Month: January 2022

Do you like Italian cuisine? Fortunately, you don’t have to travel to Italy to eat some delicious Italian food. In London, you can find a high number of top-notch restaurants that prepare Italian dishes. Whether you would like to eat a classic Margherita pizza, creamy pasta carbonara, ravioli, or other regional specialties, these restaurants will certainly fulfil your food cravings.

If you want to know which Italian places are worth visiting in London, keep reading. In the following, we will review the 6 best Italian restaurants in London.

1.Campania & Jones

The first restaurant we will talk about today is Campania & Jones. This southern Italian restaurant is situated on Ezra Street, in the heart of east London. Campania uses high-quality, seasonal produce to prepare the best dishes of South Italy. The pasta at this restaurant is made by hand each day. Therefore, if you opt for a pasta dish, you can be assured that the ingredients are fresh.

On the menu, you can find both traditional and new dishes, such as the following ones:

• Gnudi in sage butter
• Tortelli with wild mushroom
• Risotto langoustine
• Scialatielli lobster

Regardless of which food you choose at Campania, you will be served a beautifully presented dish.

Location: 23 Ezra Street, London, E2 7RH

2.Artusi

In Southeast London, Artusi has everything you need for a perfect Italian dining experience. This Italian-inspired, neighbourhood diner offers a quite simple menu. However, since the restaurant uses the best seasonal produce available on the market, the menu is under constant change. The ingredients at Artusi are freshly sourced from carefully selected suppliers and the pasta is made by hand daily.

Here are a few of Artusi’s classic dishes and desserts:

• Spaghetti with leek, bottarga, and pistachio
• Grilled fennel with Violina pumpkin, bitter leaves, and hazelnuts
• Casarecce with winter tomato crudaiola
• Torta primavera with caramelised apple, and vanilla

Try anything from the menu, with a glass of Italian wine, you will certainly feel like being in Italy.

Location: 161 Bellenden Road, Peckham, London SE15 4DH

3.Bocca di Lupo

Without any doubt, Bocca di Lupo is one of the best Italian restaurants in London. This charming Italian diner is located on Archer Street in Soho. Bocca di Lupo has been serving guests authentic Italian dishes from different regions since 2008.

The restaurant’s menu changes twice a day in order to keep up with seasonal changes. Thus, every time you visit Bocca di Lupo, you can discover newer and newer regional specialties. Besides the appetizing plates of pasta, risottos, fried and grilled dishes, salads, and various desserts, you can find an impressive Italian wine list that is more than worth a try.

Location: 12 Archer Street, London W1D 7BB

4.Flour & Grape

Flour & Grape is a casual restaurant with an interesting variety of dishes. You can choose from not less than 9 different pastas: spaghetti, tortelloni, fazzoletti, ravioli, gigli, linguine, pappardelle, taglierini, and casarecce. Besides traditional pasta dishes, here you can also try plenty of other delicious small plates and desserts. These include foods like bruschetta, marinated peppers, burrata, beetroot, almond and prune tart, and tiramisu gelato.

Just like in the case of the above-mentioned diners, Flour & Grape places a big emphasis on using fresh ingredients. Therefore, the pasta is made daily in-house.

When it comes to the drinks, the restaurant has a great selection of Italian wines.

Location: 214 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ

5.Bocconcino

The next diner on our list is Bocconcino. At this restaurant on Berkeley Street, you can find all kinds of Italian dishes. Whether you crave pizza, pasta, fish, soup, or salad, you can certainly choose something from the menu that meets your needs.

Some of the best dishes on the menu include the following:

• Minestrone di verdure di stagione con pesto which is a mixed vegetable soup with pesto
• Pizza Margherita
• Pizza Valtellina
• Homemade tagliatelle with black truffle
• Roasted octopus with cherry tomatoes, Padron peppers, chilli, and garlic
• Salmon steak

Moreover, Bocconcino offers guests a special Italian tasting menu as well that consists of 6 courses. Thus, if you can’t select one or two dishes from the regular menu, we recommend trying the tasting menu. This way, you can taste multiple flavourful Italian dishes.

Location: 19 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8ED

6.Locanda Locatelli

Locanda Locatelli is one of London’s Michelin-starred restaurants. It is run by the well-known Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli who creates traditional dishes with an emphasis on quality, freshness, and creativity.

The main dining room in the restaurant is modern and offers spacious seating for guests. Plus, Locanda Locatelli has a private dining room as well. Thus, if you need some privacy while enjoying your meal, you can get it here.

Concerning the menu, a great selection of foods is waiting for you in this diner. You can find here everything from flavourful plates of pasta to vegan Italian dishes. If you decide to visit Locanda Locatelli, make sure to not miss out on the desserts. They are amazing!

