Harry’s Dolce Vita, Knightsbridge, has introduced a fresh new menu bursting with seasonal flavours to mark the arrival of Spring, and with it brings a taste of the Italian Riviera to London.
THE VIBE
When we visit the restaurant on a Monday evening, the place is buzzing.
Glamorous clientele sip bespoke cocktails whilst perusing the offerings by Chef Manuelli, who has curated a new spring menu that celebrates the diversity and authenticity of Italian cuisine, featuring classic favourites alongside innovative creations that showcase the finest seasonal ingredients. From handcrafted pasta dishes to succulent seafood and mouth-watering desserts, each item on the menu is prepared with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
THE RESTAURANT
This place embodies a warm, long-lived, sultry, and brilliant 1950s and ‘60s nostalgia with a modern boot-shaped kick. Diners and drinkers alike are greeted to a boutique-style, swathe of plush wood, stylish leather, and charming décor, and a subtly created, black and white movie world, transporting you in an instant to an era of exactly that: la bella dolce vita.
Low-lit lounge lamps pepper the white linen, etched into place through the rest of the art-deco inspired decoration. On the walls are a mish-mash of Italian prints and pictures – my own favourite of which is a huge painting showing limbs lounging over the side of a teak framed boat, floating on the water, sun beating down on bronzed skin – A reminiscent view of any decent Italian art-house film.
THE DRINKS
No evening at Harry’s can begin without an effervescent glass of champagne to open up those taste buds. Before we knew it we’d swiftly moved onto their fresh Bellinis, which are as vibrant and delicious as those at the iconic Harry’s Bar in Venice.
The bar staff really have managed to curate a cocktail menu that combines tradition with the contemporary, with drinks which are effortless to imbibe. Twists on classic cocktails include the house sparkling Negroni with its hallmark ‘H’ stamped into its bespoke ice block and our favourite, the Nardini grappa ‘amaretto’ Sour. An evening at Harry’s only sipping on excellent cocktails with good company makes for a perfect time, but we were here to delight in the food.
THE FOOD
The menu is vast, I can’t possibly see how there is not something for everyone on offer here. Personally, I recommend sharing a few starters in order to get a feel of the menu. We immensely enjoyed a beef carpaccio with a Cipriani mustard dressing, some delightful Crudo di Tonno with fennel, avocado, mint and Amalfi lemon and a generous portion of fried courgette flowers with truffled honey, mint, pine nut salad and lemon ricotta.
Iconic classics still remain on the menu such as Harry’s Tagliolini, a creamy tagliolini pasta with parmesan, truffle and cream served table-side which we dug into from its own copper pot. You can never go wrong with a Harry’s Margherita either – their dough is stretched by hand and has a blend of four different Italian flours, then slowly proved over 72 hours to maximise the flavour and give a light and unique crust. The Sole & Vongole served with Gavi Di Gavi wine sauce with clams, samphire and parsley is fresh and full of goodness.
The new spring menu dishes include Risotto Agli Spinaci E Mozzarella, a creamy risotto with spinach, buffalo mozzarella and crisp fried artichokes, and Coscietta D’Anatra Confit, a confit duck leg with braised Castelluccio lentils and salsa verde.
What I personally enjoyed and recommend was the Lobster Ravioli which was light and fragrant, gently lying in a silken shellfish emulsion of tomato, basil and chives. The Truffled Chicken served with a creamy truffle mascarpone sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and elevated with garlic and parsley was decadent and yet refined in its balance of flavours – teamed up with the parmesan and olive oil mashed potato and you could be sat having dinner in Firenze.
Complementing the exceptional cuisine is an expansive selection of fine wines, curated by Harry’s in-house expert sommeliers. From crisp whites to robust reds, the wine list showcases the best varietals from different regions of Italy, providing the perfect accompaniment to any meal.
Harry’s Toadstool, a dessert exclusive to this restaurant and only to be enjoyed here, is a highlight and a must have. A giant mushroom served with a sauce the colour of moss is actually made from white chocolate, fresh raspberries, mascarpone mousse, iced vanilla parfait, pistachio biscotti crunch and where pistachios give the sauce its unique green colour – both fun and delicious, a sentiment that could describe Harry’s as a whole.
Harry’s is so joyful so why not submit to your inner child and gorge on a huge ice cream sundae! The Lemon Sundae helps evoke memories of sunshine holidays gone by – lemon sorbet, candied lemon, gently whipped cream, milk gelato, meringue and sugared rosemary pop in your mouth and leave you happy.
WHY GO?
This 70-cover restaurant is narrow but uses the space well, meaning that plates arrive through a graceful weaving of well-trained, ever approachable staff. You can find the true energy and cuisine of a delectable trattoria at your doorstep.
You can come to Harry’s and be here all day – brunch, lunch, the bar, the terrace, dinner, private dining – Harry’s is your pal and always pleased to see you. Stuffy this place is not. This is a restaurant that imbues a classy casuality often difficult to achieve in London and one that can whisk you away to all the charms of Italy.
For more information visit Harry’s Dolce Vita
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Imagery courtesy of Charlie Mackay.