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Londonderry

Europe

United Kingdom

Nestled in the heart of London's South Kensington, Daphne's is a quintessential Italian restaurant that combines timeless elegance with a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere. Known for its authentic cuisine and sophisticated decor, Daphne's offers a delightful escape into Italy's rich culinary heritage, right in the bustling streets of London. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply craving a taste of Italy, this restaurant promises a memorable dining experience.

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A deeply disappointing and unsafe experience--especially for women.

I visited this restaurant while traveling, hoping to enjoy a special dinner with my cousin whom I hadn't seen in a while. Instead, we endured a distressing and frankly dangerous evening due to the staff's gross negligence and failure to protect us from an aggressive, clearly inebriated man.

From the moment we were seated on the patio, the man--also seated outside--began harassing us. He repeatedly ignored our verbal boundaries, attempting to pet my cousin's small dog despite being told "no," and proceeded to interrupt us at least ten times. Staff witnessed multiple instances of his behavior, including when he shoved his face into our dog's space and grabbed at him while my cousin was holding the dog in her arms. He called us "annoying," tried to provoke the dog to bark, and refused to leave us alone. 

When we told the manager that the man was becoming aggressive, he assured us that he would "kick him out," - we all heard him say this. But instead of following through, the staff allowed the man to continue drinking on the patio--despite being overtly inebriated. He returned again, increasingly hostile, and even grabbed my cousin's arm while trying to lunge for her dog. He then threatened my partner while we loudly pleaded for him to stop. I and another woman (the hostess) had to physically put our arms between him and my cousin to keep him away. His wife eventually came over--also seemingly inebriated--and meekly pleaded with him to stop. At this point my cousin screamed at him which finally got him to leave. 

At that point, I went inside to speak with the manager, who immediately defended the man by saying, "Well, he's a regular," as if that justified his behavior. When I reminded him of his promise to remove the man, he denied ever saying it. Only after THREE other patrons at the bar stepped in to support us and confirmed that this man had been bothering multiple guests did a second manager come out. We explained that they failed to intervene, failed to protect their guests, and essentially enabled an unsafe environment--particularly for women. We felt gaslit and victim-blamed.

I want to note: I paid my bill in full. I didn't demand compensation. As we walked out they offered us a paltry round of drinks. That tracks with their overall approach: excuse the aggressor, ignore the women asking for help, and only apologize when publicly confronted with the facts. Additionally drunken, aggressive behavior is par for the course at a pub -- I would have expected better at a restaurant like this. 

On top of all this, the dining experience itself was mediocre at best. Our courses came out in the wrong order, there were long delays between them, the chicken was dry, and the staff lost track of our drink order twice.

This wasn't just bad service. It was a failure in basic decency, safety, and respect. If a man harasses women and your team watches it happen--and does nothing--you are not just running a bad restaurant. You are enabling harm.

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Service was great. Food was delicious. And ambiance was fantastic. The shrimp and pasta was my fav but steak was tasty too. Great drinks and desert. Be back for sure

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Great spot for Ambiance & Cocktails. The drinks are unique and tasty, the service is great. The food itself is not the main attraction but great spot especially around the holidays.

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Very limited food menu, huge drink menu, uppity staff (especially the blonde hostess) and mediocre service.  We went there simply because of the name.  We should have listened to the concierge at our hotel who tried to warn us off.  We had a reservation for late in a Friday night.  They sat us next to a huge dinner party.  We couldn't hear each other talk and it was quite warm.  It's unseasonably cool right now but when you pack people into a small restaurant you should have some sort of ventilation.  Couldn't take dessert to go because we were told they don't do take away.
Later that evening my husband was sick from his meal - his chicken must have been undercooked.  Nothing special about this place!

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Pure catfishing!  Booked way in advance for December when decor is up, a birthday dinner & got put in the crummy section that isn't decorated.  We had to sit there and stare at the decorated room like peasants we are.  Our waiter seemed like he was having something going on in his life, wasn't mad about that as people have the right to be human - but it was odd having to tip toe around it.  Food was just so so, minimal vegetarian options (which again is fine just letting folks know).  I would not recommend this beyond popping in for a cocktail and getting your instagram pics.  The bar was decorated cute, hostess was super friendly, manager stops by ask how meal is etc.  overall I very disappointed with the experience and it wont be on my dining list again.

