Best Italian in London

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Pasta al tartufo

A satisfying, 'dank bowl' of fresh mafalda ribbons littered with black Molise truffle, mascarpone, and button mushrooms that critics call 'downright delicious.'

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Pici Cacio e Pepe

Described as 'critically acclaimed' and 'so simple, so diet-destroying,' this signature dish is a benchmark for the restaurant's hand-rolled pasta.

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Roasted octopus with 'colonnata' lard

Described as a 'bonafide home run' by Square Mile, this starter featuring marinated bell peppers and olives is noted for leaving diners 'wanting more.'

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Pork Cheek Agnolotti

Consistently praised as 'flawlessly realised,' this pasta is served in a 'buttery porcini sauce ripe with parmesan' and is noted as a dish it would be a 'mistake to ignore.'

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Pistachio Profiterole

A 'massive' and 'jaw-slackening' dessert that critics say is worth visiting for alone—even suggesting you 'maybe just come here for dessert.'

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Hokkaido milk bread

Consistently hailed as '100% the right way to start any meal,' this bread is celebrated for its cloud-like texture and unique accompaniments like kumquat and burnt honey butter.

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Pappardelle with Lamb Shoulder Ragu

Jay Rayner calls these 'broad, silky ribbons' a 'standard bearer' for the restaurant, featuring meat cooked down until only the 'deep flavor' remains.

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Aubergine Parmigiana

Not your typical layered dish, this version uses "tempura eggplant" with a batter that is "light and crisp," described as a "molten, cheesy embrace."

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Tortelli Maremmani

These cheese and ricotta stuffed dumplings are a visual highlight of the menu; critics who skip them report 'kicking themselves' when they see the dish served at other tables.

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Tagliatelle al Ragù Marchigiano

The mainstay of the menu, this dish is made traditionally with chicken hearts and gizzards and simmered slowly into what critics call a 'comforting delight.'

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Roasted Pork Shoulder Tortelloni

Described as a 'clear winner' that is 'stuffed to within an inch of its life' and served simply with sage butter.

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Pappardelle with Fennel Sausage Ragù and Cavolo Nero

Described as the 'main event,' these broad, al dente ribbons are wrapped in a rich ragù that critics call 'meaty, carb-laden goodness.'

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Tagliatelle with Beef and Pork Ragu

Regarded as a Soho institution staple, this 'yolk-yellow' handmade pasta is dressed in a 'rich, vinous, slow-cooked' sauce that critics say you'd be pleased to find in Italy.

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Pizza slice

Gigantic and inexpensive, a must-order classic to enjoy while taking in the history of London's oldest Italian deli.

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Shaved Radish, Celeriac & Pecorino Salad

This Umbrian-inspired dish is a menu staple; critics highlight it as a standout example of the kitchen's 'unfancy charm' and regional focus.

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Tagliatelle with roast ceps/porcini and 24-month aged Parmesan Reggiano

Reviewers highlight the 'excellent texture' of the hand-made pasta combined with the 'earthy mushroom flavour' and the 'richness of the cheese.'

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Tonnarelli, brown crab cacio e pepe

This is the "dish you'll see most on Instagram" and for good reason. Critics describe the rust-coloured sauce as having a "deep, savoury kick" that is "VERY good."

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Tortellini with Truffle & Kombu

This dish perfectly illustrates the restaurant's 'dual culinary inspiration,' blending Italian technique with Japanese depth.

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Spaghetti al Cartoccio

The house signature and a 'greatest-hit' of the menu: a mountain of seafood pasta baked and served theatrically in a greaseproof paper bag.

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Brown Crab Arancini

Universally praised as an 'easy recommendation' and a 'great, filling start' to the meal.

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Penne con Vodka

Regarded as a staple with 'nice things being said' by critics; it remains a reliable, universally praised pasta choice for those new to the menu.

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La Gran Carbonara

The viral benchmark dish served tableside, stirred up in and then served from a huge round of pecorino cheese.

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Bluefin tuna e melone

Described as a 'real winner' and 'as pretty as a picture,' this dish features a successful combination of seriously sweet melon and raw tuna with Italian ponzu and basil.

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Tiramisu

Described as 'superlative' and quintessential Italian comfort food, this dish is a staple of the restaurant's nostalgic charm and was even selected for Charli xcx's wedding menu.

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Spaghetti with Colatura & Caviar

A 'super-luxe' signature featuring butter, punchy anchovy sauce from Cetara, and a 'healthy whack of caviar.' It is the go-to order for Copenhagen's chefs and restaurant workers who frequent the spot late at night.

