A forthcoming restaurant by Chef Francesco Mazzei, scheduled to open in November 2025, located within the Corinthia London, focusing on his distinct Southern Italian cuisine.
Francesco Mazzei is a Calabrian-born chef, widely recognized as a prominent ambassador of Italian gastronomy and a 'king of Italian cuisine in London'. He is known for his refined yet soulful Southern Italian cooking.
Mezzogiorno by Francesco Mazzei is a luxury Italian restaurant located within the Corinthia London hotel in Westminster. It offers a journey through the soul of Italy with an elegant design and a stunning dining room, situated close to the River Thames and Charing Cross.
Customer feedback is mixed but generally positive. Many praise the beautiful decor, friendly and attentive service, and exceptional food, highlighting dishes like the bistecca alla fiorentina, spare rib ragout pasta, and desserts such as pistachio ice cream and tiramisu. The diverse wine list and knowledgeable sommelier team are also appreciated. However, one recent review noted disappointment with specific dishes like porchetta (tough skin), carbonara (scrambled egg-like), and salty zucchini fritti, along with indifferent service.
Additional Details
Chef Francesco Mazzei is recognized as a prominent ambassador of Italian gastronomy. The restaurant emphasizes the use of seasonal, top-quality ingredients, with mentions of white truffle in December and asparagus and fresh peas in Spring.
While not explicitly stated, the restaurant's luxury setting and fine dining appeal suggest it is ideal for special occasions, birthday celebrations (as mentioned in reviews), and elegant lunches or dinners.
I really wanted to enjoy Mezzogiorno, but the meal was deeply disappointing from start to finish.
The porchetta was the biggest let-down. The skin, which should have been crisp and satisfying, was so tough it actually hurt my teeth. It was less “crackling” and more like chewing through leather.
The carbonara was no better. Instead of a silky, rich sauce, it arrived looking and tasting like scrambled eggs had been stirred through pasta. For a dish that depends almost entirely on technique, this was a pretty glaring failure.
The zucchini fritti were also poorly executed. They were overwhelmingly salty, to the point where it was difficult to appreciate anything else about them.
Unfortunately, the service did nothing to redeem the experience. Our server seemed completely uninterested, as though serving us was an inconvenience. There was no warmth, attentiveness, or sense that anyone particularly cared whether we were having a good meal.
Overall, the food felt careless and badly handled, and the service felt just as indifferent. For a restaurant serving classic Italian dishes, the basics really should be better. Sadly, this was not a meal I would recommend.
My husband booked us a table at Mezzogiorno to celebrate my birthday.
Our waitress was knowledgeable and was able to guide us in our choices from the a la carte menu. A few dishes weren't available (we came right at the end of lunch service) but this didn't impact us.
The food was beautiful. All the dishes were well presented and tasty. The spare rib ragout pasta to share was a highlight. My husbands lamb was cooked perfectly and my pink bream was beautiful with caper, tomato and olive sauce. The raspberry and chocolate dessert was heavenly.
Overall a perfect birthday lunch.
We very much enjoyed our meal!
The venue is outstanding with truly beautiful decor, and the staff were very friendly and approachable.
The food was exceptional. Everything from the bread and olive oil to the fresh, house-made pasta was excellent.
The highlight of the meal was definitely the bistecca alla fiorentina—it was a real showstopper.
Decadent, delicious and an experience.
Before starting let me say just one thing - I don’t like particularly boojie restaurants. I find them unwelcoming, boring and at times - intimidating. And most certainly almost always a complete rip off.
Mezzogiorno, however, is absolutely not the case! We came here for my girlfriend’s birthday and from the door we were warmly welcomed. Our table was quiet and beautiful and our servers were very attentive, understanding and kind.
More importantly - the food was absolutely delicious! We had a few dishes but the tartare definitely stood out. Everything was beautifully flavoured and balanced and the portions were un typically filling.
The creme de la creme was the deserts - both the pistachio ice cream and tiramisu were incredible!
What a beautiful experience! Exquisite pasta, attentive service and incredibly diverse wine list which covers pretty much every price point (Don't be intimidated by the size of the bookthe sommelier team are super approachable). The dining room is absolutely stunning - elegant design and Southen Italian warmth. Have been back since my first visit when they opened, and loved seeing the evolution of seasonal, top quality ingredients - from white truffle in December to asparagus and fresh peas in Spring. Just go. Grazie Francesco and team. I'll be back!
