Cuisine Guide

Top Rated — Best Italian in Central London

Discover handpicked Italian restaurants in Central London, with what to order first at each place.

Every place here is handpicked. Signal score shows how strong and consistent the review coverage is, not a star rating.

12 restaurants

1
Vasco & Piero's Pavilion

Italian · £££ · Soho

85Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

2
L Terroni & Sons

Italian Deli · £ · Clerkenwell

85Signal

Start with

Pizza slice

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

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

3
Bocca di Lupo

Regional Italian · £££ · Soho

84Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

4
Murano

Modern Italian · ££££ · Mayfair

84Signal

Start with

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.'

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

5
Ciao Bella

Italian · ££ · Bloomsbury

83Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

6
Brutto

Italian · ££ · Farringdon

83Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

7
Circolo Popolare

Italian · £££ · Fitzrovia

82Signal

Start with

La Gran Carbonara

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

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

8
Nina

Italian · £££ · Marylebone

82Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

9
Scotti's Snack Bar

Italian Caff · £ · Clerkenwell

82Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

10
Luca

Italian · ££££ · Clerkenwell

82Signal

Start with

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.'

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

11
Bancone

Italian · ££ · Covent Garden

82Signal

Start with

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.'

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

12
Carlotta

Italian-American · ££££ · Marylebone

81Signal

Start with

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.

Strong, consistent praise across multiple sources.

Explore more collections