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Cozy and elegant Italian restaurant in the heart of South Kensington. Courteous staff eager to assist. Authentic Italian dishes. 

Melanzane alla Parmigiana: Pleasantly light yet flavorful. 

Burrata: Fresh and creamy with a distinct homemade flavor. Definitely a starter not to be missed.

Minestrone soup: Flavorful however slightly undercooked.

Rigatoni veal ragu: Well bodied sauce with the rigatoni cooked to perfection - excellent choice for a children's dish, as it was approved by our young critic.

Spaghetti with lobster: Fresh tomato sauce (slightly sweetened) with a generous portion of lobster mixed to the sauce. An impressive dish even for the most discerning palates.

Linguine with crab: Shredded morsels of crab integrated into pasta cooked to perfection. Unfortunately the delicate flavor of the crab was slightly overpowered by the chili.

Panna cotta: Perfectly textured and flavored with visible pieces of ground vanilla bean. The only let down was the size who's contents would fit precisely into an espresso cup. Even if not shared, the portion is still a tad small.

Apple costata: Well cooked crust with a soft and flaky texture stuffed with a very average apple filling. Ice cream was nothing special but pleasant on the warm pie.

Tiramisu: Savoiardi were primarily dipped in a milk-blend which is not customary. However, the result was a very light cream flavored tiramisu. The strong flavor of coffee and cognac was not present as the milk and chocolate predominated the desert.

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The food was excellent but I was surprised at how poor the service was. I don't understand the concept of having four or five different servers and one or two managers serving one table. No one is accountable.

I ordered a cocktail and water upon being seated but my drink never arrived.  Halfway through our appetizers, no one came to check on us. By this time I wanted a glass of wine to enjoy with my appetizer. After waiting about five minutes and unable to get anyone's attention, I went to the bar myself and ordered a glass of wine, telling the bartender which table I was seated.  Shortly after,  the cocktail I ordered upon being seated  about 20 minutes prior  was served. Of course I didn't want it anymore.  We were not checked on after our entrée was served either. When I was told an ingredient wasn't available from the after dinner drink I ordered, we discussed substitutions. After this lengthy exchange, he inexplicably served it to another person at my table.  

Other tables appeared to be getting quality service. I would understand if this were America as we were three females, one being a 12-year-old child because women typically don't tip as well as men. However, this being London, tipping shouldn't be a factor in who receives quality service. Was it because we were not locals? We were pleasant and dressed well and our bill was about 250 pounds.  The manager did come over after our meal to Let us know he had taken my glass of wine off of the bill.  Unfortunately, I was not given the opportunity to talk about our experience.

Maybe my expectations of service are high because I am an American but for 250 pounds for two women and a child I would expect more attentive service.

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The food is delicious but the waitresses aré dreary and NOT FRIENDLY.  Honestly, a robot would have more personality.  The decor is terrific, the customers are beautiful people and the staff were depressing.

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Celebrated our wedding anniversary while in London. What a find: great restaurant. The ambiance, the service and food were fantastic, along with a delicious Ripasso.

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Definitely a place to see and be seen.   Booked via opentable and, as americans, were treated dismissively by hostess and server.  Food was very good but not outstanding given the expectations.  Three dining rooms with clear pecking order.   Suspect we may have had a different experience if we had booked via the concierge at our 5 star hotel - lesson learned.  Wine list was limited for this type of restaurant.

Daphne's Italian Restaurant in London SW3 | South Kensington

Categories: Italian cuisine, South Kensington dining

Experience the best of Italian dining in London at Daphne's, nestled in the heart of South Kensington. From authentic dishes like Melanzane alla Parmigiana and fresh Burrata to a cozy yet elegant atmosphere, this restaurant promises a memorable culinary journey. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a casual meal, Daphne's offers a menu that delights with quality ingredients and exquisite flavors. Indulge in their seafood pasta, tender veal ragu, or classic tiramisu for dessert, complemented by an extensive wine list. Visit today for a refined yet welcoming experience that captures the essence of Italian cuisine.

Discover Daphne's in London—an exquisite restaurant blending classic charm with modern flavors. Indulge in memorable dining experience and ignite your senses today!

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