Italian Restaurants in Chigwell
1. Obicà Mozzarella Bar, Pizza e Cucina
Italian restaurant in Canary Wharf
1 West Wintergarden, 35 Bank St - E14
These “upscalish Italians” – part of an international chain – serve pizza, pasta and other lighter dishes, featuring the trademark ingredient. It can be that the “quality of the food is a pleasant surprise”; they inspired nothing but positive feedback this year.
2. Obicà Mozzarella Bar, Pizza e Cucina
Italian restaurant in Soho
19-20 Poland St - W1
These “upscalish Italians” – part of an international chain – serve pizza, pasta and other lighter dishes, featuring the trademark ingredient. It can be that the “quality of the food is a pleasant surprise”; they inspired nothing but positive feedback this year.
3. Piazza Italiana
Italian restaurant in
38 Threadneedle Street - EC2R
This “beautiful old banking hall” in Threadneedle Street makes for a “decent business venue” in the heart of the City, with “a well-executed if limited Italian menu, and wines priced for expense accounts”. On a quiet evening, though, it can “lack atmosphere”.
4. San Carlo
Italian restaurant in St James
2 Regent Street Saint James's - SW1Y
“The warmth of the welcome and quality of the food can come as something of a surprise at such a central and well-known location” as this West End branch (just north of Pall Mall) of the national group, created by Sicilian-born Carlo Distefano and now with over 20 locations nationwide. Perhaps it’s the “lovely atmosphere for either a business or social lunch or dinner” that’s its key strength, but all reports suggest the “great and varied menu” is also “consistently good”.
5. Spagnoletti
Italian restaurant in Camden
23 Euston Road - NW1
“A great little find right opposite King’s Cross”. “The location is not the best” – immediately off a busy pavement and bordering the trafficky Euston Road – but, if you want a good-value refuel before you hop on a train (especially with family in tow), this bright pitstop at the foot of a boutique hotel is trying hard: “service is good and they obviously care”. Made to be shared, each dish is carefully prepared representing Italy in all its glory from the open space kitchen located in the middle of the Restaurant and “the food is very nice”. In case you’ve been wondering, the place is named after the 19th-century Anglo-Italian inventor of the railway signalling system.
6. Vasco & Piero’s Pavilion
Italian restaurant in Soho
11 D'Arblay Street - W1F
“Still a special place even though it’s moved site” – this veteran Soho Italian was evicted from its previous Poland Street home over Covid, and found these new digs last year. It still “exudes old world charm” and has retained many of the former “delightful” staff, who are really at the heart of this “unpretentious” experience as much as the “reliable Umbrian/Italian cooking”.
7. Capeesh
Italian restaurant in Isle of Dogs
4 Pan Peninsula Square - E14
Dazzling views from the 48th-floor of a Canary Wharf tower help create a sense of occasion at this family-run, five-year-old Italian restaurant and ‘Sky Bar’. Its long menu of pasta, pizza, grills and other fare doesn’t inspire a huge volume of feedback, but the limited amount we have is all upbeat.
8. Opera Tavern
Spanish restaurant in Covent Garden
23 Catherine Street - WC2
“Handily located near the Royal Opera House”, this converted pub serves Spanish and Italian-style small plates of “food that’s just a bit better than its local competition” in the heart of Covent Garden. It is “not the best of the Salt Yard chain, but good for a quick pre-show meal”.
9. Obicà Mozzarella Bar, Pizza e Cucina
Italian restaurant in City
Unit 4 5 - 7 Limeburners Lane, - EC4M
These “upscalish Italians” – part of an international chain – serve pizza, pasta and other lighter dishes, featuring the trademark ingredient. It can be that the “quality of the food is a pleasant surprise”; they inspired nothing but positive feedback this year.
10. San Carlo Cicchetti
Italian restaurant in Piccadilly
215 Piccadilly - W1
“Don’t be put off by the tourist location or the gold frontage” if you visit the flagship branch of this successful Italian chain near Piccadilly Circus (which is due to double in size over 2023). For a national group, it and its siblings deliver a surprisingly high-quality formula that mixes “a great range of Venetian-style small plates” with “friendly and efficient” service and “bright and vibrant interiors” which create a “wonderful and buzzing atmosphere”. Top Tip – “super for pre-theatre eating”.
