one with its own tiny courtyard garden.
Outside in summer, the terrace is usually packed. It’s stunningly pretty – decked with lights and with giant parasols and heaters so that the odd shower won’t ruin your al-fresco experience. But, in January we headed indoors for a cosier experience!
Welcomed with a Crodino spritzer for me and a Noam Bavarian beer for my companion, we happily nibbled on olives and delicious homemade focaccia that I’d fully intended to avoid – but was easily tempted by, particularly when accompanied by a little golden pool of delicious olive oil was on offer. When available, the restaurant retails the oil and balsamic when available at the kind of price you’ll pay in a good Italian deli, but with the advantage of knowing exactly what you are getting.
This is a restaurant where Italian or local sourcing is important. Ninai Zarach, co-owner with her husband Andrew, started her culinary career importing artisan Italian food to London and the menu at Manicomio reflects that to this day.
My companion feasted on his Burrata Pugliese with Sicilian tomato, olives and basil. Apulian cheeses are famous, this burrata came from Caseificio Artigiana and had all the hallmarks of the burrata I saw being made in Puglia a few years ago. Creamy, soft and melting with a distinctive flavour, burrata means buttered – it’s made by filling stretched mozzarella with fresh cream mixed with curds and then sealing the top. Serving it with balsamic, olives and tomatoes is a classic presentation that delivers, with the sweet and acidic additions complementing the richness of the cheese.
For me, a Portland crab salad with pink radish, escarole and Jalapeno aioli. A generous portion of beautifully fresh and well-prepared crab with just the right mix of salad and mayonnaise to make this an exceptional starter.
I have to confess to yet more food-envy when my friend’s Tiger Prawn Linguine with tomato, chilli and basil arrived. The pasta was perfectly cooked with just that bit of toothsomeness that you need and the fresh tomato and basil sauce complemented the plump tiger prawns brilliantly.
My own chicken Milanese wasn’t quite so photogenic but was delicious, with a super crisp breadcrumb coating revealing perfectly cooked chicken breast. The whole thing was topped with a mix of charred hispi cabbage, roast garlic aioli and a very generous grating of 36-month-old Parmigiano.
We also enjoyed a very generous bowl of zucchini fritti, served with a tempura-style batter.
On to dessert – I have to confess I was flagging at this point and the helpful restaurant manager offered me a zabaglione, a kind of frothy Italian egg yolk custard that I love, which features on the set menu. The perfect way to round off the meal if you don’t quite want a full dessert, it almost feels healthy! I loved the tiny fennel cantucci that was served alongside this and fully intend to try making my own zabaglione again. From memory, the most important thing is to use really fresh egg yolks, for a delicious, slightly alcoholic mixture. My companion meanwhile, enjoyed a delicious classic Amadei chocolate torta with NamaYasai farm honey ice cream.
We enjoyed a bottle of Gavi di Gavi with our meal, priced at £58. The wine list has options from £37 and also offers fine wines by the glass using the Coravin method. Manicomio has a set menu with two courses for £32 and three for £37 with some excellent choices including a different presentation of the burrata, a wild mushroom and buffalo mozzarella arancino, grilled calves lives alla Veneziana and a pumpkin casoncelli. One to remember for an after-shopping lunch!
It’s always a good sign when I want to go back to try other dishes on the menu – and I do here. I really want to try the Carbonara at Manicomio which, judging by the other dishes we enjoyed, will be 100% authentic. And, I have a soft spot for Puntarella salad, so the endive, pear and puntarella with walnuts and gorgonzola has my name on it. I love the sound of the Italian artisan cheeses and next time I’m definitely going to try the hand-made petit fours to share.
Manicomio is the kind of place you need to add to your address book. When someone asks you where to go for good, authentic Italian food, without any fuss, this is where you should head. While the name of the restaurant means ‘mad house’ in Italian (the restaurant is in a Grade II listed building that was formerly the Royal Military Asylum) what you’ll find at Manicomio is far from insane.
Manicomio Chelsea
83-85 Duke of York Square
Chelsea
London SW3 4LY
020 7730 3366
Looking for something different in the area? We can also recommend Kahani – a fabulous Indian restaurant
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