San Carlo - Knightsbridge
Italian restaurant · Knightsbridge
6 Hans Rd, London SW3 1RX, United Kingdom
Highlights
Italian dining with truffle ravioli and chic ambiance
Italian dining with truffle ravioli and chic ambiance
"We sometimes fear that truffle oil has given actual truffle a bad rep. So to anyone who’s felt personally victimised by some pungent parmesan fries that had you burping truffle for a week straight, this one’s for you. The daydream-worthy ravioli at this Italian spot in Knightsbridge has the power to restore your faith in the good stuff. Silky soft parcels of pasta are stuffed with a comforting, cheesy pecorino and earthy truffle filling, in a velvety smooth white sauce. Surprisingly light, simple, and beautifully balanced. It tastes more truffle-kissed than drowned, and will have even the most truffle-averse tempted to nab the last piece." - daisy meager, jake missing, rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley
"When it was named Cicchetti, this Italian restaurant by the San Carlo group was somewhere we’d send anyone without hesitation. But since then, the Knightsbridge spot has had a change of name and a change of heart. Small sharing plates are now big. Which would be a positive if things like the gnocchi sorrentina, that was once excellent, is now bland, and other pasta dishes taste like they’ve been attacked by a tsunami of salt on their way to the table. The pizzas have also gone downhill, although they’re pleasant enough. The room is the only similarity that remains from its old life as Cicchetti. The dining room has a fancy yacht crossed with a classic New York brasserie energy—all shiny deep brown wood and huge avant-garde art pieces. So if you need a decent pizza in a pretty room in the area, San Carlo can help. But if you’re hoping for a good bowl of pasta, look elsewhere. Food Rundown Mozzarella In Carrozza Fried mozzarella sounds like a foolproof dish. The cheese pull of all cheese pulls, right? Wrong. The thick discs of mozzarella are coated in sad pale breadcrumbs, and the cheese inside is cold. No cheese pull, no warmth, just a lump of cold cheese in a basil and tomato sauce that makes for a soggy starter. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Tagliatelle Porcini A creamy mushroom pasta which starts off well, but the more bites you take, the more your tongue recoils from the sheer amount of salt. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak Margherita This is definitely not the best pizza in London, in fact it’s not even close. But it is one of the safest and best things here, so order it. Mafaldine Con Ragú Di Manzo If you like to cook bolognese at home, you should go ahead and do that. It will probably taste better than this slow-cooked beef ragu that’s pretty forgettable. photo credit: Rianne Shlebak" - Rianne Shlebak
"San Carlo - Knightsbridge is home to a private dining room with a table that is so spectacularly long that it has “plonk your annoying brother-in-law down the end” written all over it. In case the hint hint, nudge nudge location next to Harrods doesn’t give it away, this is an Italian restaurant with a rich plush look and even richer gorgonzola gnocchi. Did we mention the chandeliers? It’s private dining in Knightsbridge baby, of course there are chandeliers." - heidi lauth beasley, sinead cranna
"Cicchetti Knightsbridge is part of the San Carlo restaurant group—a chain of Italian restaurants with locations all over London and the UK—but don’t let that put you off. Because this Knightsbridge spot is a dream group dinner location. The dining room looks like a fancy yacht crossed with a classic New York brasserie, all shiny deep brown wood and huge avant-garde art pieces. And the food, from daydream-worthy truffle and pecorino ravioli to the melanzane parmigiana, is straight-up tasty." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna
"Halal status: Chicken, beef, and veal There are several reasons to get excited about Cicchetti, an Italian spot located directly by Harrods. From the jazzy dining room that makes you feel like you’ve escaped Brompton Road and landed in Venice, to the daydream-worthy truffle and pecorino ravioli, it’s more than worth your time. And the fact that most of the meat is halal means you can get plenty of sharing plates and try a bit of everything." - rianne shlebak
