When I hear about a new cigar lounge in the UK, I always add it to my to-do list of places to visit. Last year, I thought it might be useful to share that list on this website, so I created a page listing newly opened and upcoming cigar bars, terraces, and smoking lounges across the UK! This included a venue called Sparrow Italia in Mayfair, London.

A couple of weeks later, during the Por Larranga 47 cigar launch at Sautters Mount Street, some cigar smokers came up to me and said they had visited the venue based on my post about it – and they loved it – and said the lounge was pretty special! I felt so chuffed – honestly, just hearing folk that find this website useful makes all the time and effort I put into writing these blog posts worthwhile – it was great that I was able to introduce cigar folk to an establishment that not even I had visited 🙏. This made me even more keen to check out this particular venue!

Background

So, what is Sparrow Italia?

According to their website, Sparrow Italia is ‘a modern Italian restaurant that embodies European sophistication. Located in the prestigious Mayfair neighbourhood of London, Sparrow sets the tone for a chic atmosphere that honours the values belonging to generations of Italian table lovers.’ 

They are expanding their chain of restaurants. Their first location opened in Los Angeles in late 2021, followed by London in 2023. A third location is coming soon to Miami.

After digging a bit deeper, I came across an article on the HotDinners blog that reveals the ownership of the chain. It is owned by the hospitality group Noble 33, which has other establishments including Toca Madera (in Las Vegas), Casa Madera (in Toronto), Meduza Mediterrania (in New York and Houston), and several others in the works.

So, what about the cigar lounge?

The cigar lounge at Sparrow Italia is situated on the third floor of the building and boasts an impressive collection of the world’s finest cigars.

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The lounge is headed by Syafiera, their very own Master of Havana Cigars – a prestigious title held by fewer than 40 individuals worldwide.

If you ever get the chance to meet Syafiera, consider yourself lucky. She is absolutely at the top of her game in the UK right now. Syafiera possesses a vast knowledge of cigars and is among the very best in her field. Prior to her current position as Head of Cigars, she gained experience at esteemed cigar lounges and venues like The Puffin Rooms in Liverpool and Annabels.

My experience

At the beginning of the month, someone reached out to me on my social media and said they were coming over to London from the United States to visit some lounges and suggested meeting up for a cigar. I looked at our availability and thought it would be a great opportunity to try out a new cigar lounge together – I mentioned Sparrow Italia – and they were well up for it! 🙏

The restaurant and cigar lounge are located in Avery Row, Mayfair, London. The closest underground station to it that I could find was Bond Street. If you exit through the Hanover Square exit, according to Google Maps it will take you about 3 minutes to walk to the venue. However, it took me a bit longer to locate the place – as I always get a bit lost around that neck of the woods – approximately 10 minutes or so.

When you arrive at Avery Row, you’ll easily spot Sparrow Italia, a tall building amidst the narrow streets.

You’ll notice the sign outside and the menu near the front door. I quickly glanced at it, unaware that I would end up dining there later 😁.

When I arrived at the venue, the receptionist greeted me. I told them that I had a booking which I had made through the Sparrow Italia website. They then directed me towards the lift, and I went up to the third floor.

As soon as I walked into the cigar lounge, I was struck by the elegant decor.

The dark, rich wooden paneling, plush leather chairs (approx 24), and elegant tables (approx 8) created a sophisticated atmosphere. The ambient lighting added a warm glow, further accentuating the elegance of the space. Additionally, the windows provided a neat view over the buildings in London’s Mayfair. Indeed, it is a very special and unique place!

I waited for my guest and of course when he arrived we went straight into the walk-in humidor with Syafiera. There is a selection of  Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico cigars, as well as Cuban cigars from brands like Trinidad, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, Hoyo de Monterrey and Partagas. The selection feels quite small inside such a large walk-in humidor – but the potential to fill this with tons of cigars is definitely there!

I chose a Partagas Serie D No. 4 Cuban cigar.

I enjoyed that cigar with an Old Fashioned while relaxing in one of the leather armchairs. Although it was a quiet weekday night, I appreciated the peaceful atmosphere. It was also raining outside, but the lounge felt cozy. Syafiera, our host, made sure we had everything we needed. The lounge had good ventilation, and we had access to tea, coffee, water, and clean restrooms.

After finishing the first cigar, we asked if it was possible to have dinner downstairs. It turned out to be an amazing experience, with a beautiful setting, great starters, mains, and dessert – all perfectly complementing our cigars and conversation.

Straight after dinner we returned to the cigar lounge and I tried an El Viejo Continente Mare Nostrum cigar from the New World selection.

My rating: 8 out of 10

Firstly, I love the fact that you can book your spot in the cigar lounge – I wish more cigar venues would offer this.

Secondly, it’s the perfect place to meet friends, have dinner and drinks, then head up to the cigar lounge for a cigar. Or, do what we did – start with a cigar, have dinner, then return for more cigars 🙌. It opens late too! Not many cigar venues in our capital city offer all of that in one space.

Speaking to Syafiera, she mentioned that there are plans to open up a roof terrace later this year – so this is going to be one worth keeping your eye on, especially if they run some more cigar events in the future. Davidoff recently hosted an event there.

If you decide to dine at Sparrow Italia in Mayfair AND indulge in some fancy cigars, be aware that the bill may add up quickly. It’s always a good idea to keep a close eye on what you’re spending to avoid any unpleasant surprises at the end of the night.

This might be a bit overwhelming for beginners, as it feels more tailored towards cigar enthusiasts and aficionados. If you’ve been to all the cigar lounges in town, it’s definitely worth visiting this one if you haven’t been yet! Do note whilst the current selection of cigars may not be extensive it has a lot of the top cigar brands there!

It would be good if they had a bit of jazz music on in the background when the lounge isn’t as busy – and it’d be great to see the cigar price list – but overall I was very impressed and would definitely be keen to return.

Also, I want to add a big shout out to Eric – thank you for the amazing company 🙏.

And a big shout out to Syafeira, who ensured we had the perfect evening. The service was class! 🔥

Interested in visiting?

1-3 Avery Row, Mayfair, London, W1K 4AJ

Tel: +44 20 3089 9501

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Explore their website for reservations or follow them on Instagram at @sparrowitalia | @sparrowcigarclub.

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