Since this restaurant is extremely popular, don’t forget to make a reservation prior to your arrival.

Location: 8 Seymour St, Marylebone, London W1H 7JZ

The Bottom Line

As you can see, there are many great Italian restaurants in London. Hopefully, the next time you crave some pasta, pizza, or other Italian foods, you will exactly know where to go. Whether you choose to visit Campania & Jones, Artusi, Bocca di Lupo, Flour & Grape, Bocconcino, or Locanda Locatelli, we are sure that you will be satisfied with their cuisine.

When it comes to dining, London certainly doesn’t lack world-class restaurants. You can encounter numerous great diners when walking on the streets of the capital.

Having a huge variety of restaurants can be a great benefit for the people of London. However, many people find it difficult to choose the perfect place for having lunch or dinner. If you also have a hard time selecting a restaurant each time you want to eat out, we have some good news for you.

Today, we will give you a few tips on how to pick the right place. Here are 7 things you must consider when choosing the ideal restaurant.

1.Location

The first and probably most important factor you need to consider when deciding where to eat is location. Depending on your preferences, the diner needs to be easily accessible by public transport or car. However, in case you would rather walk, the restaurant should be located within walking distance.

Once you determine the ideal distance, narrow down your search in that particular area. You will see that this way picking a nice restaurant will be much easier.

2.Atmosphere

For having a pleasant dining experience, you must verify whether the restaurant has everything you need regarding comfort. What does the interior design look like? Are the chairs comfortable? Is the lighting appropriate? What kind of music is being played in the restaurant? All these small details can contribute to your dining experience. Therefore, don’t ignore them!

The atmosphere of the place plays even a more significant role when there is a special occasion. For example, if you want to surprise someone on their birthday or engage your girlfriend, you need to take into consideration every little detail when choosing the ideal restaurant.

3.Food

Perhaps, food is the most evident factor to consider when deciding where to go to eat. This is because understandably, most people want to eat at a restaurant where the offered dishes meet their needs.

For example, if you are craving seafood, you need to find a diner where there is a wide variety of seafood dishes. However, if you would rather try something else, conduct quick research about the different cuisines available in your local area.

Besides, don’t forget to check whether the chosen restaurant uses fresh, high-quality ingredients and prepares the dishes appropriately. After all, you don’t want to end up having food poisoning because of eating contaminated or spoiled food, do you?

4.Service

The next thing you need to pay attention to for the best dining experience possible is service. If you are wondering why service is so important, just think about it this way: You can have the world’s most delicious dish placed in front of you, if the waiter’s behaviour is inappropriate, most likely you won’t enjoy the food as much as you normally would. Plus, there is a high chance that because of this bad experience you will never come back to that particular restaurant.

If possible, try to select a diner where the entire team – including the waiters, waitresses, and kitchen staff – offers great service. Hospitality and attentiveness are both essential qualities the service personnel must have in a good restaurant.

5.Prices

In regard to the prices, many people try to opt for the cheapest option to save money. While it may be tempting to do so, it’s very unlikely that you will be satisfied with the result. This is because cheap prices more often than not come with lower quality. However, it doesn’t mean that you should head to the most expensive diner in London to enjoy a good meal. You may be able to find the same meal (or a similar but high-quality, appetizing dish) for a significantly cheaper price at another place. You just need to make some research!

The best is if you can find the optimal balance between price and quality and choose a restaurant that offers value for your money.

Also, make sure to determine how much money you can afford for eating out, and keep this budget in mind when selecting the right restaurant.

6.Recommendations and Reviews

Taking a look at other people’s recommendations can help you a lot when making the final decision. Fortunately, nowadays you can find many sites online where other guests and gastronomy experts share their opinions and past experiences concerning certain diners. For example, it may be worth checking out the restaurants’ ratings on Tripadvisor and other reputable comparison sites. Then, based on your findings, you can select a restaurant that meets all your needs.

7.Waiting Time

While in some restaurants you can take a seat immediately and your meal will be served in a very short time, other diners can be more crowded. Thus, in the case of these restaurants, you may need to calculate with a longer waiting time. Some places may even require a reservation several days or weeks prior to your arrival.

For these reasons, consider getting in touch with your chosen diner and ask whether making a reservation is necessary.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the ideal restaurant can be a challenging task. However, if you know what you need to look out for, making the decision can be much easier. Don’t forget to take into consideration the above-mentioned factors, such as location, atmosphere, food, service, prices, recommendations, and waiting time, when selecting the right venue for your lunch or dinner. This way, you can be assured that a great dining experience will wait for you at your chosen restaurant.