5 italian rooms worth the trip across United Kingdom, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United Kingdom.
The River Cafe ★ 4.7 · London
hammersmith · Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA
Ruth Rogers's Italian dining room on the Thames in Hammersmith London, opened 1987 by Rose Gray and Rogers, still the city's defining seasonal Italian restaurant. Michelin one-starred.
Tip: Sit on the riverside terrace in summer. The lunch sitting from 12:30 is markedly cheaper than dinner with the same kitchen.
Manteca ★ 4.7 · London
shoreditch · 49-51 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PT
Chris Leach and David Carter's whole-animal Italian dining room on Curtain Road in Shoreditch London, opened 2021, charcuteries pork in-house and rolls pasta to order.
Tip: Bar seats and the counter overlooking the open kitchen take walk-ins. Tables book a month ahead through Resy.
Luca ★ 4.6 · London
clerkenwell · 88 St John Street, London EC1M 4EH
The Clove Club team's neighbourhood Italian on St John Street in Clerkenwell London, opened 2016, runs British-Italian seasonal cooking in a tiled dining room and bar.
Tip: Sit at the bar for the four-course tasting menu at half the dining-room price. Lunch books at three days, dinner at three weeks.
Padella ★ 4.5 · London
borough · 6 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TQ
Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda's hand-rolled pasta counter at Borough Market in London, opened 2016, runs a daily-changing list of fresh-pasta plates and a walk-in queue.
Tip: Join the virtual queue at 12:00 sharp via their app for the first lunch slots; otherwise expect a 60-minute wait on Saturday.
Contini George Street ★ 4.3 · Edinburgh
new-town · 103 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3ES
Victor and Carina Contini's George Street dining room in Edinburgh, opened in 2004 in the former Lloyds Bank, an Italian-Scottish bistro serving Mediterranean.
Tip: The high tea at 15:00 to 17:00 is a quieter alternative; Sunday family lunch is a long-running tradition.