‘The ancient Romans referred to truffles as the food from the gods’, Alfredo Romani tells me, as he and his wife Roberta share tales of truffle hunting in Italy. For the past two decades, the down-to-earth couple have supplied countless London restaurants. Which brings us to our own story: we’ve already clued you up on other indulgences, like where to eat caviar and oysters in London, but with black truffle season in full swing, we’ve sniffed out London's best truffle dishes.
In this article:
Cantinetta Antinori, Knightsbridge
Best for: truffle-topped Italian treats.
Order: the pizza cotta in forno a legna al tarufo.
When a restaurant has a separate menu dedicated to truffle, you know that a) you're probably in Knightsbridge, and b) you’re in for something special. Try the yellowtail sashimi swimming in Sicilian lemon sauce, finished with a shoal of truffle slithers. And if you want to go all out, go all in with the pizza cotta in forno a legna al tartufo – pizza topped with truffle cream and, yes, shaved truffle on top.
cantinetta-antinori.uk
4 Harriet St, SW1X 9JR
Bébé Bob, Soho
Best for: chicken and truffle combos.
Order: the chicken schnitzel and black truffle butter.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Bébé Bob is a three-trick pony, serving only chicken, caviar, and Champagne. But there's actually a whole menu devoted to truffle. Start with potato rosti steak tartare and black truffle, then choose between chicken schnitzel crowned with a dollop of truffle butter or roast chicken showered with truffle shavings grated tableside. There’s even a milk soft serve with black truffle, if you still have room...
bebebob.com
37 Golden Sq, W1F 9LB
Bob Bob Ricard, Soho
Best for: truffle and Champagne.
Order: the Chicken & Champagne Pie.
Why did the chicken-obsessed Bébé Bob cross the road? To get to its Champagne-loving big sister, Bob Bob Ricard. This is the glitzy, all-booth restaurant with the gimmicky ‘press for Champagne’ buttons on each table, making it one of the best spots for caviar and Champagne in London. But it’s also big on truffle: try the chicken and Champagne pie out for size (a truffle velouté peeps out from beneath the puff pastry).
bobbobricard.com
1 Upper James St. W1F 9DF
Bar des Prés, Mayfair
Best for: French-inspired, truffle-flecked dishes.
Order: the croque monsieur with black truffle cream.
You could call Bar des Prés one of London’s best French restaurants, and its Chanel-wearing, Champagne-sipping crowd seem to agree. But a more accurate description would be Franco-East Asian cuisine, as this fun fusion restaurant is headed by chef Cyril Lignac, born in the South of France. Don’t miss the croque monsieur with black truffle cream and topped with teeny tiny gratings of truffle. And whatever you do, save room for the creamy, dreamy black truffle mashed potatoes.
bardespres.com
16 Albemarle St, W1S 4HW
Il Gattopardo, Mayfair
Best for: playful plates.
Order: the carpaccio di manzo.
Not everything is as it seems at Il Gattopardo. To hunt down this understated Mayfair townhouse, you need to look out for its maroon awning on Albemarle Street. That sense of disguise continues with the carpaccio di manzo, an antipasto that teaches you not to always trust your instincts. What may pass for a pepperoni pizza at first glance is actually Black Angus beef packed with black truffle and Parmesan.
gattopardo.restaurant
27 Albemarle St, W1S 4HZ | Credit: Justin de Souza
Scott’s, Mayfair
Best for: seafood.
Order: the twice-baked Keen’s cheddar soufflé.
If you know anything about London’s food scene, you’ll know that seafood-focussed Scott’s is practically part of the furniture. But not in a collecting dust kind of way – in a well-loved classic way. And you can taste the fruits – or funghi, rather – of Head Chef David McCarthy’s labour on dishes like the twice-baked Keen’s cheddar soufflé from Somerset, topped with large shavings of black truffle like a balancing act.
scotts-mayfair.com
20 Mount St, W1K 2HE
The Twenty Two Restaurant, Mayfair
Best for: a public restaurant inside a private members’ club.
Order: the truffle roast chicken for two.
This silver serving tray kills two birds with one stone: not only is it a dish designed for two, but it’s peppered with lots of black truffle petals and sautéed mushrooms. Vegetarians aren’t left out either: the velvety wild mushroom risotto is similarly touched with earthy truffle. Insider tip: you can ask for truffle on anything that tickles your fancy – or request the off-the-menu chocolate chip cookie – don’t worry, this one doesn't have a truffle in sight.
thetwentytwo.com
22 Grosvenor Sq, W1K 6LF
Novikov Restaurant & Bar, Mayfair
Best for: two dining rooms, two cuisines.
Order: the risotto with asparagus and black truffle.
With a duo of dining rooms, it’s fair to say Novikov knows a thing or two about truffle. The in-season winter black truffle appears across both Asian and Italian menus. On the Asian side, you can snack on scallop sashimi with black truffle; in the Italian room, black truffle-coated risotto with asparagus. A close shave: there’s still time to indulge whilst it’s in season at one of the best restaurants in Mayfair.
novikovrestaurant.co.uk
50A Berkeley St, W1J 8HA
Jacuzzi, Kensington
Best for: over-the-top, tableside truffle shavings.
Order: the mafaldine al tartufo for two.
If you're a foodie who’s chronically online, you’ve definitely heard of – or seen – the Big Mamma Group. And if not, it’s a go-big or go-home kind of operation. Whenever we’ve visited Jacuzzi, nearly every table orders the malfaldine al tartufo: truffle pasta theatrically spun inside a pecorino wheel and bedecked with shards of black truffle. And guests can’t resist posting it on their stories before they’ve even finished their plates.
bigmammagroup.com
94 Kensington St, W8 4SG
Los Mochis, the City
Best for: truffle with a view.
Order: the seabass ceviche with shiso truffle.
Los Mochis is located near Broadgate Circle, so you can bank on private bankers being there for after-work drinks. Come the weekends, it becomes a magnet for late-night, Mexican-inspired shenanigans. All this means this spot is best suited for those looking for trouble, or should we say, truffle. After swooshing up to the ninth floor, you can take in the rooftop terrace and tuck into yellowfin tuna crudo tostaditos or seabass ceviche – both with shiso truffle.
losmochis.co.uk
100 Liverpool St, EC2M 2AT
Bacchanalia, Mayfair
Best for: truffle-heavy pasta.
Order: the tagliatelle truffle.
Remember when we told you the ancient Romans believed truffles were a gift from the gods? Well, where better to taste the stuff than at a restaurant watched over by a Roman god statue by Damien Hirst? As you can imagine, the word ‘truffle’ appears more times on the menu than there are days of the week. And when in Rome (or should we say Mayfair), you should order the black truffle tagliatelle.
bacchanalia.co.uk
