Stefania is a new Roman-Italian restaurant in Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, from chef Diego Reali, whose original Stefania restaurant is in Kuala Lumpur. Named after Reali’s mother, the restaurant draws on his family’s Roman cooking traditions, with recipes passed down through four generations.

The menu covers handmade pasta, Roman classics, seafood and meat, with one notable twist: everything is pork-free, meaning traditional dishes have been reworked without guanciale or pancetta. Expect dishes including truffle gnocchi, lobster linguine, Wagyu meatballs, ossobuco and parmigiana, alongside Italian wines and classic cocktails.

What’s the vibe like?

This ain’t no rustic, buzzy trattoria where an endearing nonno storms out of the noisy kitchen with a humongous bowl of pasta in each hand. By contrast, Stefania’s interiors have a polished, elegant Italian feel, leaning more towards a refined neighbourhood restaurant. The space is, nevertheless, warm and inviting, with a cosy, traditional feel and just enough glamour to make for a special evening. It’s Italy with a pinch of Notting Hill.

It’s intimate and grown-up but definitely not overly formal (you can drop a fork and not have your heart skip a beat). The focus is very much on the food and that old-school Italian sense of hospitality, rather than flashy design or a loud, buzzy atmosphere.

What’s on the menu?

Starters

What’s not on the menu? That’s the question. In true Italian fashion, it’s imperative to start with the antipasti and follow through the multi-course journey. Take your time perusing the starters menu, which ranges from classic Italian options such as beef carpaccio and burrata with tomatoes and aged balsamic to frittura di mare and richer plates including deep-fried Wagyu meatballs with arrabbiata sauce and smoked cheese. There’s also a more indulgent duck liver terrine served with red wine and morel sauce, wild berry jam and toasted brioche.

We had the truffle croquettes (£11) and they were fabulous – a melt-in-the-mouth centre, with a generous hint of truffle, too. The bruschetta Romana (£10), also pictured below, is a levelled-up version of your bog-standard pan con tomate, with a delicious layer of stracciatella cheese.

Mains

Mains cover all the classics you can expect from an Italian menu, from gnocchi to dozens of pastas, risottos, and everything in between. It won’t surprise you or intrigue you – but the classics are classics for a reason, and they often make for the best meal.

We had the cacio e pepe (£18), which was dusted with a heavy-handed sprinkle of pepper – and we couldn’t have been more relieved or delighted about that.

We also had the ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach in a sage butter sauce, finished with truffle Pecorino (£22). The ravioli was smothered in sauce, fabulously rich and unctuous. Both of the pastas were perfectly al dente too, so they got an easy pass.

Desserts

We skipped the secondi and beelined for dessert. The menu boasts Italian favourites including tiramisu, panna cotta, dark chocolate cheesecake, tortino di cioccolato and a selection of sorbets. We went for the tiramisu (£8) – a pretty sizeable slice – and the tortino di cioccolato (£9), essentially a glorified lava cake that exploded into a pool of deep, dark chocolate. Both were delicious; we couldn’t fault them.

Verdict

All in all, Stefania is a beautiful, sophisticated restaurant where you can trust you’ll get some wonderful food and a pretty special night. Everything we ate was fantastic, and the service was warm and friendly too. Was there anything so spectacularly different that we’d spend two hours on a bus to the other side of London for it? Not really. But if you’re around Notting Hill – which, at some point, you probably will be – Stefania is absolutely worth stopping by.

Key details

Address: 52 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5SH

Website: stefanialondon.co.uk

Socials: @stefania.london

Recent reviews

An inside look at The Pem, Romy Gill’s new modern Indian restaurant

Review: Viral restaurant Swiss Butter is a reliable one-sauce-wonder that really hits the spot

Review: No. Forty Nine is a new no-frills restaurant where the food does the talking