10 editor picks in London.
10 italian places in London we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in London | Italian across every city.
Italian cooking in London ranges from grand riverside dining to fast pasta counters, and the city has long treated it as a second home cuisine. The River Cafe in Hammersmith, opened in 1987, set the seasonal benchmark, while Padella at Borough and Bocca di Lupo in Soho show the two modern poles: cheap, fast hand-rolled pasta and ambitious regional cooking.
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.
OrderWhatever pasta dish is on the daily-changing menu, and the chocolate nemesis for two.
TipSit on the riverside terrace in summer. The lunch sitting from 12:30 is markedly cheaper than dinner with the same kitchen.
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.
OrderPici cacio e pepe and the pappardelle with eight-hour beef shin ragu.
TipJoin the virtual queue at 12:00 sharp via their app for the first lunch slots; otherwise expect a 60-minute wait on Saturday.
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.
OrderPig's head fritti, cacio e pepe rigatoni and a glass from the all-Italian wine list.
TipBar seats and the counter overlooking the open kitchen take walk-ins. Tables book a month ahead through Resy.
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.
OrderParmesan fries with truffle mayo, tagliolini al limone and a Negroni from the bar.
TipSit at the bar for the four-course tasting menu at half the dining-room price. Lunch books at three days, dinner at three weeks.
Jacob Kenedy's regional Italian dining room on Archer Street in Soho London, opened 2008, plates dishes from Piemonte, Friuli, Calabria and beyond.
OrderSuckling pig porchetta with crackling on a soft roll, and a Lambrusco from the carafe list.
TipCounter seats face the open kitchen and take walk-ins. Tables in the back book a fortnight ahead through their site.
The 1944 Brewer Street deli's first sit-down restaurant on Greek Street in Soho London, opened 2018, runs hand-rolled pasta and Italian-deli classics.
OrderWhatever fresh stuffed pasta is on the daily menu, and the tiramisu in the original Lina recipe.
TipWalk-up only at the deli original on Brewer Street; the Greek Street site takes bookings via Resy two weeks ahead.
Jonathan Lawson's Italian-leaning dining room on Rivington Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2017, runs hand-rolled pasta, North African accents.
OrderWhatever fresh pasta is on, and the Sicilian-spiced lamb if it's on the night.
TipCounter seats wrap the open kitchen. Walk-up only at the counter; tables book a week ahead through their site.
The Pellicci family's 1900 east-London cafe on Bethnal Green Road, Grade-II listed for the 1946 marquetry interior, runs a daily Italian-British greasy spoon.
OrderThe full English with extra fried bread, and a slice of their housemade lasagna.
TipCash and card; closed Sundays. Queue runs out the door on Saturday morning. The interior is the listed treasure.
Padella's hand-rolled pasta counter at Borough Market in London, opened 2016, runs the city's best-value fresh pasta at £8 a bowl, the cheap-counter.
OrderFresh pasta
TipUse the Padella app at 12:00 sharp for first lunch slots. Mid-week dinner queues clear by 19:30 most weeks.
E Pellicci's 1900 Italian-British family cafe on Bethnal Green Road in east London, Grade-II listed for the 1946 marquetry interior, runs full English.
OrderFull English breakfast
TipClosed Sundays. Cash and card. The famed lasagna is £8; the bacon-and-egg roll is £6. Saturday queue runs 30 minutes.
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