It was supposed to reopen last September but its doors have remained firmly closed - and seem unlikely to open ever again. Yet like many restaurants, poor old San Lorenzo has been unable to survive the pandemic. Throughout its vibrant history of catering to the rich and famous, San Lorenzo survived many things, including a young Rod Stewart wiping his liver and bacon on a napkin because he ‘didn’t like the gravy’ restaurant critic Michael Winner complaining that his melon was too ‘squashy’ and the Duke of Bedford smashing his head on the low ceiling then saying: ‘Don’t worry, I’m told it is quite empty.’ This marks not just the end of an era, but also the end of the kind of glamorous, ritzy, family-owned restaurant rarely seen in the capital any more, and that is sad news.
The famous London restaurant San Lorenzo has closed its doors for good. The napkins have been folded away for the last time, the cutlery is gathering dust and the telephone sits silent on an unmanned desk.
