Chinatown, Italian Restaurant Guide

“Absolutely brilliant” – Jacob Kenedy’s “go-to place in Soho” (in a backstreet near Piccadilly Circus) remains one of the most interesting Italian restaurants in the UK. “No stereotypical Cucina Italiana here”: “the stellar menu is constantly changing” and the finest and freshest ingredients are treated with the utmost simplicity and respect in “regional small plates” that are “seasonal, well-judged and always memorable”; and which can be paired with “a very fine Italian cellar covering every price point”. “Thoughtful and friendly staff” help “everything function like clockwork”; and while “the room is a little challenging” (“it can be NOISY”) it “has a very good atmosphere”. Top Menu Tips – “mince-stuffed olives Ascolani, Amberjack carpaccio with rosemary oil and orange zest, Sweetbreads with morels and Marsala, Sicilian cannoli with a light and tangy ricotta filling”. “Heaven for olive oil and garlic lovers. Courgette flower with mozzarella and anchovies, Wild garlic pappardelle with duck are all to die for. Every dish packs a punch, down to the sweet Pig’s Blood and Chocolate Paté”.

“A real sense of being a little part of history in London” – with a side order of “proper cannoli and great coffee” – is the prime attraction of this “excellent” 24/7 coffee bar, an all-but-unique survivor of post-War Soho, founded in 1949 by the Polledri family who remain committed to its legacy.

This “lively family Italian restaurant in Soho” has a “lovely vibe”, “very authentic food” and a “brilliant vermouth bar” (‘vermuteria’) serving their own, home-distilled creations. It’s a modern place, founded by three brothers from northern Italy. Top Tip – “head down to the basement for the best atmosphere”.

The “really lively atmosphere and helpful, cheerful staff” make this Italian spot from the San Carlo group “a nice pre-theatre dining venue” a few minutes’ walk from the Coliseum. One could argue that “there’s nothing exceptional about the cicchetti on offer”, but the place “doesn’t feel like a chain” and is consistently well-rated in (practically) all reports.

“We love the pistachio decor and the spacious seating”, say fans of this expanding chain, which had operated as a treasured old deli in Soho for over 75 years before starting to branch out as a pasta-chain in 2018. Impressions of it are something of a mixed bag though. To fans, its stylised outlets are “very convenient” and “can be trusted for a good-value and enjoyable experience with excellent food” (mostly pasta) in “sensible portions”. On the downside, though, are a fair number of diners to whom it’s a good concept whose execution is “perfectly fine but unexciting” (“starters good, pasta average-to-good, but compared with folk who had raved to me about other branches, I was left with a sense of ‘meh?’”). Still, their backers are enthusiastic and this year they added new locations in Greek Street and South Kensington.

“Delicious pasta at relatively affordable prices” inspires major loyalty to these “busy” pasta pitstops in Soho, near Trafalgar Square and in Borough Yards: for their legions of fans, “a staple option for a quick meal in London”, even if “the narrow WC2 branch in particular is tight for space and can feel a little crowded and noisy”. The experience, though, can tip into just feeling “rushed”, “unimpressive” or “hyped”, not least due to the “hit ’n’ miss service”. Top Menu Tips – “obviously the ‘silk handkerchiefs’ are best”; “Cacio Pepe is like you’ll never find outside Rome at an unbelievable price”.

“Scrumptious food, Soho ambience: a winner!” – Cameron Emirali and Luke Wilson’s “intimate” fixture has won renown above its size and inspires feedback from diners living all over London. The food from the open kitchen “is amazing and interesting” and “it’s a place to come back to” (“I’ve eaten at 10 Greek 20+ times, I’ve never had one bad mouthful of food”). Top Tip – ask for their ‘Little Black Book’ of ‘rarer wine gems’.

2021 Review: “Neapolitan influences are evident in the choice of ingredients, and the wood-burning oven makes for good, chewy, charred crusts, unlike most high-street pizzas” – so say fans of this global chain, whose HQ is indeed in Naples. Not everyone is impressed, though, and ratings are dragged down by those who feel it’s merely an “everyday” choice: “OK for a bog-standard group, but not great”.

“Delicious pasta at relatively affordable prices” inspires major loyalty to these “busy” pasta pitstops in Soho, near Trafalgar Square and in Borough Yards: for their legions of fans, “a staple option for a quick meal in London”, even if “the narrow WC2 branch in particular is tight for space and can feel a little crowded and noisy”. The experience, though, can tip into just feeling “rushed”, “unimpressive” or “hyped”, not least due to the “hit ’n’ miss service”. Top Menu Tips – “obviously the ‘silk handkerchiefs’ are best”; “Cacio Pepe is like you’ll never find outside Rome at an unbelievable price”.

2024 Review: “A good find for a pre-theatre meal” – this “efficient and friendly” Covent Garden dining room is quite stylish for somewhere inside a modern chain hotel, and serves an offbeat mix of Peruvian and Italian dishes: “a great selection”, with “lots of small-plate choices and interesting combinations” – “just enough to choose easily and all delicious”.

2021 Review: Now over ten years old, this Venetian/Mediterranean chain has suffered a drip-feed of branch closures, with only two now trading: Soho and Chelsea. And in August 2020 it parted ways with its co-founder Russell Norman. Fans do still applaud the duo’s “very convivial and fun” formula, but the groups woes have stemmed from Venetian small plates that are often “no better than fine”, and at worst “uncared for” or “very mediocre”. Perhaps it will now finally turn a corner?

“Mad but fun, and actually with pretty decent food” sums up the general view of this vast and operatic mock-Italian in Covent Garden from the Paris-based Big Mama group, which majors mostly in pizza and pasta. It’s “definitely aimed at Instagrammers” and “groups of youngsters having fun” – but while it’s “seriously over-hyped”, at least that means nobody goes without knowing what they’re in for.

“Does one thing and does it well” – pasta is made fresh on site each day at Stevie Parle’s “busy” Soho venue, and the resulting “great dishes are served quickly with a smile”. It’s “great value too”, so “a good go-to with a few friends for a quick bite”. Top Tip – “shows you don’t need burgers and chicken nuggets to make a good kids’ menu”.