Giorgio Locatelli to open new restaurant at The National Gallery in May

The National Gallery has announced that Giorgio and Plaxy Locatelli will open a new restaurant in partnership with Searcys when the Sainsbury Wing reopens on 10 May.

The team will be opening an all-day restaurant ‘Locatelli’ along with ‘Bar Giorgio’ on the ground floor, an espresso bar offering a selection of both sweet and savoury takes on the classic Roman pastry ‘maritozzi’.

Located on the mezzanine level of the Sainsbury Wing – which reopens following a two-and-a-half-year Bicentenary project – Locatelli, the 80-seater restaurant and bar will offer guests an opportunity to experience the chef’s Italian cooking.

Following the announcement of the closure of their Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli, which hosted its final service in December 2024, the new restaurant represents the “much-anticipated” next chapter for the chef. 

He is one of the world’s most respected Italian chefs, with a career spanning 40 years. Growing up in the town of Corgeno in northern Italy, he moved to London in the 1980s, honing his skills at The Savoy Hotel. Following a few years working in some of the most admired kitchens in France, he returned to London, earning himself his first Michelin star at Zafferano in 1999. 

In 2002, Locatelli and his wife Plaxy opened their first restaurant, Locanda Locatelli, which became the benchmark for Italian cuisine in London, and maintained its Michelin star for over two decades. 

The National Gallery has long been a source of inspiration for him, and particularly the works of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), an artist known for his dramatic, and sometimes controversial paintings. The surrounding history and creativity of the restaurant’s location will be reflected throughout the new restaurant’s menu. 

Operated in partnership with one of Britain’s longest established hospitality groups, Searcys, the restaurant will be open from 10am through to evening, with the menu focusing on Italian classics as well as the chef’s signatures changing with the seasons. 

Guests can start with a selection of antipasti, then moving onto primi such as pappardelle, broad beans, pecorino and rucola or braised veal ravioli with parsley gremolata and Parmigiano Reggiano sauce. Seconds will see the likes of roast chicken alla cacciatora and polenta and roast ribeye steak with aubergine, red onion and cherry tomatoes. Desserts will include a choice of Italian-inspired sweets including the classic tiramisu, lemon and mascarpone cake or fruit tart with custard.

The interior of the restaurant has been designed by studio LXA, with the light-filled dining room featuring Paula Rego’s (1935-2022) 10- metre artwork Crivelli’s Garden (1990-91). The work was created especially for the Sainsbury’s Wing’s restaurant space by Paula Rego – the gallery’s first ever associate artist.

Regarding the new restaurant, Locatelli said: “Opening Locatelli at the National Gallery is an extraordinary moment for Plaxy and I, and such an honour for the next chapter in our culinary journey to be housed in such a landmark space; surrounded by history and creativity, where great paintings of the past inspire new ideas for our future.

“Caravaggio has always been such a huge inspiration for me, and so to cook under the gaze of his work is a dream come true. His dramatic use of light and shadow resonate strongly within this setting, and we are excited to bring that same boldness and authenticity to our menu. From Italian classics to seasonal creations, we can’t wait to welcome guests to experience the beauty and warmth of our cuisine, in such a prestigious and inspiring setting.”

Sir Gabriele Finaldi, director of the National Gallery, added: “It is a pleasure to welcome distinguished chef and broadcaster, Giorgio Locatelli, into the National Gallery family, enriching the excellent food and beverage offer we have for visitors. I look forward to a scrumptious Italian menu inspired by National Gallery paintings in our new Sainsbury Wing restaurant, Locatelli, and one of the best espressos in town at Bar Giorgio on the ground floor.”