If you’re looking for a sophisticated Italian dining experience in Mayfair, IT London is the perfect place for you. The Mediterranean restaurant recently introduced a new weekend brunch, featuring IT’s take on the classic Eggs Benedict with lashings of hollandaise, or crêpes filled with spinach & parmesan fondue as well as larger plates such as IT’s indulgent Carbonara. Our guest writer Adrienne Fung was there recently to review it.
Brunch options in London have grown more and more plentiful over the years. Another one to add to the mix comes from hip Mayfair spot, IT London. With restaurant locations also in Ibiza, Milan, Porto Cervo, Tulum and Mykonos, IT caters to a posh crowd who appreciate the finer things in life. Aside from sophisticated Italian cuisine, IT prides itself on carefully curated music featuring daily sets from international DJs. With their new brunch menu, IT brings the party from night into day.
Housed in a former two floor art gallery, IT London’s contemporary interiors mixed with statement art pieces give fine dining energy with a modern edge. In addition to seating around the front bar and back dining room, there are also several private dining areas to accommodate a variety of events.
My friend and I grabbed a table by the window in the front bar for brunch. Our waiter made us aware of some specialty cocktails they were featuring in partnership with Chivas. With their fully stocked bar in perfect view, I decided to give one of these cocktails a try.
I was sold on the Golden Lemonade which has Chivas Regal XV, Franklin & Sons lemonade and elderflower liqueur. The drink was light and refreshing on one hand, but the Chivas Regal XV definitely packed a strong punch. Aside from the featured cocktails, IT boasts an extensive wine and cocktail list.
My friend tried the Blood IT, their rendition of a Bloody Maria (a Bloody Mary made with Tequila instead of Vodka) with Parmesan infused Cenote Blanco Tequila, homemade spicy mix and tomato water. She absolutely loved the drink which packed lots of spice and heat (something that is often missing in the Bloody Mary’s around London) but was also lighter than a normal Bloody Mary, likely due to the use of tomato water as opposed to tomato juice.
IT London’s brunch menu is eclectic, ranging from classic brunch style dishes such as avocado toast to more creative plates. As always, we trusted the front of house team to bring us their favourite dishes to try.
We started with the marinated salmon with Caesar salad on brioche toast and the roast beef with tartar sauce and rocket pesto. The salmon was marinated mildly which complimented the brioche without overpowering it. You could taste the freshness of the salmon which allowed the delicious, buttery flavour of the brioche to shine through. If you’re expecting a Caesar salad, don’t. The waiter explained that some of the elements in this dish emulate the flavours from a Caesar salad, but is by no means an actual salad. In any case, a very delicious start to brunch albeit a slightly misleading menu description.
The roast beef, on the other hand, was a bit underwhelming in flavour. We appreciated how delicately thin the beef was sliced, making the beef very tender, but found the meat to be under seasoned and the rocket pesto slightly bitter.
Next we tried IT London’s spinach crepes with parmesan fondue and their classic Carbonara. Both dishes were delicious. We loved the combination of the ‘al dente’ pasta, salty crunch from the guanciale, and creamy umami Carbonara sauce.
The crepes were also executed successfully. The parmesan fondue in particular was the star of this dish, elevating the spinach-filled crepes. To cut the heaviness from these two dishes, we nibbled on IT’s rocket, tomato and parmesan side salad. This may have been one of my favourite dishes of the day. While simple in concept, each ingredient was high quality and when combined, made for one of the better salads I’ve had in London. The tomatoes in particular were incredibly sweet and juicy despite February not being prime tomato season. The generous shavings of parmesan weaved into the salad were also a delight.
To finish off, we shared the berry cheesecake and some espressos. The espresso was strong and aromatic which paired nicely with the sweet and creamy cheesecake. The cheesecake was beautifully presented, showing off all the different elements that composed the dessert.
We enjoyed our meal at IT London with some dishes more successful than others. The prices are fairly steep and portion sizes on the small side so be prepared to put a dent in your wallet if you plan to leave the restaurant with your stomachs full. The cocktails were a highlight and something IT London has clearly mastered.
A meal at this restaurant is one fit for a celebration, whether it’s your next birthday party or a fancy night out with the girls.
Disclaimer: Adrienne was a guest of the restaurant. All views are her own.
