44 RESTAURANTS
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DONNA MARGHERITA
Guestlist have decided to do a rundown of the best Italian restaurants
in London, and we're kicking this off with Donna Margherita, the best
and most authentic Italian restaurant in the Southwest.
Walking into Donna Margherita is like walking into Napoli, not just because of the Italian staff and crafted balcony overlooking
the restaurant (complete with drying underwear that looks like it belonged to Sophia Loren in her heyday!) but also because
the Neapolitan cuisine is cooked using
traditional Italian recipes and fresh Italian
produce. The restaurant is run by Gabriele
Vitale and his brothers, men who grew up in
Napoli and have a real passion for bringing
the authentic Italian food they grew up with
to London. The high quality of the food is
clear from the very first taste.
The restaurant is constantly stressing the
importance of their ingredients, as well as
using a lot of Italian products and vegetables. The restaurant also uses fresh local
fish, which they try to get from renewable
sources. The Vitale brothers grew up with
these dishes; as Gabriele says, 'If my mother
didn't cook it, it doesn't go on the menu!'.
The menu is stunning, and a standout dish
for me was linguine with red mullet. The fish
was beautifully cooked and the Italian zuc-
chini and Vesuvian cherry tomatoes were a
perfect accompaniment. I also had a goat's
cheese risotto and a Scialatielli (fresh pasta)
dish with tomatoes, langoustine and mussels, both of which were cooked to perfection. The risotto was thick and creamy without being too rich, and the langoustine and
mussels were lovely and fresh. To finish, we
had a traditional Capri dessert of almond
and chocolate cake with homemade vanilla
ice cream -the perfect dish to end a meal.
It's really refreshing to find an Italian restaurant that lives up to its promises. Too often
claims of authenticity and freshness are
proven false after the tasting, but Donna
Margherita is without a doubt the genuine
article and perfect if you're looking for a
great place to eat in Southwest London.
The friendly and informal atmosphere make
it a perfect restaurant for family dining at
the weekend, or a relaxing dinner during
the week.
183 Lavender Hill SW11 5TE
Have a look at their menu at www.donna-margherita.com/.
Issue 55 / 2013
