Where to eat

Best Italian restaurants in London
Published 20 January 2025

From buzzy, Venetian-style bacaro cool to elegant neighbourhood spots and hearty home cooking, London has an abundance of excellent Italian restaurants to choose from. Hand-rolled pasta, regional specialities and an unfussy yet vivacious style is the hallmark of Italian cuisine; here's where to enjoy the best of it.

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Artusi

Peckham, London ££

No-frills neighbourhood Italian with an infectious vibe

A dark frontage punctuated by full-length windows reveals a spare-looking café-like interior, a narrow room with plain white walls and a constantly changing chalkboard menu – in short, Artusi is a ‘perfect neigh… Read more

161 Bellenden Road, Peckham, London SE15 4DH

New Review

Bancone Covent Garden

Covent Garden, London

When sleek, handmade pasta specialist Bancone opened its first branch in Covent Garden back in 2018, it scored an instant social media hit with its ‘silk handkerchiefs’ – soft, glistening rectangles of fazzoletti… Read more

39 William IV Street, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4DD

Bancone Golden Square

Soho, London £

Like the Covent Garden original, this Soho offshoot majors in counter dining, although there’s much more space throughout: chatty groups congregate around the olive tree planted in the centre of the room, couples prefer the … Read more

8-10 Lower James Street, Soho, London W1F 9EL

Bocca di Lupo

Soho, London ££

As the hurricane of voguish London dining whirls on, it is momentarily easy to forget how much of a gust of fresh air Bocca di Lupo was when Jacob Kenedy opened it way back in the distant land of 2008. If places can struggle to ge… Read more

12 Archer Street, Soho, London W1D 7BB

Brutto

Farringdon, London ££

Florence comes to Farringdon at this pulsating jam-packed eatery

Russell Norman’s sudden death in November 2023 shocked the restaurant world, but his masterfully staged final project, Brutto, carries on regardless – thanks to his wife Jules and son Ollie. Inside, checked tablecloths… Read more

35-37 Greenhill Rents, Farringdon, London EC1M 6BN

Dalla

Hackney, London ££

Opened in November 2023, this neighbourhood Italian in Hackney puts the emphasis on home-style cooking with a little transatlantic input from the partly Canadian heritage of the chef. You'll need to head over to Instagram if you w… Read more

120-122 Morning Lane, Hackney, London E9 6LH

Flour + Water

Putney, London ££

Pizzas, pastas and gelati are top shouts at this likeable Italian

Set up as a pizza home-delivery service during lockdown, this well-liked informal eatery (from seasoned London restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas) feels like the very definition of a neighbourhood Italian restaurant. The short … Read more

162-164 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, London SW15 1LY

CLOSED

Forza Win

Camberwell, London ££

* The restaurant has closed as of February 2025. The two Forza Wine sites (in Peckham and at the National Theatre) continue to trade as normal. * Back to life after its previous iteration (in a Peckham warehouse) was ca… Read more

29-33 Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell, London SE5 8TR

Forza Wine at the National Theatre

South Bank, London ££

After years of pop-ups, this Italian-inspired restaurant group is firmly established south of the river with permanent spots in Peckham (Forza Wine) and Camberwell (Forza Win). Now a third venue – its most ambitious project … Read more

National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX

Best Local Restaurant

Giulia

Shepherd's Bush, London ££

There is much to enjoy in this informal neighbourhood restaurant. ‘Stunning food. Great value. Always things I want to try. Wines I want to drink. Great hospitality,’ notes one loyal fan. But then Giulia Quaglia and En… Read more

77 Askew Road, Shepherd's Bush, London W12 9AH

Italo

Vauxhall, London

From knitting classes and supper clubs to ice cream sandwiches and country dancing in the street, this ‘green oasis’ is a genuine community hub – and second home to many of its regulars. At its heart is a deli an… Read more

13 Bonnington Square, Vauxhall, London SW8 1TE

MEMBER PERK

Lardo

Hackney, London ££

There’s a lot more competition than when Lardo first opened its doors in 2012, but this industrial-chic venue remains a favourite among the local families and well-to-do professionals of London Fields. While the pizza oven i… Read more

197-205 Richmond Road, Hackney, London E8 3NJ

Legare

Tower Bridge, London ££

A converted warehouse in the shadow of Tower Bridge is an unlikely spot for a small, independently owned Italian restaurant, but Legare 'punches above its weight,' according to one well-satisfied visitor. Inside, it’s a… Read more

Cardamom Building, 31 Shad Thames, Tower Bridge, London SE1 2YR

Leo's

Clapton, London ££

A really lovely neighbourhood Italian for every occasion

A selection of the day’s papers hanging from a rail in the front room is a reminder that this chic neighbourhood Italian does brisk business as a café by day, dispensing excellent espressos, croissants, pizzette and p… Read more

59 Chatsworth Road, Clapton, London E5 0LH

Luca

Clerkenwell, London £££

Originally conceived by the owners of the Clove Club, this ‘Britalian’ restaurant is almost as well-known for its bar as its restaurant –so it was with some reluctance that we bypassed the Negroni-based fun … Read more

88 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 4EH

Manteca

Shoreditch, London ££

Cool Shoreditch Italian with impressive artisan credentials

Frequent queues stretching out of the door are testament to the daily popularity of this trendy modern Italian, which is marked by an ornamental boar's head suspended above the entrance. Manteca is that sort of place, a Shoreditch… Read more

