Category: Italian Italy London Restaurants Top List UK
Source: https://top-list.co/top-best-italian-restaurants-in-london-v10406.html
- Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza
- Trullo
- Lina Stores, Soho
- Maremma, Brixton
- Padella
- Bocca di Lupo
- Fiume, Battersea
- Pastaio, Soho
- Osteria Romana, Knightsbridge
- Cecconi’s Pizza Bar, Soho
Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza
Rudy’s Soho location is a welcome addition to London’s pizza scene. You should begin your meal with an aperitivo of Campari and soda, which arrives premixed in a small bottle alongside a bowl of salted crisps for snacking, before moving on to generous sharing platters piled high with deli treats and house-baked bread.
From parmigiana with roasted aubergine to spicy calabrese with ‘nduja sausage and cinghiale with wild boar salami, the pizza toppings are sure to please. Their lavishly topped capricciosa with creamy fior de latte, prosciutto, mushrooms, Kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts hit all the right notes, but it was the base that really stood out – flavorful and pillowy while remaining satisfyingly chewy. Rudy’s pizzas are made by trained and accredited pizzaiolos and are baked daily using 24-hour fermented dough.
Address: 9 Cotton Street, Ancoats M4 5BF
Website: https://www.rudyspizza.co.uk
Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza
Trullo
Trullo, the older sister of Borough Market’s Padella, serves perfect pasta, antipasti, and larger charcoal grill dishes in a romantic yet relaxed setting. When it comes to the furniture, upstairs, wooden tables – simply laid with white paper tablecloths and flickering tea lights – are huddled together, while downstairs, dark booths are perfect for a longer, laid-back dinner.
The menu changes twice daily based on seasonal produce, but for two people, they recommend a couple of antipasti, a couple of plates of pasta, and one larger oven dish. Baskets of bread are served alongside a pot of olive oil, and while you can ask for more, it’s best to save room for the pasta. Rich beef shin ragu coats slippery ribbons of pappardelle, while olive oil adds richness to sweet squash ravioli. Meat and fish are simply grilled over coals and served with soft polenta and salsa verde or baby beetroot. As with the food, wines change regularly but there are always a few available by the glass. The natural Puglia Miro is bursting with ripe cherries, or sip on a punchy coffee negroni as a nightcap.
Address: 300-302 Saint Paul’s Road, London N1 2LH
Website: www.trullorestaurant.com
Trullo
Lina Stores, Soho
Lina Stores is a much-anticipated pasta, antipasti, and aperitive bar from Soho institution Lina Stores, an Italian deli that has been the go-to for authentic produce since its inception in 1944. Regulars at Lina Stores’ original green-tiled corner shop a few streets away will recognize the new restaurant by its white and mint striped awning.
Masha Rener, the head chef, has kept the menu simple and seemingly authentic, with every ingredient originating in Italy – from bright and buttery Cerignola olives to the sugar used in exceptional Italian desserts and cakes. Fresh pasta, made an hour before service, takes center stage at Lina Stores, where it is served as the main event rather than the traditional pre-main primi. Bright yellow pappardelle soak up light, gamey rabbit ragu, perfectly formed gnocchi is brightened with popping peas, and a vibrant mint and courgette mixture is stuffed into little tortellini parcels, those dishes are what you should try at this restaurant. Pici alla norcina is the highlight, though – springy worms of pasta in a creamy, nutty sauce of porcini mushroom and Norcia sausage (often celebrated as the best in Italy).
Address: 18 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1F 0SH
Website: https://www.linastores.co.uk
Lina Stores, Soho
Maremma, Brixton
This Tuscan bistro’s small space has a decidedly neighborhood feel, with vases of dried flowers on tables crammed in alongside stools at the pale sage counter overlooking the busy open kitchen and aperitif-bottle-lined bar. Large, almost life-size illustrations of wild boar and octopus on exposed brick walls reflect dishes on the menu. The menu is dedicated to producing from the Maremma region of southwest Tuscany. The Skate wing is another standout.
The wines are all from Maremma – the brancaleta sangiovese/malvasia nera blend is an elegant, aromatic accompaniment to the boar dishes, while the chardonnay from the same vineyard is intense enough to stand up to the majority of the menu options. Seven Hills gin, infused with juniper and herbs from Maremma, is used in the negroni and rosemary old-fashioned, while the Mi-To (Milano-Torino) cocktail combines new Maremma-born vermouth with Corsican grapefruit aperitif, Pampelle.
Address: 36 Brixton Water Lane, London SW2 1PE
Website: www.maremmarestaurant.com
Maremma, Brixton
Padella
The duo behind Trullo in Highbury, Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda, opened their second restaurant, Padella, in Borough Market in March 2016. Padella’s menu consists of eight pasta dishes inspired by Trullo’s “greatest hits”, with fresh pasta rolled in the restaurant window just before service.
Padella, a small no-bookings restaurant where queues are unavoidable, was founded on the desire to make fresh handmade pasta affordable to all, with prices ranging from £5.50 to £11.50. The open kitchen combines traditional Italian techniques with high-quality British ingredients to create dishes such as pappardelle and eight-hour beef shin ragu, tagliarini with brown shrimp, green and yellow courgette, and the now-famous pici cacio e pepe.
When you walk past Padella and see the pasta being rolled out in the window just hours before service, you know you’re in for a treat. The simple menu is built around slow-cooked sauces and ragus from the duo’s travels throughout Italy, showcasing classic Italian techniques.
