Picture the scene: it’s a lovely, warm, sunny evening in the capital, and if you close your eyes for a brief moment, you can just imagine being in Italy, sipping a cool glass of vino. But what if we said there’s a seriously fancy restaurant bringing flavours of Milan to an extraordinary London icon, right bang in the centre of town? Let us introduce you to Paper Moon, a new, palatial spot that opened in October 2023. 

Paper Moon London reviews? Keep reading to find out our honest thoughts.

In my opinion, there aren’t many buildings as grand and opulent as The OWO. A historically important behemoth, previously Winston Churchill’s Old War Office, you may have spotted it walking from Westminster towards Trafalgar Square. But next time, make sure you stop to really admire the Grade II-listed Edwardian charm. It’s now home to 85 stunning flats (if one is going spare, please consider me), three bars, Guerlain’s first London spa and world-famous hotel Raffles’ first outpost on our shores. Nine restaurants have also set up shop here, which brings me nicely on to our visit.

The Paper Moon restaurant locations cover everywhere from Doha to Bodrum and Hong Kong, becoming well-known for authentic Italian fine dining but in a more relaxed atmosphere. We’re here to talk about London, and our initial impressions were great. Tucked behind Horse Guards Parade down a surprisingly quiet street, we entered via a gorgeous courtyard. Once inside, the best way I could describe the space is giving off Gucci or Prada energy - refined, chic and elegant. Tones of grey, beige and sage green were noted throughout, paired with spectacular curved mirrors, cascading curtains and honey-coloured lighting. Our table, next to a beaut indoor olive tree, was covered in crisp, white linen and topped with a gold, Art Deco dimmable lamp. The enthusiastic and friendly waiting team were suited and booted, continuing the sophisticated theme for our evening.

The marbled bar area is just begging for you to take a pew.

As for the food, the Paper Moon London menu was essentially a book (yep, that extensive) showcasing the best seasonal, high-quality ingredients from the UK and Italy. In fact, our waiter had to come back twice to see if we were ready to order, there was so much choice and we really couldn’t decide. Eventually, I landed on the perfectly plump burrata (£20); dotted with croutons for crunch and surrounded by a moat of rich tomato confit sauce. My date’s raviolo (£30) arrived and we gasped at the wow-worthy presentation; dainty prawns delicately placed on wafer-thin, silky parcels stuffed with cheese alongside Datterino tomatoes. Bet you thought we forgot about drinks? The Gavi di Gavi (£14) proved to be a delicious, refreshing yet remarkably creamy white wine that I really had to stop myself from knocking back. In fact, confession time, I ordered it twice.

Next up, the mains. We appreciated being asked customisable options regarding the filetto di manzo (£44), from how we’d like it cooked (medium rare, in case you’re interested) to preferences on having the sauce on the side or on top. The slab of beef was juicy, delicious and drenched in pink peppercorn sauce, but if we were being fussy, it could have been rested slightly more. Kudos to the well-seasoned, smooth and expertly piped mashed potato too. Across the table, my gnocchetti (£30) turned out to be a favourite of the night. Think indulgent, homemade ricotta chunks, truffle cream and added shavings, plus toasted hazelnuts. If could bathe in the stuff, I would.

If you've been to Paper Moon Milan, it'll come as no surprise that this spot is next level.

Bring on the puds; after recommendations from the team, we opted for the Pifferi Croccanti (£16). Now, if you’re vegetarian like me, don’t be put off by the cat’s tongue (get the joke?) as these buttery, column-shaped biscuits were divine. The three horizontal pillars were stuffed with semifreddo, featuring scatters of pretty green pistachio, and the cream had a lovely fluffiness to it (almost whipped) - a great match with the chocolate sauce. My only minor issue was that they were slightly difficult to cut through, so I ended up picking them up to devour, just hoping that this didn’t negatively affect my classy credentials. You’ll be pleased to hear my partner’s crème brûlée (£13) had that all-important snap, bringing together heavenly vanilla notes with mint-marinated peaches. 

The DesignMyNight Digest 

We enjoyed our trip to Paper Moon’s restaurant in London and left feeling extremely satisfied. Having started in Milan in 1977, they’ve kept the authentic, timeless Italian traditions but elevated them skywards for an altogether fancier affair without becoming pretentious. Our fellow diners were a nice mix of tourists, couples and after-work catch-ups, and if you’re after a treat, this one eclipses the rest. 

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