When Larry and I had the great good fortune to visit the Langham’s latest restaurant, Sale e Pepe, a few months ago, I was enraptured by the experience, which seemed to combine the very best of fine dining with flawlessly warm service. But what it lacked – perhaps unavoidably – was a sense of Mediterranean space and cool air. The food was divine, but there was a part of me that wanted to feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face as I sipped on a Negroni and ate a slice of something Italian and delicious.
Well, I haven’t managed to make it over to the Amalfi Coast this year, which remains a shame. But what is a relief and a delight is that, in a corner of Cavendish Square, the closest thing that you can imagine in central London has been recreated with appropriately European pizzazz. Sale e Pepe calls itself ‘the West End’s largest outdoor terrace’, and this is not only correct in terms of square foot measurements (I’ll take it on trust; I haven’t gone round with a metre rule) but in terms of the feel of it all.
It’s convivial, welcoming, bedecked with trees and foliage and has the atmosphere of an escape from the bustling, noisy surroundings not only of Oxford Street, but even of the Langham itself – which is hardly an unrelaxing spot. Here, everything is carefully planned to make an experience thoroughly enjoyable, allowing visitors all the joy of a holiday without the air fare. Assuming, of course, that the British weather doesn’t let it down.
On the day that I visited for lunch, it was warm but cloudy, in typical London summer style, but this did not detract from a feeling of pleasure when I perused the menu with my chum Pete. The culinary ambitions are, to be honest, pitched lower than at Sale e Pepe, but that does not mean that they are anything other than accomplished for the levels that they have set themselves. Which means that as we sip a truly superb Florence Negroni we contemplate the Mediterranean delights on offer. 
In the form of the antipasti and salads, this means that we both go for a deconstructed prawn cocktail, in that it is nothing more than the finest king prawns, served on ice, with a dip made out of horseradish and cocktail sauce. It cuts away all the flummery and gives you what you want, without fuss.
Much the same could be said of the excellent pizzas that constitute the only main courses on offer. I go for the ‘Vagabonda’, a delight with mortadella, burrata and basil pesto complimenting the cherry tomatoes, and Pete contents himself with the more conventional burrata-based pizza. Both are superb and far from extravagantly priced for the area at, respectively, £23 and £18. And the sommelier’s selection of a particularly good bottle of Massolino Chardonnay from 2024 proves a wise one; it has all the salinity that a really fine Chardonnay should boast, with an almost citrus level of cut-through that makes the pizza taste even better than it would otherwise.
Desserts are as accomplished as you’d hope for – Pete is impressed by the pistachio gelato and the Amalfi lemon tart might be a tad heavy on the meringue for me, but has the zesty, tangy taste of the authentic fruits to make up for it – and then after a couple of hours, it’s time to head off from this splendid spot back into the cares and troubles of the everyday world. But honestly, Sale e Pepe Terrazza is a holiday in and of itself. Make plans to check in there soon.
Sale e Pepe Terrazza, 9-15 Pavilion Road, London SW1X 0HD. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.saleepepe.co.uk.