Address: 6 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TQ
Website: https://www.padella.co
Padella, Borough Market
Bocca di Lupo
Bocca di Lupo first opened in 2008. Bocca di Lupo was chef Jacob Kenedy’s and general manager Victor Hugo’s first solo venture. Before moving to Boulevard in San Francisco, Jacob was the head chef at Moro. Bocca di Lupo focuses on regional Italian cuisine and wine – Jacob and Victor traveled extensively throughout Italy to research the restaurant’s menu and wine lists.
The right side is dominated by a long, marble-topped bar, with the main room stretching behind it. The kitchen is open and gleaming, and the tables and chairs are unassumingly elegant. The concept is simple: serve regional Italian cuisine in tapas-sized portions. For the deeper belly, more substantial plates are available. From a Trentino pork and foie gras sausage to a Sicilian tuna tartare, which manifests as a generous hillock of ruby cubes studded with salty capers, soft pine nuts, and orange peel shavings, the menu is a gustatory odyssey through Italy.
Address: 12 Archer Street, Soho, London W1D 7BB
Website: www.boccadilupo.com
Bocca di Lupo
Fiume, Battersea
Wind your way around the Thames, ducking under the colorful ‘Power’ archway along the way, and you’ll find Fiume in the shadow of Battersea Power Station. The contemporary Italian, which translates as a river, sits in front of a water feature that reflects the golden hue of the recently renovated chimneys towering above.
Francesco Mazzei, a Calabrian chef, is opening his third restaurant in collaboration with D&D London. The restaurant’s interior design reflects the menu – it’s smart but laid-back. For quick plates of cicchetti (fried calamari to crostini draped with mozzarella, anchovies, and roasted peppers) and homemade bread from the wood-fired pizza oven, there’s counter dining and high chairs by the bar.
The menu proper focuses on southern Italian, or Mezzogiorno, recipes, hopping around the eight different regions. To begin your meal, you should consider wobbly burrata and slow-cooked octopus, followed by classic main courses like aubergine parmigiana and seafood fregola, as well as a handmade pasta menu.
Address: Sopwith Way, Circus West Village, Battersea Power Station, London SW8 5BN
Website: www.fiume-restaurant.co.uk
Fiume, Battersea
Pastaio, Soho
The Pastaio ‘s menu starts with elegant fish and seafood crudités: Sicilian red prawns, dusted with roasted rice powder and drizzled with olive oil, have a lusciously soft, almost creamy texture, while rich tuna belly is pepped up by a zingy blood orange dressing. Sea bream with mirin is salty-fresh.
Malloreddus (tiny, ridged Sardinian gnocchi) comes with an elegantly light and flavorful slow-cooked sausage sauce, while agnoli stuff with grouse, pork, and the rabbit is a deceptively simple dish that made good use of prime autumn produce. Pastaio’s drink menu is short and affordable, ranging from prosecco and Aperol slushies to wines from lesser-known Italian growers, many of which are priced by the glass.
Address: 19 Ganton Street, Soho, London W1F 9Bn, London W1F 9BN
Website: https://pastaio.co.uk/locations/soho
Pastaio, Soho
Osteria Romana, Knightsbridge
The décor is kept simple in this small, softly lit space, with plain wooden flooring and furniture, earth-toned walls, and small copper lamps that shine inviting pools of light over each table. Each table is adorned with pots of vibrant green basil, and a wall-to-wall wine rack serves as a focal point at one end of the room. The effect is intimate, unpretentious, but still tastefully sleek – after all, this is Knightsbridge.
The stars of your antipasti should be four fat, handmade gnocchi. They’re delightfully fluffy and topped with a decadent, moreish black truffle and pecorino sauce. Spaghetti carbonara, an iconic Roman dish, is flawless, with a silky, properly emulsified sauce. Tonnarelli with artichokes and red prawns combines juicy crustaceans with artichoke shards and a bisque-like sauce is a perfect dish for you to try. Pink, tender, and flavorful lamb chops are served with ultra-smooth mashed potatoes and crispy leeks. That is what distinguishes their menu.
Address: 3 Park Close, London SW1X 7PQ
Website: www.osteriaromana.co.uk
Osteria Romana, Knightsbridge
Cecconi’s Pizza Bar, Soho
Cecconi’s Pizza Bar, from the same team that brought you Soho House, focuses on pizza, pasta, and Aperol spritz on tap. The space has a retro feel thanks to vintage Italian posters, black and white mosaic tiles, and mahogany tables. Grab a seat on the street in the summer and spend the evening sipping punchy negronis.
Which pizza should you order from Cecconi’s Pizza Bar? The charred crust is super doughy and has a slightly smoky flavor, while the sloppy base is piled high with toppings. You should choose one topped lavishly with parma ham, peppery rocket, mozzarella, parmesan, and meltingly creamy burrata – torn apart and drizzled with olive oil – or keep it classic with buffalo mozzarella, tomato, and basil, or a pizzette instead if you want something lighter.
What else is there to eat and drink? The best one to start is with crisp matchsticks of zucchini fritti with silky aioli (lifted with lemon). While pizza is the main attraction, be sure to share a bowl of creamy spaghetti dusted with umami truffle shavings. If you have room for dessert, the tiramisu is an absolute must. The waiters will bring large dishes to the table and serve the rich coffee-soaked dessert directly to the table.
Address: 19-21 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JJ
Website: www.cecconispizzabar.com
Cecconi’s Pizza Bar, Soho