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Full English Breakfast

Described as a "monumental" and "humongous" plate, it is considered one of the "best fry ups in town," featuring sausages, eggs, bacon, hash browns, black pudding, and fried bread.

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Chicken Escalope Sandwich

The restaurant's showstopper; the chicken is boned, bashed, and breadcrumbed in-house each morning, then served on fresh ciabatta with lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayo, and a crucial squeeze of lemon.

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Parmesan Fries

Described as the 'exquisite love child of a churro and a croqueta,' these 'gossamer-light and greaseless fingers of cheese' are a Luca trademark that critics claim they could eat by the 'family bucket.'

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Truffle Arancini

Described as 'small, feisty truffle arancini,' these are a staple starter at this neighborhood joint that are consistently praised for their flavor.

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Seasonal Ragu Pasta

Whether it's ox cheek, beef shin, or venison, the slow-cooked meat ragu pastas (often pappardelle) are consistently rated as rich, comforting, and technically perfect.

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Italian-style Sandwiches

Generously filled with seasonal ingredients like mortadella and sweet peppers.

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Silk Handkerchiefs with Walnut Butter & Confit Egg Yolk

The undisputed signature dish; described as 'casually orgasmic,' it features paper-thin sheets of pasta draped in a 'heavenly,' 'sticky, nutty, gritty mess of butter.'

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Cacio e pepe pasta

The quintessential must-order dish supplied by the editor.

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Tortelloni With Lamb Ragù

Hand-made tortelloni stuffed with a spicy Cornish lamb ragù and served with a rich tomato sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fresh basil.

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Pappardelle with Wood Pigeon

Described as the 'true stars of the piece,' these wide, butter-yellow ribbons of pasta are served in an earthy stew and a ripe gravy that 'insinuates itself into every corner of the dish.'

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C.T.M

Winner of 'Britain’s Top Takeaways', this reimagined classic is a 'perfectly balanced' mix of savory, smoky, and tangy flavors that manages to feel 'both familiar and exciting'.

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Cappuccino

A "frothy cappuccino" prepared on a legendary Gaggia espresso machine that has been "choking away" since the café's early days; it is credited with easing patrons out of "jet-lagged haze."

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Pappardelle with Pork Ragu Meatballs and Burrata

Regarded as 'among the best' ever had by critics, this dish features 'lovely lively pasta' and a 'big dollop of cooling burrata' on top.

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Homemade Pasta with Crab Meat and Cherry Tomatoes

Described as a 'feast for the eyes' with 'tender, succulent pieces of crab meat' that pair beautifully with the 'bright, tangy notes' of fresh tomatoes.

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Flatbread

Fresh from the wood-fired oven and 'full of life and crunch,' specifically recommended when topped with the 'poetry' that is brown crab meat butter.

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Gnocco Fritto with Wild Boar Mortadella

Ombra has perfected this classic, serving golden, lightly fried dough that offers a "gratifying crunch before almost melting away" under peppery slices of mortadella.

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Quiche and salad

The reliable, editor-mandated must-order choice for a quick and satisfying bite before a show.

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Crudo di ricciola

Described by The Telegraph as a 'smooth and silky success,' this dish features raw yellowtail tuna in a 'delightful dressing' of cold-pressed tomato juice with a hint of yuzu.

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Tiramisu

A beautifully constructed, weightlessly fluffy marvel of cream with the pronounced, leavening bitterness of sprinkled ground coffee, hailed as an unequivocal high point.

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Honey Truffle Parmesan

The 'signature sandwich' featuring 10-hour slow-roasted pork shoulder topped with a 'mountain of 30 month aged parmesan.' Reviewers describe it as a 'stunning symphony of salty, sweet, sour and spicy' that 'deserved a museum spot.'

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La Piccante Pizza

Universally praised for its thin, crisp Roman base and 'uncommon subtlety' in toppings, specifically the addition of lemon zest which adds a 'lofty top note' to the Calabrian sausage.

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Egyptian falafel wrap

The absolute must-order item that stands out on the menu as an essential bite.

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Fresh Ravioli & Malfatti

Harden's describes the pasta as "mostly great," specifically noting that the "ravioli, malfatti, tortellini and so on are of a freshness and stuffed with flavours you would otherwise have to get on a plane to find."

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Silk Handkerchiefs

The chef's signature dish that he became known for at Bancone, this pasta features jagged-cut sheets in a walnut butter sauce topped with a confit egg yolk. Critics call it 'simply irresistible' and 'simple yet compelling'.

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Celeriac 'Cacio e Pepe'

A playful and satisfying signature dish that uses celeriac ribbons to mimic pasta; critics describe it as a 'bale' of flavour from a 'zen master' of a chef.

