de_DEZafferano is an acclaimed Italian restaurant located in the Knightsbridge district of London. Established in February 1995 by chef Giorgio Locatelli on behalf of A–Z Restaurants, the dining venue derived its name from the Italian word for saffron. Prior to its transformation into an Italian establishment, the premises had operated as a fish restaurant. The major investor in the venture was Claudio Pulze, who owned the establishment through A–Z Restaurants, while Locatelli operated under a pay structure based on the overall performance of the business. The setting features subtle nods to its namesake spice, with saffron fibres artfully woven into the covers of the bill holders.
The culinary style of the restaurant was initially shaped by the background of its founding chef, drawing influence from his previous experience at venues such as The Savoy Hotel and Olivo, where the focus centred on Italian peasant foods. Upon its launch, Zafferano introduced a series of set price menus designed to change on a monthly basis, distinctively omitting butter from nearly all preparations. In the original 1995 menu, only a single dish, pappardelle pasta with chicken livers and sage, incorporated butter. Over the years, dessert offerings have featured inventive plates such as strawberries drizzled with sixty-year-old balsamic vinegar alongside the establishment’s enduring signature dessert, a tiramisu served inside a delicate tuile.
Following internal changes and disagreements with the new head of A–Z Restaurants, Locatelli departed the kitchen, and Andrew Needham stepped into the role of head chef after previously serving as sous chef. The restaurant experienced corporate shifts when A–Z Restaurants entered administration in November 2004, leading to the business being sold back to Claudio Pulze alongside a new partner, John De Stefano. Pulze later sold his share of the company to De Stefano in 2007, the same year the establishment expanded to open an adjacent delicatessen. Over time, the average cost of a meal at the venue evolved, increasing by sixty-five percent between 1997 and 2005.