Credit: courtesy of restaurants
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8 of the best Italian restaurants in London for a slice of la dolce vita this summer
By Amy Beecham
2 years ago
3 min read
If you thought Italian food was only pizza, pasta and a selection of cheeses, think again. Here are the best spots in the capital for gorging on authentic Italian cuisine.
If the recent bad weather has you craving your own slice of la dolce vita more than ever (but jetting off to Positano at a moment’s notice isn’t feasible) one could argue that a sumptuous, slow dinner at a delicious Italian eatery might do the trick. But despite all of London’s incredible food offerings, from flavourful middle eastern cuisine to affordable tasting menus, authentic – and more importantly good – Italian food is often perceived as hard to come by.
However, these eight picks certainly prove otherwise. Plus, with new restaurants popping up all over town, it’s impossible to not find what you are looking for.
From glorious antipasti to handmade Tuscan pasta, here are the best Italian restaurants in the city that made our taste buds dance the tarantella.
Norma, Fitzrovia
Bringing together the fresh and vibrant tastes of southern Italy and northern Africa, Norma offers both à la carte and tasting menu options, featuring the likes of Sicilian courgette crudo, Cornish crab linguine and yellowfin tuna tartare.
Address: 8 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2LS
Trullo, Islington
Islington’s famous Trullo opened in June 2010 and has since offered a simple, seasonally focused Italian-inspired menu that changes daily to the delight of locals. With all the charm of a Tuscan trattoria, fresh hand-made pasta and a charcoal grill are the counterpoints of the menu, with the pasta rolled minutes before service and the fish and meat cooked over burning coals.
Address: 300-302 St Paul’s Road, London N1 2LH
Como Garden, Kensington
This Kensington hotspot offers a glamorous indoor Italian garden experience, so no matter the weather in the UK, you’ll feel you have been transported somewhere else. For food, except classic antipasti tapas like pesto beef carpaccio and parmesan alongside fresh homemade pasta. But don’t leave without sampling their delicious amaretto-inspired lecca-lecca cocktail, made from vodka, amaretto, lemon juice and sugar.
Address: 37-45 Kensington High Street, London W8 5ED
Sorella, Clapham
This south London haunt is a true neighbourhood-style Italian-inspired restaurant with an impressive history, having been awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Menu highlights include the truffle arancini, pappardelle with braised pork shoulder ragù and a dreamy summer dessert of buttermilk panna cotta, served with BBQ apricots and black pepper shortbread.
Address: 148 Clapham Manor Street, London SW4 6BX
081 Pizzeria, Peckham
Succeeding in its aim to provide high-quality pizzas that taste like a slice of Naples, 081 Pizzeria’s sites across the city offer a delicious selection of hand-crafted Neapolitan pizzas and Napoli-inspired tapas dishes.
Address: 66 Peckham Rye, London SE15 4JR
Plant Club, Newington Green
Vegan Italian pizza has never looked so good. With highlights like their Ciao Bella pizza, served with san marzano tomato sauce, NO-zzarella, chestnut mushrooms and Romana artichoke, this plant-based, gluten-free, organic Italian restaurant and natural wine bar is the place to be.
Address: 49 Green Lanes, London N16 9BU
Bocconcino, Mayfair
For the ultimate Italian indulgence, head to Bocconcino, the bustling Mayfair spot that serves a menu centred around fresh seafood, meats and a generous selection of handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza. Enjoy a luxurious dining experience full of Italian soul with Roman-style pizzas made fresh to order (you won’t want to miss the famous hot and spicy diavola and iconic burrata pizzas) and an extensive wine list which features over 300 varieties.
Address: 19 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8ED
Cin Cin, Fitzrovia
Named in the 2023 Michelin guide, this modern neighbourhood Italian is the perfect place to enjoy artisan antipasti with your Aperol spritz. Expect handmade pasta with a great chianti, plus tiramisu with a twist. Put simply: it’s the food and drink experience you wish you could bring home from those sun-drenched Italian holidays.
Address: 21A Foley Street, London W1W 6DS
Images: courtesy of restaurants
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