Da Mario Kensington — Restaurant in London

03/2020

Lovely restaurant with a charming Italian flair and good food. Booking recommended for dinner times. Da Mario is a lovely Italian restaurant with a lovely decorated interior and traditional Italian cuisine. Gluten free pizza and pasta is available (additional cost of £2.9) and judging from the menu, most of the starters should be gluten free as well. however, allergens are not listed so it might be better to ask in advance (some dishes would traditionally be served with complementary bread which might not necessarily be written on the menu - the waiter that day asked if he should bring some and I assume he did so because I have declared my allergies before that as opposed to serving it straight away). In regard to the mains, it was very tasty and everyone in our group was pleased with their meal. I‘ve had the chargrilled seabass fillets (“spigola alla griglia”), and it was a satisfying and generous portion. the skin was crispy and the fillets juicy and tender. it was rich in flavor as well and came with a side of mixed leave salad and tomatoes. As I made the waiter aware of my dietary requirements when ordering, he not only double checked if I was having some of the starter that wouldn‘t have been suitable. I‘ve also noticed that my side salad came without dressing (someone else in our group ordered the same dish with the salad already seasoned) which I quite liked as well as I would know for sure the dish doesn‘t contain allergens from the pre-mixed dressing; and seasoning a salad oneself doesn’t take much effort anyway; condiments are available at every table - olive oil, balsamic vinegar and chili infused olive oil, salt, pepper. overall, the food was nicely presented, had a well-balanced flavor and nice texture and portion sizes are satisfying. unfortunately, the dining room downstairs (where we were seated) had a faint smell of restroom cleaning agent; although subtle I was set off by it. I have also felt chilly, even after the place filled up. as it became busier the volume went up and given it is a basement room it can be perceived as being too loud. nevertheless, I‘d prefer to sit downstairs as the room upstairs is quite narrow.

I recommend this place as food and ambiance are pleasant but suggest to make a reservation if one wanted to come during dinner time. our group had an early dinner and we were lucky to get a table by walking in, however the place filled up quickly and guests would have to wait for quite some time...

I recently visited Da Mario, located at 15 Gloucester Road, Kensington, London SW7 4PP, just a short walk from Gloucester Road Tube station. This charming Italian restaurant is known for its traditional dishes and warm atmosphere, though experiences can vary depending on where you’re seated.

I had the spaghettini alle vongole (£19.90), which was excellent. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and the clams were fresh and flavourful. The light garlic and white wine sauce was well-balanced, showcasing the authenticity of traditional Italian cooking.

My friend chose the spaghettini sapore di mare (£19.90), a seafood dish with squid, baby prawns, mussels, octopus, king prawns, and a cherry tomato sauce with a touch of garlic and fresh parsley. It was beautifully prepared with vibrant flavours and fresh ingredients. The dish seemed to be very popular, as we noticed many other diners enjoying it as well.

For dessert, we both had the tiramisu (£13.80). It was alcohol-free, light, and airy, with a lovely creamy texture. While delicious, we both agreed it could have used a stronger coffee flavour and more biscuit layers to make it feel more authentic.

The service was quick, but we felt somewhat rushed out, which detracted from the relaxed dining experience we were expecting. Additionally, a service charge was added to the bill, which is something to consider. I’d also recommend booking a table on the lower floor, as the street-level dining area felt a bit kitschy and lacked atmosphere. The lower floor is much cosier and ideal for a more enjoyable meal.

Overall, despite some minor service and atmosphere issues, the food quality makes Da Mario worth a visit. Be sure to request a table downstairs and savour the authentic Italian flavours this charming Kensington spot...

Me and my girlfriend made a reservation at Da Mario on the 11th January, for our 1st anniversary together on the 19th January at this restaurant. When booking it we made it very clear to them that it was a very special date to us and we requested if they could give us a nice table on the day.

When we got there, one of the waiters treated us in a very rude way and made us wait outside of the restaurant for a good 10 minutes, without even greeting us. When we finally got inside of the restaurant the waiter that took us to our table was not receptive at all. They put us in a horrible table next to the bar where loads of people were passing by and all we could hear was the sound coming from the bar (there were many nice tables available when we got there).

After ordering, the food came pretty quickly, however, my girlfriend's pasta was almost cold and my gnocchi tasted like mashed potato with a lot of flour, I was not able to eat 1/3 of it. When we finished our mains, the waiter asked if we would like any desserts, so we said that we would like some time to think. The WORST PART was when not even 5 minutes after they asked us for deserts, they came back with the bill (we did not ask for it), when we were not even there for an hour and again was our anniversary. We had to pay immediately and leave because apparently they had another reservation.

When paying, we asked if the service charge could be removed from the bill. After the waiter left our table he started saying bad things about me and my girlfriend to his colleague in italian, he was just not counting on the fact that I would understand ;)

Overall, the experience was horrible and they made our anniversary dinner awful. I would never recommend this restaurant or spend my money...