11. Chucs Dover Street
Italian restaurant in Mayfair
31 Dover St - W1
Inspired by La Dolce Vita lifestyle (indeed, there used to be an accompanying apparel resort-wear brand), this small Italian group strives to evoke the retro glamour of the 1960s ‘jet set’. There’s some enthusiasm for them amongst reporters, but a recognition that the food is “nice but not exceptional”: “I had an excellent martini. But the dishes were either overly seasoned or (the salad) not dressed at all”.
12. Dehesa
Italian restaurant in Soho
25 Ganton Street - W1
We’re in two minds about the inclusion of this former star of London’s tapas scene, which generates very little feedback nowadays despite a prime mid-Soho site. Fans do still laud its “well-crafted dishes and Spanish wines”, but others say “the food has that ‘here’s one I made earlier’ quality. OK, but not very exciting”.
13. Salt Yard Borough
Spanish restaurant in Southwark
New Hibernia House, Winchester Walk - SE1
“The original Salt Yard in W1 used to be one of London’s best new tapas restaurants” – but it opened over 15 years ago and “the subsequent roll-out of the brand as multiple branches” under Urban Pubs & Bars “has seen quality drop quite a lot”. As “a pleasant option for well-produced Med-inspired dishes”, they maintain a fair number of fans, if without the pizzazz once conjured by the name. The year-old branch near the entrance to Westfield is the highest rated, and the newest near Borough Market is also seen as “a handy addition to the group”.
14. Il Pampero
Italian restaurant in Kensington and Chelsea
20 Chesham Place - SW1X
2022 Review: A short walk from Sloane Street, this elegantly panelled Belgravia dining room is part of a luxurious five-star hotel. Perhaps because it’s tucked away in such an expensive ’hood, it doesn’t generate a huge volume of survey feedback, but such as there is says it successfully sets a superior standard of Italian cuisine.
15. Franco’s
Italian restaurant in St James's
61 Jermyn St - SW1
“A great all-rounder in St James’s”, particularly popular amongst a well-heeled SW1 business clientele – this “reassuring” veteran provides the “careful service” of “no frills”, “traditional” dishes and “has been going for years” – since 1945 in fact – “and long may it last”. But even those for whom it’s a favourite note that “you pay the price when the bill comes”.
16. Luce e Limoni
Italian restaurant in LONDON
91-93 Gray's Inn Rd - WC1
“Family-run Italian” that helps add life to a dull stretch of the Gray’s Inn Road. It specialises in Sicilian cuisine presented by Fabrizio Zafarana, an engagingly “well-informed and enthusiastic” host.
17. Il Bordello
Italian restaurant in Wapping
Metropolitan Wharf, 70 Wapping Wall - E1W
This neighbourhood Italian of almost 30 years’ standing in a Wapping warehouse conversion “never disappoints” with its food and service, but “it’s the lively atmosphere that really sells it”, drawing a “great mix of local families and couples just getting together”.
18. Norma
Italian restaurant in Fitzrovia
8 Charlotte Street - W1T
“Feeling like a serious step up from your run-of-the-mill Italian, but not breaking the bank” – this unusual and stylish venture is a spin-off from the Stafford Hotel. There’s a Sicilian focus to the menu and the food is “absolutely delicious”. “Booths make it a great spot for a business lunch – intimate enough to be quiet in a bustling restaurant”, with very attentive service. Top Menu Tip – “dangerously delectable focaccia”.
19. Salt Yard
Spanish restaurant in Fitzrovia
54 Goodge St - W1
“The original Salt Yard in W1 used to be one of London’s best new tapas restaurants” – but it opened over 15 years ago and “the subsequent roll-out of the brand as multiple branches” under Urban Pubs & Bars “has seen quality drop quite a lot”. As “a pleasant option for well-produced Med-inspired dishes”, they maintain a fair number of fans, if without the pizzazz once conjured by the name. The year-old branch near the entrance to Westfield is the highest rated, and the newest near Borough Market is also seen as “a handy addition to the group”.
20. San Carlo Cicchetti
Italian restaurant in Covent Garden
30 Wellington St - WC2
“Don’t be put off by the tourist location or the gold frontage” if you visit the flagship branch of this successful Italian chain near Piccadilly Circus (which is due to double in size over 2023). For a national group, it and its siblings deliver a surprisingly high-quality formula that mixes “a great range of Venetian-style small plates” with “friendly and efficient” service and “bright and vibrant interiors” which create a “wonderful and buzzing atmosphere”. Top Tip – “super for pre-theatre eating”.
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