Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park review

The neighbourhood of Queen’s Park gained a gem of a restaurant when Casa Felicia opened in October 2025 on the bustling Salusbury Road, the main artery of this delightful neighbourhood. It’s impossible to miss, sitting just a few strides from the Tube station, radiating the kind of warmth that makes you instinctively slow your pace and look through the window.

Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park. Image courtesy of Casa Felicia.

At the helm is 26-year-old Francesco Sarvonio, whose age becomes entirely irrelevant once you hear his story. He started working in kitchens at 13 in Naples before packing his knives for London, where he sharpened his craft everywhere from the Henrietta Hotel in Covent Garden to Manteca, via Giacco’s and a string of ambitious residencies, including stints at Oranj in Shoreditch, Elephant in Hackney, Early June in Paris and South London’s Naughty Piglets in the year leading up to opening Casa Felicia. With these experiences under his belt, he brings a contemporary touch to the restaurant’s southern Italian menu.

The front of house is led by Sarvonio’s childhood friend, Gabriele, who somehow managed an entire Friday lunch service single-handedly without ever appearing flustered. His passion cannot go unnoticed as he enthusiastically makes you feel welcome and offers thoughtful recommendations, ensuring you leave feeling you’ve enjoyed the very best dining experience.

Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park. Image courtesy of Casa Felicia.

Inside, Casa Felicia gets the balance just right between elegance and rustic Italian. A heavy crimson velvet curtain shields the dining room from the street, revealing whitewashed brick, warm timber floors, crisp white tablecloths and softly upholstered banquette seating, while a collection of asymmetrical mirrors and understated lighting add a modern touch. Linen napkins and tables set with precision and care exude a sense of calm, while bistro curtains soften the windows and offer privacy from passers-by.

A long bar with clusters of classic wine-bottle candle holders dripping with wax runs along the left-hand side towards the semi-open kitchen, offering glimpses of the chefs at work, before leading to a semi-private dining room drenched in seductive crimson tones, seating between four and ten guests. On warm evenings, the folding doors open onto Salusbury Road, where two pavement tables provide prime people-watching territory. Should another heatwave hit London, you're safe here, the air conditioning is gloriously efficient.

We visited to sample the new seasonal menu, which features lighter dishes designed for warmer weather. The menu is printed daily to accommodate an ever-evolving selection shaped by the freshest produce of the season and whatever is inspiring the kitchen that day.

Pane Cafone, a classic Neapolitan bread with Hyblon olive oil. Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park. Image credit MTotoe/FLO London

We began with the Pane Cafone, a classic Neapolitan bread served alongside Hyblon olive oil. On arrival it looked like it might be a disappointment, dry and crumbly. Appearances, thankfully, deceive. Beneath its rugged crust was a gloriously chewy crumb crying out to be dragged through that fragrant oil. Sometimes bread is just bread. Sometimes it's the first clue you're in very capable hands.

The starters showcased both quality ingredients and thoughtful execution. The Vitello Tonnato features rosy slices of tender veal with a touch of veal jus, topped with a silky tuna sauce sharpened by capers and chicory leaves with chilli and garlic. The bitter leaves are a welcome contrast. At £18 it’s generously portioned and entirely justifies itself.

Insalata di Patate, Vitello Tonnato, Insalata di Patate. Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park. Image credit Natascha Milsom.

The Insalata di Patate is less showy - the kind of dish made in Italian homes with whatever happens to be in the kitchen that day. Perfectly cooked potatoes meet green beans, olives, sweet Sorrento tomatoes and fresh mint, adding a touch of summer to the plate. At £13 it nudges towards ambitious pricing.

Next came an ideal summer starter of Prosciutto e Melone. It is one of those dishes whose success depends almost entirely on ingredient quality. Fortunately, the 24-month Parma ham is superb, silky and sweet against perfectly ripe cantaloupe. A whisper of chilli lurks in the background, though it's almost too polite to announce itself.

Parmigiana with melted parmesan, topped with fried sage. Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park. Image credit Natascha Milsom.

Then came the Parmigiana, and yes, they've dared to dismantle a classic. Ordinarily I’d approach such decisions with mild suspicion, but this version wins you over almost immediately. It certainly looks better on the plate than the original and tastes just as good - so why not? The aubergine is tempura-fried with a copious amount of melted parmesan and topped with fried sage and a parsley oil, plated alongside a line of dehydrated aubergine skin crumb and a circle of datterino tomato purée. Something unexpectedly elegant, without losing sight of what made the original so comforting in the first place.

For our main courses, we chose the chef's favourite, Linguine Nerano, a dish that has rarely left the menu since opening. Courgettes in a wonderfully thick, velvety sauce coating every strand of pasta, while slivers of delicate orange courgette flowers top the dish.

Rigatoni Genovese. Casa Felicia, Queen’s Park. Image credit Natascha Milsom.

Although we were tempted by the restaurant’s signature Rigatoni Genovese, a flavoursome slow-cooked beef and onion ragù, we instead opted for the duck ragù. The lean meat makes this a lighter pasta dish, ensuring you won't need a mid-afternoon siesta to recover. The homemade pasta is superb throughout, and the portions are generous enough to share if you also want to try a secondi, such as the T-bone steak or cotoletta.

Dessert presented something of a personal crisis. Skipping tiramisu in an Italian restaurant feels faintly rebellious,particularly if you're someone who has made a hobby of quietly judging every version placed before them. Thankfully, Gabriele intervened and steered us towards the Delizia al Limone and the confit strawberries with Chantilly cream. The Delizia was a wonderfully moist delicate sponge infused with limoncello. The confit strawberries, meanwhile, turned out to be the sleeper hit of the afternoon. Expecting simple strawberries and whipped cream, what arrived was something altogether more special. The cream delicately scented with vanilla, marsala, orange and lemon zest, bringing a citrusy freshness with added crunch from a bountiful crumble topping. A dessert worth coming back for.

Delizia al Limone with confit strawberries and Chantilly cream. Image credit Natascha Milsom.

The wine list is loyally Italian, showcasing 27 wines alongside magnums for larger celebrations. The cocktails are much like the menu - staying close to home while allowing themselves a little creativity. Amalfi lemon and sage freshen a margarita, while grapefruit, amaro and lavender breathe new life into an Old Fashioned, all at a refreshingly reasonable £12.

Overall, the menu stays true to its southern Italian roots while adding thoughtful modern touches. Add genuinely warm hospitality and a room you'll happily linger in long after the plates are cleared, and you've got the sort of neighbourhood restaurant everyone wants on their doorstep. We'll be back.

Hot off the Press!

From Sunday 12th July 2026, breakfast is on the cards. Casa Felicia will quickly become a welcome pit stop for an espresso and a freshly baked cornetto on the way to the Tube, or something to take to the park. Alternatively stay a while for a slow breakfast on the terrace. On the menu - simple toast with Visciole jam, butter or Nutella; house granola and yoghurt; seasonal fruit salad; and savoury options including a Frittatinaalla Nerano - eggs, courgette, mint and basil, plus sandwiches.

Location:  79 Salusbury Road, Lonon NW6 6NH Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 6pm - 10pm. Fri & Sat Noon- 3pm; 6pm - 10pm; Sunday Noon - 5pm.  Website: casa-felicia.com Instagram: @casafeliciarestaurant

 Review by Natascha Milsom