Tortello Review: A Taste of Modern Italian Dining at The Royal Lancaster London

There is something particularly appealing about discovering a new Italian restaurant in London, especially one where the setting is as inviting as the food. Tortello, located within the Royal Lancaster London overlooking Hyde Park, brings the warmth of an Italian trattoria into an elegant hotel setting.

With its soft sage-green interiors, warm lighting, wooden tables and leafy touches, the restaurant manages to feel sophisticated without becoming overly formal. Large windows also give diners a glimpse of the surrounding Lancaster Gate and Hyde Park area, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

Tortello describes itself as a neighbourhood Italian restaurant, with a menu centred around fresh, handmade pasta, traditional Italian flavours and carefully sourced ingredients. I visited with a friend, and we settled in for an indulgent late lunch beginning, naturally, with something refreshing to drink.

Drinks at Tortello
I opted for the Strawberry Limonata, made with strawberry puree, lemon juice and simple syrup. Bright, fruity and refreshing, it was a lovely choice to accompany the meal, particularly with the citrusy notes cutting through some of the richer dishes that followed.

My friend chose the Strawberry Mojito, a fresh and fruity take on the classic cocktail. Both drinks felt suitably summery and complemented the restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere.

Antipasti: Truffle Croquettes & Grilled King Prawns
For our starters, we decided to share two dishes: the Black Truffle & Ricotta Croquettes with Parmigiano Reggiano shavings and the Grilled King Prawns with salsa verde, red chilli and lemon.

The truffle and ricotta croquettes were a particularly indulgent start. Golden and crisp on the outside, they had a soft, creamy centre, while the black truffle brought that unmistakable earthy aroma and flavour. Finished with finely shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, they were rich without being overwhelmingly heavy.

The grilled king prawns offered a completely different flavour profile. Large, juicy prawns arrived with a vibrant salsa verde, slices of red chilli and lemon. The combination of fresh herbs, citrus and chilli gave the dish plenty of brightness, while the grilling added a subtle smokiness to the prawns.

It was a good decision to share both starters: the croquettes were rich and creamy, while the prawns were fresh, zesty and lighter.

The Main Event: Calamarata
For my main course, I chose one of the dishes that immediately caught my attention on the menu: Calamarata with prawns, clams, mussels, tomato and white wine sauce.

This was easily one of the highlights of the meal. The Calamarata pasta has a distinctive ring shape that resembles calamari, making it particularly well suited to a seafood dish. Here, it was combined with plump prawns, mussels and clams in a tomato and white wine sauce.

The dish was generous with the seafood, and the combination of the sweet prawns, briny shellfish and tomato-based sauce worked beautifully. The white wine added acidity and depth, preventing the sauce from feeling too rich.

Visually, it was also one of those dishes that arrives at the table and immediately makes you want to reach for your phone. The vibrant tomatoes, fresh parsley, mussels and prawns made the plate as appealing as it was comforting.
The Calamarata is currently listed on Tortello’s menu at £20, making it a fairly accessible choice given the amount of seafood included.

Dessert: When One Isn’t Enough
After such a generous meal, you might think dessert would be an easy pass. Not at Tortello. I chose Vanilla Gelato with sour cherries and almond croccante, alongside a lemon sorbet. The vanilla gelato was creamy and delicate, while the sour cherries provided a sharp, fruity contrast. The almond croccante added texture and a satisfying crunch, making the dessert more interesting than a simple scoop of gelato.

The lemon sorbet was the perfect palate cleanser, icy, intensely citrusy, and refreshing after the richer dishes.

My friend opted for the hazelnut Tiramisù with Maldon salt, and judging by how tempting it looked when it arrived, I was very glad we were dining together so I could have a taste.

This classic Italian dessert gets a more indulgent treatment here, with generous swirls of mascarpone cream, cocoa and hazelnuts. The Maldon salt adds a subtle savoury note that helps balance the sweetness, while the hazelnuts provide texture. It’s easy to see why the hazelnut tiramisù has become one of the dishes people mention when talking about Tortello.

The Verdict

Tortello is the kind of restaurant that works for a number of occasions. It would be equally suited to a relaxed lunch with a friend, a date, a business meal or an evening when you simply want good Italian food in attractive surroundings. What I particularly enjoyed was the balance between traditional Italian flavours and a polished London restaurant experience. Nothing felt unnecessarily complicated, but there was clear attention to presentation, ingredients and flavour.

The restaurant’s location is another advantage. Situated at the Royal Lancaster London beside Hyde Park, it offers an elegant setting without feeling stuffy or overly formal. The hotel setting could easily have made Tortello feel corporate, but the warm lighting, natural greenery and contemporary Italian-inspired interiors give it considerably more personality. The restaurant itself describes the concept as combining the traditional charm of an Italian trattoria with the elegance of the Royal Lancaster London.

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Karine Laudort

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