Locatelli at the National Gallery: art, pasta and maritozzi

The David Collins-designed Locanda Locatelli was one of those rare London restaurants that combined critical acclaim with A-list celebrity-spotting. Having closed the restaurant in January 2025, Giorgio Locatelli and his wife Plaxy are bringing the chef’s classic Italian cooking to the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery, re-opened after a two-and-a-half-year spruce-up in time for the institution’s 200th anniversary.

Wallpaper* dines at Locatelli at the National Gallery, London

The mood: a blank canvas for art appreciation

While the transformation of the Sainsbury Wing has been overseen by Selldorf Architects, the restaurant has been designed by LXA Projects. Neutral interiors and natural materials – timber flooring, moleskin upholstery, marble detailing – let the art do the talking in the light-filled dining room, not least Paula Rego’s 10m painting Crivelli’s Garden can be appreciated at leisure from a curved banquette in one of the booths. In a hurry? Pop into the ground-floor Bar Giorgio for Italian coffee and a menu of sweet and savoury maritozzi, the fluffy brioche buns from Rome.

The food: classic Italian comfort

Locatelli is a huge admirer of the chiaroscuro of Caravaggio and, while the chef’s cooking is just as expertly nuanced, it definitely exhibits more light than shadow. Crowd-pleasing Italian classics include braised veal ravioli with parsley gremolata and Parmigiano Reggiano sauce, roast rib-eye steak with aubergine, red onion and cherry tomatoes, and lemon and mascarpone cake. The all-Italian wine list is just as appealing and includes vintages from Broglia, the oldest vineyard in Gavi, and fizz from Franciacorta, Italy’s classiest sparkling wine.

Locatelli is located at The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK; locatelliatnationalgallery.co.uk