Once in a while I like to share with you some places to go in London, seeing as I get so many emails asking me to recommend restaurants and places where I like to dine. I also get asked for recommendations on what to wear for dinner dates so I hope this article helps answer all those enquires.
Today I am sharing Knightsbridge’s best kept secret; Totos restaurant which is tucked away in Lennox Mews SW3 2JH just off of Walton St, a stones throw away from Harrods. I know you already love this place because of the name, are you visualising a Wizard of Oz place like I did? I discovered this restaurant about a year ago whilst walking home from Harrods, I saw a small sign saying “Totos” and presumed it would be a small, casual coffee place with photos of Toto the dog from the Wizard of Oz film…. yes my mind is quite imaginative! the restuarnt is in fact named after a legendary Italian clown called Toto, this for me was just as amazing as the Wizard of Oz 🙂 A few months later I finally decided I would have a little peep. Surprisingly this place is the opposite to a small, casual coffee place and in fact is a rather large, sophisticated, Italian restaurant. I was immediately welcomed and shown around the place, I liked what I saw so I booked dinner for Paris and I. We have been dining there ever since and it is one of our favourite places to dine. I often visit Toto’s for a coffee because the atmosphere is so relaxing and sometimes I crave a luxury coffee with a side serving of honey 🙂 I also had my birthday drinks there: I booked the sofa area and had quiet cocktails tucked away with the girls.
It is rare for Paris and I to find a restaurant we both love as we like opposite things in every way possible; he is the biggest foodie I know and he likes to think himself as an expert in wine and basically anything alcoholic. Paris enjoys fine, exotic foods and (I think) weird meat dishes, where as I like simple but well executed preferably veggie dishes, a good atmosphere, interesting, well dressed girls to look at (don’t deny you too want to look at other people whilst out) and I am all about the sweet stuff after dinner. We are both huge on customer service and like that personal touch. Can you now see how hard we are to please?
Toto’s is an exquisite space, it has just been re designed and has a traditional Italian feel but still with that luxury touch. Paris’ dad told me a restaurant can not be the finest if it has low ceilings, I now look out for this everywhere I dine and I am pleased to say Toto’s has high ceilings and feels nice and open. The garden is really cute and has a big outside area for Chelsea, outside space is like gold dust around here. The food pleases both of us; Paris can order his rare delicacies and fine wine and I am in love with the saffron risotto so for all you vegetarians this place caters for non meat eaters and for those of you who prefer the simple palettes like me. May I add I order risotto everywhere I go and this is one of the best, I even love the ceramic matte black plate it is served on. Now for the deserts. We ordered three the last time we went because we couldn’t decide…. yes yes I will start my wedding diet next week they were just too good to resist and I can not fault them.
Finally the staff: the hosts Mattoe and Graziano are always there each time I have dined. They offer the personal touch and nothing is too much trouble for them. When you are spending a lot of money in a restaurant I feel like you need to enjoy every moment and feel like it was worth spending the money for; apart from the amazing food Mattoe and Graziano offer this.
Toto’s is a luxury restaurant therefore it is the kind of special occasion place to celebrate a Birthday, say I love you (or I am sorry) to someone or maybe if you are visiting London and want a fancy evening out. The prices are not extortionate, I would say a three course meal with wine would be between £150 -£200 for two but it is still a high end restaurant. I would also recommend Toto’s for business meetings as they have the space for privacy and I would also recommend for hiring as they have a mezzanine balcony that is excluded from the downstairs. I can not wait to dine in the court yard this summer and I am also really looking forward to the Italian roast dinner once it has been launched.
If you would like to make a reservation at Toto’s you can call 0207 589 2061 or visit their website HERE.
I wore a fairly casual look for dinner because I had been working all day and didn’t have time to change. I used my usual trick of swapping my sneakers for a pair of heels and throwing on some earrings, earrings make me feel glam. To read more about my amazing So Excessive initial cuffs please click HERE, they are my new obsession and I can not recommend them enough.
Zara Shirt
Chanel Classic Flap Bag
Chanel Earrings
CC xx
