Il Gattopardo

Il Gattopardo brings a cinematic Italian glamour to Albemarle Street, a few doors from Cartier on the edge of Bond Street. Named for Lampedusa's novel, it wears its leopard motif lightly but everywhere: on the carpets, the cushions, the gilded sculptures set among classical busts. The main dining room is panelled in warm wood and hung with a salon-style wall of framed art, its tables running beneath low lamplight to a marble fireplace. The kitchen reads across the regions of Italy, classic plates alongside modern interpretations, with a crudo counter where guests watch the pass.

For private events the restaurant offers a genuine spread of rooms. La Terrazza is a retractable-roof terrace with its own bar, kept for cocktail receptions and dinners under the sky. Sofia, on the lower ground and named after Sophia Loren, pairs an onyx bar with a DJ setup and room to dance. Gina, in amber tones and hung with tapestries around a mid-century fireplace, suits the smallest and most intimate gatherings. The whole restaurant can be taken exclusively, and the licence runs to 1am with a resident DJ in Sofia.