Sartoria, Launceston Place – Sunday Lunch

Last Updated on February 19, 2026

Pranzo della Domenica in Kensington at Sartoria, Launceston Place.

4.3 out of 5.0 stars

There are restaurants in London that instantly feel as if they are going to work. Recently opened Sartoria is a great example. On the site of Launceston Place restaurant, at one time Michelin-starred and a favourite of Princess Diana, Sartoria has much to live up to. I popped into the launch event, a lively party with free-flowing fizz and an enthusiastic mixture of local residents and fans of Evolv, Sartoria’s parent company, and was impressed by the well-thought-out concept, which I suspect is intended to appeal to a sophisticated, international neighbourhood rather than to visitors.

Sartoria, Launceston Place is elegant and fun, with a maze of rooms designed to accommodate those who want to drink and graze in their own space, while diners enjoy the calm of white-draped tables and plush velvet seating. The paintwork is a pretty shade of aqua with cream detailing. The kind of place where you sit down and don’t want to leave. Perfect for a traditional Italian Sunday Lunch, when families would gather for an afternoon of eating and drinking.

It seems a brilliant idea that Sartoria offers its own Italian take on Pranzo della Domenica on Sundays. We were thrilled to have the chance to go along and check it out. Sartoria offers a 3-course menu for £45 per person – no supplements and all the side dishes you’d ever want.

We started the meal off with a glass of wine, or in my case, a glass of non-alcoholic fizz (Wild Idol), which I’m a big fan of. My companion, meanwhile, was enjoying her Trebbiano, Fonte della Vigna, Emilia Romagna, a fresh and light Chardonnay that is sold by the glass.

To start, I picked the crudo di tonno con cipolla di Tropea, a tuna tartar with pickled Tropea onions. Delicious chunks of tuna tartare were topped with tomato and Tropea onions dressed in a piquant fish sauce and served heaped on a base of olive oil laced with herbs. A simple enough concoction, but one that was perfectly balanced and a great start to the meal

My companion’s Insalata Radicchio came with a light mustard dressing, pears and walnuts. She enjoyed the balance of flavours and noted that the pears cut nicely through the dressing and perfectly complemented the bitterness of the radicchio. Walnuts added textural interest and an earthy depth of flavour.

For our main course, we both enjoyed a glass of wine paired for us. My companion loved her 2023 Barbera ‘Briccotondo’, Fontanafredda, Piedmont, a rounded and soft red wine. I was more than happy with a glass of 2024 Alie, Frescobaldi, Tuscany rose wine, a fresh mouthful that paired well with the porchetta.

The aforementioned porchetta is one of four main course options – there are two roasts, a vegetarian parmigiana and a lasagne bolognese. It’s definitely a winner, with well-flavoured tender pork with a meaty stuffing and with the crispiest crackling ever. We both loved the vegetables served with the roasts, a Mediterranean melange of aubergine, pepper and courgettes, topped with a salsa verde. And, of course, roast potatoes.

My companion had the Manzo – thick slices of tender, pink, roast sirloin and, because she has a tomato intolerance, was offered a jug of peppercorn sauce instead of the (very delicious) rich, umami-flavoured tomato gravy I enjoyed.

What made these main courses so good was that nothing seemed excessive. We both felt the focaccia didn’t belong on the main course plate and would have preferred bread to nibble on at the start of the meal (it was very delicious though!). But we loved that the crisp roast potatoes were not piled onto the plate but served in a side dish, and that we were not served the ubiquitous leathery Yorkshire puddings (which would have been inappropriate, but which do still seem to appear with unfailing regularity).

There are only two dessert offerings, but both are truly delicious. Gelato e Sorbetti speaks for itself, but these are the real deal, and I loved my Chocolate and Amarena (cherry) gelato.

My companion opted for the Torta Diplomatica, a decadent Italian layered cake with sponge, puff pastry and diplomatica cream. It’s a traditional Italian cake made with layers of puff pastry and sponge cake filled with crema diplomatica (a mix of custard and whipped cream) and, we think, in this case, with the sponge soaked with maraschino and cherries. Very delicious, with a slight kick from the alcohol, it slipped down nicely.

I can’t think of a better occupation on a wet Sunday afternoon than enjoying a leisurely Sunday Lunch and the Pranzo della Domenica is just that. Unhurried, with excellent service throughout and with a refreshing calm, we both left commenting that we were pleasantly full rather than stuffed. Definitely one to put on your weekend wishlist.

Sartoria Launceston Place
1A Launceston Place,
London,
W8 5RL
020 7937 6912

For a review of the main menu, please see our earlier feature on Sartoria