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Grilled Langoustines

Consistently praised across multiple decades for their astonishing freshness and sweetness.

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Parmigiana Party Pizza

This award-winning pie is described as 'beauts' and 'rich, full of flavour,' loaded with smoked mozzarella, fried aubergine parmigiana, and seitan sausages that critics agree 'totally worked.'

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Antipasti Board

Described as 'groaning with Italy’s greatest hits', this board includes nocerella olives, silky mortadella, superior pecorino, and ribbons of warm grilled courgette; it is easily large enough to serve three as a starter.

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The No. 9

Regarded by regulars as a near-iconic combination of roast chicken, bacon, cheddar, gherkin, lettuce, and tomato on a roll.

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Olive all’ascolana

The signature snack of the Marche region—deep-fried olives stuffed with meat—praised as the best outside Italy.

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Porky Pig

Regarded as an 'all-time favorite' order, it features Tuscan sausage and a truffle cacio e pepe cream so addictive that reviewers claim they 'could eat that cream by the bucket load.'

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Fritto Misto al Metro

An 'impressively long board' served by the metre that provides a 'wow moment' for parties; it features Prosecco-battered catch of the day, plump prawns, and Sicilian-style chickpea panelle.

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The Bondola Panini

The house classic balancing silky mortadella with the sharp bite of marinated artichoke hearts.

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Monkfish

Thick cylinders of marble-white flesh served with a 'tarragon-spotted beurre blanc' that critics described as 'marriage material' and luxurious enough to keep one 'furnished with Champagne'.

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The meaty one

Packed full of meat panini with red peppers

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I Medici

This vegetarian schiacciata 'strikes the perfect balance of flavour without feeling heavy' and is 'overflowing with fresh Italian ingredients' like stracciatella cheese and grilled aubergines.

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Wood-roasted turbot

Critics praise the kitchen's confidence to not over-complicate dishes, serving this classic main with flowering oregano, anchovy, and capers.

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Protein Power Breakfast

A classic combo of poached eggs, smashed avocado and toast and tomatoes

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Culatello di Zibello

A gem of a meat with a buttery and tender sweetness, produced only in winter in the river plains of Parma where the fog from the Po carries unique moulds.

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Pistachio Gelato

Widely considered a best-seller, this flavour is described as 'rich in flavour, creamy, and delicious,' made using premium natural ingredients like pistachios from Sicily.

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Sausage Ragout

Highlighted by The Infatuation as a standout reason to visit; the meaty pastas are the strength here.

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Penne Alla Vodka

Known as a staple of Grasso's 'hearty comfort food' menu, this dish is praised for its 'lovely creamy tomato taste' and massive portion sizes.

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Fiorentina Pizza

Described as 'particularly impressive' and part of a pizza range characterized as 'very real Italian' with a thin, crispy crust and quality ingredients sourced directly from Italy.

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Deli Sandwich

Freshly made with a variety of fillings and praised as a neighborhood staple.

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Homemade Sourdough with Chlorophyll Butter

Described as "divine" by the reviewer, this starter is highlighted as a standout way to begin the meal.

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Nonna

Perfectly soft meatballs in a crispy ciabatta and tomato sauce - my go to order every thime

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La Rosetta

This namesake trademark dish is a mini pizza cooked in a small pan that 'puffs up like a rose.' It features truffle cream, ham, and mushrooms, and is described as being 'crispy on the outside and full of flavour.'

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Mafaldine

An 'explosion of Italianity at each bite,' this dish showcases the technique of a chef who mastered her craft in Florence to create food that 'comforts the heart.'

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Spaghetti with Crab

Highlighted by critics as a perfect mass of fresh pasta with a generous amount of crab and parsley.

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Fresh Sandwiches

The deli focuses on the owner's "culinary heritage" and serves as a "community place" for a quick, reliable meal in what is dubbed one of Hackney’s liveliest hang-outs.

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30-Egg Yolk Tagliolini al Tartufo

The restaurant's signature dish; when executed correctly with vacche brune parmigiano and butter, it is described by critics as absolute 'heaven.'

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Full English Breakfast

The standout dish drawing local acclaim for its wholesome satisfaction.

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Parma Ham & Mozzarella

A classic, highly-rated combination listed as a popular favorite.

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Fresh Pasta

The enchanting smell of handmade pasta hits you at the door; widely considered dreamy and restaurant-quality.

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Fabrizio Pizza

The namesake pie featuring tomato, mozzarella, aubergines, parmesan, and parma ham is a consistent crowd-pleaser.

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Diavolita Pizza

The #1 most liked item on the menu with a near-perfect rating; a spicy salami staple.