The story
Zoilo brings carefully balanced Argentinian cooking to Marylebone, trading traditional heavy plating for gently deconstructed small plates. This straightforward method earned a Good Food Guide recommendation, cementing the kitchen’s reputation for honest preparations. Baked provolone arrives slathered in oregano honey and toasted almonds, while sea bream ceviche offers a bright counterpoint. Hearty cuts like bife ancho and lomo arrive straight from pampas ranches, often finished with Roscoff onions and a rich Taleggio cheese sauce.
Visitors settle onto red leather banquettes across chequered floor tiles that echo a moody Buenos Aires hangout. The layout encourages lingering, with guests gathering at the bar stools or claiming quiet corners away from the service flow. Natural light filters through large windows during the day, giving way to warmer amber tones as evening approaches. The space maintains a relaxed pace, letting the food set the rhythm rather than loud conversation.
The cellar focuses entirely on regional vineyards, offering bottles from £32 that complement the robust meat dishes. House cocktails provide a modern twist alongside classic Malbec selections. Meals typically conclude with sweet finishes like a warm cinnamon and rhubarb jam roll served with spicy custard and Chantilly cream. The ubiquitous dulce de leche also appears as a cracked crème brûlée, grounding the menu in familiar Argentine tradition.
Recognition
Details
History
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Although the counter seating by the downstairs kitchen is long gone, this slice of Argentina in Marylebone still conjures up a moody Buenos Aires hangout, complete with chequered floor tiles, red leather banquettes and stools at the bar. To begin, the focus is on gently deconstructed small plates and signature flavours – from the best-selling provoleta (baked provolone cheese slathered with oregano honey and almonds) to sea bream ceviche or warm green asparagus partnered by a soft-boiled egg, almonds ‘ajo blanco’ and bottarga di muggine (salted, pressed and dried grey mullet roe). After that, it’s all about hefty pampas-reared Argentinian steaks, including classic cuts such as bife ancho (ribeye), lomo (fillet) and asado (grilled flank, served with Roscoff onions, Taleggio cheese sauce and salsa verde). Alternatively, try a fish dish – perhaps grilled monkfish with braised white asparagus, a jamón-spiked ragoût of green peas and chicken jus. If you manage to make it to dessert and you’re not counting the calories, go for the warm cinnamon and rhubarb jam roll with spicy custard and Chantilly cream; otherwise, the ubiquitous dulce de leche turns up in a crème brûlée. House cocktails provide added temptation, and the all-Argentinian wine list dips into the country’s regional vineyards, with bottles from £32.
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