There’s a new Italian restaurant in London that feels as if it has always belonged here: timeless and warm, yet strikingly contemporary. Martino’s, opened by restaurateur Martin Kuczmarski in Chelsea’s Sloane Square, is the kind of place that draws you in for breakfast and keeps you at the table until late into the night.
Kuczmarski built his reputation with The Dover in Mayfair, and at Martino’s he stretches that sensibility further: elegant without being aloof, glamorous without pretense. The mood in the dining room is relaxed and magnetic, a room where the light feels flattering and the soundtrack feels like it knows your intentions before you do.
The interior was crafted with Milanese design studio Studio Dragò, led by co-founder Fanny Baeur Grung. Their work here strikes a balance between old-school warmth and modern restraint. Glossy wood panelling meets burgundy Venetian terrazzo underfoot, lacquered black detailing frames a geometry that feels both rooted and refined, and custom Murano glass lamps lend a soft glow that keeps the space feeling intimate from morning coffee through to a late negroni.
At the centre of it all is the bar: a sweeping, curved silhouette wrapped in dark timber and brass. It anchors the room in a way that feels effortless, a place to sip Martino’s Shakerato or a Super Tuscan while watching the day shift around you.
On the kitchen side, executive chef Valentino Pepe brings a confident take on Italian classics, working with longtime collaborators Pascal Proyart and Alan Yau. The menu moves from stuzzichini and antipasti to pizza, pasta and secondi, familiar favourites alongside lesser-known gems. Signature dishes like zucchini fritti with a sharp hit of salt, rich Lasagna Verde alla Bolognese and cacio e pepe scrambled eggs with focaccia are executed with precision and heart.
What makes Martino’s remarkable isn’t just its food or its design, but how the two work together to shape an experience that feels effortless yet intentional. Here, Italian hospitality isn’t a theme, it’s a language—a room where long lunches and late suppers feel equally at home.
Martino’s is at 37 Sloane Square, London SW1.
