Written by Martin Seymour | Editor, The Mayfair Foodie | About Me
Giorgio Locatelli and I go back a long way — well, not that Giorgio would have a clue who I am, but I have been a fan of his since his days at Locanda Locatelli, a fantastic Italian restaurant that sadly closed after 23 years in business. The good news is that when one door closes, another opens — and in this case, it was a very big door indeed. Giorgio’s new home is the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, where he has established one of the most beautifully situated restaurants in London.
Well, for those of you who haven’t been, Locatelli at the National Gallery sits within the Sainsbury Wing on Trafalgar Square — and what a home it is. When I heard Giorgio had landed here, my first thought was: of course he has. When you think about it, the pairing makes complete sense. Giorgio has always talked about cooking as an art form, about the vision required to create a picture on a plate — so placing his kitchen inside one of the greatest art collections in the world feels less like a business decision and more like an inevitability. I, for one, am glad it happened.
So when I received an invitation to experience a special menu created to celebrate the first major UK exhibition of the Spanish master Francisco de Zurbarán, I did not need to think twice. The exhibition runs from 2nd May to 23rd August, and to mark the occasion, Giorgio and his team — led by Head Chef Imma Savinelli — have developed a menu in dialogue with Zurbarán’s work. As a pre-lunch treat, we were given the opportunity to preview the exhibition with the curators, which turned out to be every bit as memorable as the meal that followed.
The Zurbarán Exhibition
I will be honest: I am no art buff, and I knew little of Zurbarán’s work before this visit. But what an experience. I find it hard to get my head around how an artist can take a massive two-dimensional canvas and transform it into something so utterly alive. The talent required to paint textiles you feel you could reach out and touch, or still lifes so convincing that — as the curator told us — one painting of a bowl of grapes had little birds trying to peck at them through the glass. If you are in London between now and late August, put this exhibition on your list. You will not regret it.
The Food
Now, after marvelling at the sheer talent of one of the leading painters of 17th-century Spain, Giorgio had a job on his hands. Where do you even begin? Well, for Mr Locatelli, probably not as difficult as it might be for others. This is just my humble opinion, but great plates of food are an art form in themselves, and to be a top chef you need the vision to create a picture on a plate just as an artist does on a canvas — with one crucial difference: it must also taste extraordinary.
There were three mains to choose from:
Orzotto, Ragù al Nero di Seppia, Salsa al Prezzemolo — Barley risotto, black ink cuttlefish ragout, parsley sauce
Pollo al Limone, Puré di Patate, Zucchine Grigliata — Lemon chicken, mashed potato, grilled courgettes, chicken jus
Orecchiette, Asparagi, Piselli, Limone, Olio Aromatizzato alle Erbe — Orecchiette pasta, asparagus, peas, lemon, herb-infused oil
What would you choose? Well, as there were two of us and in true review style, we each went for a different dish: I chose the barley risotto, and my guest the lemon chicken.
I adore dishes using black ink — cuttlefish or squid — but I had not previously encountered it paired with barley risotto. Visually, it was a direct echo of Zurbarán’s work: the deep, obsidian black of the cuttlefish ink evoking those dark, mysterious backgrounds of his monastic portraits, with the vibrant green parsley sauce cutting through like a shaft of light. Giorgio’s full interpretation of the dish pairing is worth reading in full, and I have included it in the notes at the end of this review. As for the taste — the al dente barley provided a wonderful texture and bite, and the cuttlefish in its ink sauce was quite delightful.
The lemon chicken was another picture of a dish: a soft, perfectly cooked breast of chicken on a bed of creamy mash, with a rich chicken jus and the lemon delivered via two concentrated dots of citrus — small but bursting with freshness. Understated, beautifully balanced, and executed with the kind of precision you expect from a kitchen of this calibre.
There was only one dessert on our tasting menu, which spared us any agonising decisions. The Cassata Siciliana — sweet ricotta mousse, chocolate chips, pistachio and candied fruits — was a riot of colour and flavour. From the jewel-bright candied fruit to the icing topping, the pistachio crust and the little surprise chocolate chips hidden within the sweet ricotta mousse, it was the kind of dessert that demands your full attention. If you have a sweet tooth, you will love it. I could even see it working beautifully as a mid-morning treat alongside a coffee.
The Verdict
Lunch at Locatelli at the National Gallery is a genuinely special experience — and not simply because of the setting, impressive as that is. The Zurbarán menu demonstrates just how thoughtfully Giorgio and his team have engaged with the exhibition, drawing on the visual language of chiaroscuro, texture and still life to inform dishes that are both intellectually playful and, crucially, delicious. At £25 for two courses and £31 for three, the set menu represents remarkable value for cooking of this quality in this location. Whether you are visiting the gallery or simply looking for one of London’s more memorable lunches, Locatelli at the National Gallery earns its place at the very top of the list.
Locatelli–Zurbarán Pairings
Orzotto, Ragù al Nero di Seppia, Salsa al Prezzemolo — paired with “The Shadow of the Baroque”
This dish is a visual echo of Zurbarán’s signature style. The deep, obsidian black of the cuttlefish ink represents the “Singular Vision” and the dark, mysterious backgrounds of his monastic portraits. Against this darkness, the vibrant green parsley sauce strikes a chord of “vivid naturalism,” much like the sudden, dramatic lighting that illuminates a saint’s face in his most powerful works.
Pollo al Limone, Puré di Patate, Zucchine Grigliata — paired with “Seville: Hub of the Global Trade”
Zurbarán’s Seville was a city of immense wealth and maritime links. This dish celebrates the sun-drenched flavours of the Mediterranean that defined his home. The bright acidity of the lemon and the rustic simplicity of the grilled courgettes elevate humble, everyday ingredients into a composition of elegance fit for the King of Spain.
Orecchiette, Asparagi, Piselli, Limone, Olio Aromatizzato alle Erbe — paired with “The Fabric of Saints”
Zurbarán was famed for his ability to paint textures — from the rough wool of a monk’s habit to the delicate fold of a linen cloth. This pasta dish explores that theme through tactile variety: the bite of the orecchiette, the snap of fresh asparagus, and the silkiness of herb-infused oil.
Cassata Siciliana — paired with “Real and Imagined”
A mosaic of colour — pistachio greens, candied jewel tones, ivory ricotta — reflecting the opulent altarpieces found in the religious orders of Seville. A decadent nod to the global trade of the era, bringing together sugar, cocoa and nuts in a display of artistic flair.
Details
Zurbarán Menu Availability: 2nd–31st May at Locatelli at the National Gallery
Pricing: Two courses £25 / Three courses £31 — available daily 3:00pm–4:30pm
Zurbarán Exhibition: 2nd May – 23rd August
Service: Sunday–Thursday 11:30am–5:45pm | Friday 11:30am–10:15pm | Saturday 11:30am–8:15pmLocation: Locatelli at the National Gallery, Sainsbury Wing, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