49-51 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PT

Marcella

Deptford, London ££

Deptford High Street has a jewel in its midst; not a shiny blingy one, but a precious little gem called Marcella. 'The art of simplicity' is their mantra, and this sister to Peckham's Artusi is the sort of unpretentious local Ital… Read more

165a Deptford High Street, Deptford, London SE8 3NU

MEMBER PERK

Maremma

Brixton, London ££

Inviting neighbourhood venue with a Tuscan accent

Brixton has a reputation for exciting startups and on-trend eateries, so it’s curious to find a traditional Italian neighbourhood restaurant in this part of town. The venue itself is done out in minimalist style (think expos… Read more

36 Brixton Water Lane, Brixton, London SW2 1PE

MEMBER PERK

Ombra

Hackney, London ££

A taste of Venetian bacaro cool in Hackney

When Ombra opened its doors by the banks of the Regent's Canal back in 2011, today’s gentrification was a long way off. Now this former retail site is custom-built for a taste of Venetian-style bacaro cool. Drop by on spec, … Read more

1 Vyner Street, Hackney, London E2 9DG

Petersham Nurseries Café

Richmond, London £££

On paper, this rustic restaurant starts at a disadvantage. Located at the back of an old greenhouse in a plant nursery, with dirt floors and wobbly old tables and chairs, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. Add to that, t… Read more

Church Lane, Petersham Road, Richmond, London TW10 7AG

Polentina

Bow, London

Housed in Apparel Tasker, a sustainable garment factory in Bow, this Italian café is a cosy corner sealed off by glass so guests can observe the production line while enjoying their coffee and cake. Humble home cooking of I… Read more

1 Bowood House, Empson Street, Bow, London E3 3LT

Popolo Shoreditch

Shoreditch, London ££

Up-to-the-minute Med-accented small plates

With its rough-hewn brickwork and bare café tables, Jon Lawson's small but jumping joint off Old Street suits Shoreditch down to the ground. There's a Moorish, as well as moreish, air to some of the dishes, backed up by roc… Read more

26 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3DU

MEMBER PERK

Portobello Ristorante Pizzeria

Notting Hill, London ££

When the wind is whistling through Notting Hill, but you still doggedly want to sit outside, the Portobello has a retractable-roof terrace with heaters and blankets, so you can get well bedded in and let the weather do what it lik… Read more

7 Ladbroke Road, Notting Hill, London W11 3PA

The River Café

Hammersmith, London ££££

* A casual offshoot called the River Café Café (with its own terrace) is now open, adjacent to the main restaurant. Walk-ins only. Watch for more details coming soon. * Only a handful of London restaurants can genui… Read more

* A casual offshoot called the River Café Café (with its own terrace) is now open, adjacent to the main restaurant. Walk-ins only. Watch for more details coming soon. *

Only a handful of London restaurants can genuinely claim to be ‘iconic’, and this glamorous spot on a Hammersmith backstreet is one of them. Launched by Ruth Rogers and the late Rose Gray in 1987, the River Café’s mission was to bring the seasonal pleasures of artisan Italian cuisine to the capital. It may be approaching middle age, but this is still ‘one cool restaurant’, frequented by a well-heeled, fashion-conscious crowd who love to eat (and be seen) here. The dining space is filled with light and luminous colours (sea blue, bright yellow), there’s cafeteria-style seating and an open-plan kitchen with a wood-fired oven, while a shiny zinc bar brings you close to the action. Topping it off, an outdoor terrace with a view of the Thames is the perfect summery spot. As for the food itself, everything depends on impeccable supplies from Italy and nearer home, all attuned to the calendar. The culinary approach may be understated but ingredients are treated with the utmost respect, as in a plate of fabulously sweet, split and wood-roasted Scottish langoustines paired with garlic and parsley. Some once-thrilling ideas now seem commonplace (chargrilled squid with red chilli and rocket, for example), but others still create a special magic: a dish of hearty softened cannellini beans with summer girolles, parsley and a slice of crostino could have come straight from a Tuscan farmhouse, while properly gamey wood-roasted Yorkshire grouse (bang in season) with crispy Tuscan-style roast potatoes and a jus laced with a generous splash of Brunello di Montalcino is rustic yet sophisticated. No corners are cut here – even the wine used for cooking comes from renowned estates. For dessert, there are classics aplenty, from the sumptuous and much-copied chocolate nemesis to a citrussy Amalfi lemon tart. Service is charming to a fault, although all this fame and legacy can cost a small fortune: depending on your financial status, it can seem ‘reassuringly expensive’ or downright pricey. And you will need to nurse your bank balance if you plan to indulge in the wine list – a mighty tome packed with Italian gems (including some stunning Super Tuscans) as well as classy Champagnes. Thankfully, around 25 by-the-glass selections (from £13) help to ease the burden.

Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9HA

MEMBER PERK

Theo Randall at the InterContinental

Mayfair, London £££

A Park Lane institution, this long-running Italian restaurant has settled into a very nice groove. Found on the ground floor of the InterContinental Hotel, it may occupy a windowless space that can lack atmosphere, but the ro… Read more

InterContinental London Hotel, 1 Hamilton Place, Mayfair, London W1J 7QY

Trullo

Islington, London ££

Warmth 'with a capital W’ is one of the prime assets at this Islington crowd-puller, which has been hitting all the right notes since opening in 2010. Matching a glowing interior and pleasing comfort with homely but vivaciou… Read more

300-302 St Paul’s Road, Islington, London N1 2LH

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PUBLISHED ON 07 Jul, 2023

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