Lita Marylebone — Restaurant in London

Lita, nestled in the heart of Marylebone, offers a dining experience that merges rustic Mediterranean warmth with contemporary elegance. The restaurant’s wooden aesthetic, from its furnishings to the open-fire kitchen, creates an inviting atmosphere that blends seamlessly with the Spanish-inspired flavors that define the menu.

One of the most striking features of Lita is the kitchen itself. Centrally located and integrated into the dining space, it feels like an extension of the restaurant’s charm, allowing diners to witness the magic behind their meals without interrupting the intimate setting.

We began our evening with a series of appetizers, starting with the tuna carpaccio. Thin slices of tuna were adorned with finely chopped piquillo peppers, capers, olive oil, and ponzu. While the dish was beautifully presented, the bold ingredients somewhat overshadowed the delicate flavor of the tuna. For those who appreciate vibrant, tangy dishes, this would be a pleasing starter.

The pan y tomate was a lesson in simplicity done right. A toasted focaccia served as the perfect base for grated vine tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and salt. The highlight was the addition of exquisite Cantabrian anchovies, which added a salty, umami kick that balanced the dish wonderfully.

The scallops and migayawa embraced the purity of the ingredients, allowing the natural sweetness of the scallops to shine. The citrus element brought a savory-sweet contrast, enhancing the dish without overpowering it. It was delicate and thoughtfully prepared.

One of the standout dishes of the night was the duck ragù. Served over strozzapreti pasta, the ragù was rich and packed with flavor, showcasing tender duck legs cooked to perfection. Though simple in concept, the depth of flavor made it a showstopper, with a rustic heartiness that left a lasting impression.

The cockles with chorizo was a delightful surprise. The dish was a garlicky triumph, with the chorizo bringing a smoky heat that elevated the fresh Welsh cockles. The broth, rich with clam juice and chorizo drippings, was so delicious we couldn’t resist ordering more bread to soak it all up.

As for the mains, the baked rice with lobster and aioli was an undeniable highlight. The rice was perfectly cooked and rich in flavor, thanks to a decadent lobster bisque, while the tender, butter-soft lobster was cooked to perfection. The garlic aioli brought the dish together, delivering a punch of flavor that made each bite a joy.

The final main, a charcoal-grilled pork chop on the bone, was another standout. Smoky and succulent, it was served with an array of apple variations—compote, raw, and grilled—each adding a different dimension of sweetness and acidity. The star of the dish, however, was the crackling: impossibly crunchy, it was a satisfying end to the savory mains.

Desserts at Lita are not to be missed. The lemon pie, a twist on the classic, featured a buttery fennel crumble and a zesty lemon curd made with Amalfi lemons, topped with ice cream and a blowtorched meringue. It was a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The chocolate mousse, with its coffee crumble, salted caramel foam, and popcorn ice cream, was a decadent and playful creation, easily the best of the desserts. The black cherry sorbet, rich in spice and sweetness, provided a refreshing finish.

With a talented head chef orchestrating the kitchen like a maestro, Lita’s attention to detail and flavor makes it a must-visit. The service, warm and vibrant, only adds to the experience. I’ll certainly be...

I made a reservation for 13.30, and was late due to traffic. I was quite anxious, as I am an extremely on time Italian man, but, when I called to mention my lateness, they were very understanding e told me not to worry too much. In popular and hyped up places sometimes they don’t even wait 10-15 minutes, so the fantastic service started immediately. When I arrived they were super friendly and welcoming, so I felt immediately at ease and finally I relaxed. Now to the food : as my phone battery died as soon as I arrived, there are no pics of anything I ate, but, when, at the end of my lunch, the phone was given back to me re-charged, I took a pic of the menu and I can tell you what I had. I started with the pan con tomate and anchovies, followed by the salad with ricotta, courgettes, artichokes and mint, and the radishes with smoked cod roe. The first one was summer on a plate, the quality of the tomatoes was incredible ( I come from Campania where there are some of the best tomato varieties in the world ). The flavour of those tomatoes with the excellent anchovies ( from Cantabrico if I remember correctly ) was just a cut above your usual, decent starter. The radishes with the smoked cod roe was also great, there is real mastery in the whipping of that cod roe, and the radishes were crunchy and tasty; another winner. The salad with ricotta was light and flavourful, delicate and subtle, but also fresh and the ingredients were complementing each other without clashing. Perfection! Then came the porcini mushrooms with Parmesan and lardo di colonnata. This fish was simply incredible ! For the uninitiated the lardo di colonnata is, you guessed it, lard, but, in case you are unaware, lardo di colonnata is the equivalent of Kobe beef A5 Wagyu, the best in the world, with no comparison to anything else, just many cuts above all the others. This largo di colonnata assembled on top of those porcini mushrooms, on a bed of Parmesan emulsion, was divine ! I had to ask for bread to mop up the sauce, as this was too good to be true, a dub did not want to miss a drop of it ! Then came the poussin with apricot, a really nice main, to which I added a very generous shaving of black truffle. This was also a delightful dish . Lastly, I had the strawberry millefeuille with Madagascan vanilla and Timut pepper, a perfect dessert to finish an amazing meal. The wine that I chose after much debating was an exceptional Chablis and it did match my food choices really well. This is not easy, as my food order was very varied but with the help of the staff there not only I had the perfect wine, but I discovered a gem of a place, where the staff is competent, warm, friendly, prompt, and caring. If I could give more than 5 stars to the service, I would! I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the menu. Next time my phone will be fully charged, so you will be able to see the beautifully cooked, and elegantly presented dishes that I will taste . I truly recommend to book a table, go...

AVOID at all costs. We made a reservation a week prior, but we got DENIED having a table upon arrival and blamed our fault.

The reservation was even made by ringing the property, so obviously there’s no blame for online platforms that the “reservation didn’t go thru” stuff. During the phone call, the rep confirmed we’re booked for the private dining room as it’s a party of six. When we arrived we were being told to wait for the table when it’s already our scheduled reservation time, after sitting at a random bar table for roughly 15 minutes we were then told they can’t accommodate us.

The restaurant requested us to wait for another 40 minutes before getting our table. They claim because we didn’t make a reservation for the private room so they can’t honour that. I invited them to check the phone logs/recordings but denied under the reason they don’t keep such which I highly doubt.

After questioning them why they didn’t inform in advance, they replied that they had voice-mailed and emailed which they failed in providing any of the proof. Obviously they didn’t leave me any voicemail as shown in the attached photos. After pointing out this, they then changed their explanation, that it’s because they didn’t have a note in their system, which, 1. Shouldn’t be the customers’ fault, 2. Doesn’t explain why we’re getting dumped and 3. Shouldn’t even happen in the first place. Also, I have received a 12 second call 40 minutes before my reserved time slot, which mentioned nothing about us getting dumped. They had ruined the whole night as it was meant to be a special occasion.

Throughout the whole communication, they were so devoted in trying to prove it’s our fault, which they failed completely, and it is rather irresponsible and unimaginable for this kind of establishment.

No apology was given, and their only solution is to move us to a crowded, secluded table, and offer us some drinks.

A kind staff then approached, telling us their claim was absolutely false because the reason we couldn’t get our table is because they moved another table of guest to our reserved room. Given the circumstances I found the staff to be rather reliable instead of the manager I had talked to.

The manager onsite insisted that they have an “open” system and reservations could always come in that they couldn’t guarantee us getting a table. So for future reference, unless you want to risk being stuck in a scenario where you don’t get your reserved spot, found it being occupied by other guests, especially for ethnic minorities, kindly suit yourself in another welcoming restaurant just like we...