There's something comforting about a bowl of pasta that can't be replicated by any other food. Sitting down to mounds of the stuff isn't just a great way to carbo load before a big run (not that we'd know anything about that) but it's also the perfect way to cure a hangover, a heartbreak, and anything else that's been hurricaning its way through your life. And what better locations could there be to slurp on spaghetti than at the best pasta restaurants in London?
University students all over the world would be lost at sea without pasta and the chances are fairly high that a plate of the stuff was one of the first dishes you were ever able to "nail" on your own. While we don't doubt your skills in the kitchen, we're not quite sure that boiling up a portion of De Cecco (or as we like to call it: "lady pasta") and coating it in pesto is really the best example of what the foodstuff is capable of. Once you've had a truly life-changing pasta experience and sampled a ragù that's been carefully tended to for hours and draped over freshly made al dente pasta, there's no going back. Only the very best will do from then on.
Bully for you, some of the best pasta restaurants in London – be they traditional Italian ma and pa joints or achingly trendy industrial outlets – are lurking right under your nose. Looking for somewhere to get your fill of fettuccine? A corner to consume cannelloni and devour al dente tagliatelle in peace? From hot spots like Padella to classics like Locanda Locatelli, this guide to the best pasta restaurants in London should have you eating right.
32 of the best pasta restaurants in London
1. Bocca di Lupo
12 Archer Street, W1D 7BB
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Bocca Di Lupo’s sunny Sicily menu
Steven Joyce
Jacob Kenedy and Victor Hugo (no, not that one) opened Bocca di Lupo in 2008. The rest, as they say, is history. Or, as we like to say, is in the past-a. The fritti, forno and crudi are all more than serviceable here. Good, even. Excellent, occasionally. But it's the pastas and risottos that keep us coming back to Bocca time and time again. Buckwheat pappardelle with gamey goose ragú; toothsome spaghetti with clams, parsley, garlic and chilli; tender tajarin with raw duck egg and parmesan: all heavy-hitters, the lot of them. The fact the menu is constantly changing and shifting ensures you're never looking at the same page twice and the option to get either a small or large plate also adds a nice bit of flexibility to your order. We mean, where else is it deemed socially acceptable to order two plates of pasta as a main course?
2. Legare
Cardamom Building, 31 Shad Thames, SE1 2YR
Tajarin ‘burro e salvia’
Jamie Orlando Smith
Orecchiette with fennel sausage and cavolo nero ragu
Jamie Orlando Smith
Agnolotti with Neal’s Yard goats curd & tomato consommé
Jamie Orlando Smith
Legare in London Bridge has quickly amassed itself a cult following of pasta fanatics
Jamie Orlando Smith
What do you get if you cross an ex-Trullo chef with an ex-Barrafina GM? Legare, that's what. This new Italian restaurant in Tower Bridge from Matt Beardmore and Jay Patel is one of the latest restaurants in London to try its hand at serving up plates of excellent fresh pasta. Four, to be exact. Legare keeps things simple by specialising in just a handful of options. You can opt for the tajarin burro e salvia, the orecchiette with fennel sausage and cavolo nero ragù, the stracci with crab, chilli, garlic, saffron and pangrattato, or the agnolotti with Neal's Yard goats curd and tomato consommé. All are bloody great and worth sampling over multiple visits until you find your absolute fave. When it comes to neighbourhood restaurants capable of delivering as much chic scandi design as cosy comfort, Legare has got the market cornered.
3. Anima E Cuore
129 Kentish Town Road, NW1 8PB
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This little Italian in Kentish Town is one of those restaurants you'll want to tell people you know about. Because having been lucky enough to eat at Anime E Cuore is a bit like being a member of an exclusive club, the sort of club where eating excessive amounts of tagliolini is encouraged. Our sort of club, basically. Yeah, Anima E Cuore is exactly the sort of restaurant that everyone's subtly referencing on their Hinge profile when you say you know the "best place in town for… pasta". It's intimate, excellent and one of the best pasta restaurants in London. It's BYOB and cash only though, so don't forget to bring some notes and a bottle of something lovely along for the ride.
4. Bancone
39 William IV Street, WC2N 4DD
Michelin Bib Gourmand-worthy plates of bucatini, gnocchi and pappardelle are the main selling points at Bancone
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Michelin Bib Gourmand-worthy plates of bucatini, gnocchi and pappardelle are the main selling points at Bancone
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Michelin Bib Gourmand-worthy plates of bucatini, gnocchi and pappardelle are the main selling points at Bancone
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Michelin Bib Gourmand-worthy plates of bucatini, gnocchi and pappardelle are the main selling points at Bancone
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Michelin Bib Gourmand-worthy plates of bucatini, gnocchi and pappardelle are the main selling points at Bancone
Jade Nina Sarkhel
Michelin Bib Gourmand-worthy plates of bucatini, gnocchi and pappardelle are the main selling points of Bancone – one of the best pasta restaurants in London. Well, that and the overwhelmingly good vibes of the place. A little bit neighbourhood restaurant and a little bit industrial chic, Bancone has got one of the nattiest dining spaces going in Charing Cross. The pasta? Well, it's undisputedly the best. The silk handkerchief pasta is the hero dish you'll have seen plastered all over the internet and, swimming in a slick of walnut butter and a confit egg yolk, it's one of those rare phenomena that tastes just as good as it looks. Give that plate some company via an order of the rich and meat spicy pork and n'duja ragu with al dente ribbons of mafalde – oh, and a glass of plummy Cannonau Di Sardegna from Sardinian producer Marmora. Y'know, just to be safe.
5. Flour & Grape
214 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London
Flour & Grape on Bermondsey Street is another hot contender as one of the best pasta restaurants in London. God knows it's one of the finest knocking about the South East. Seeing as it's called Flour & Grape, you can't be all that surprised to find out all the pasta dishes also comes with a suggested wine pairing from Flour & Grape's burly Italian wine list. Linguine with roasted beetroot and ricotta salata, for example, goes great with a glass of barba from Montepulciano. Bucatini, on the other hand, dressed up in a tomato sauce with olives, capers, chilli, and garlic gets along better with something lighter and fruitier from the Frappato region. It's hard to go wrong with good pasta and good wine, and Flour & Grape is a testament to that.
6. Berto
155 Holloway Road, N7 8LX
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of.
Haydon Perrior
As pizza purveyor Zia Lucia's pasta-twirling nephew, Berto opened in 2019 with a pretty hefty reputation to live up to. Thankfully, Berto's fresh pasta is the sort of stuff that dreams are made of. If dreams were made of perfectly al dente strozzapreti coddled with sardines, datterini tomatoes and parsley, that is. Uncomplicated Italian flavours and fair old dose of old school neighbourhood charm are the primary draws at this North London restaurant. As is a hearty portion of gnocchi with nduja and melted stracciatella. Open every day from 11:30am till 10:30pm, it's never too early or too late for some nice pasta and a Campari spritz at Berto.
7. Gloria
54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR
Gloria is a loud, proud, and out there: an East London restaurant that has no shame in being gloriously over-the-top. Just like the decor and vibe, the plates of pasta here are noisy as they come. The la gran carbonara – designed for two to share – involves a mammoth portion of home-made spaghetti chitarra served in a whole round of pecorino that's mixed up tableside with a dance of crispy guanciale, egg yolk, parmigiano, and a handsome whack of pepper. It's a lot. But you can never have too much of a good thing, right? Speaking of "too much", Gloria's pasta al tartufo (with fresh mafalda, black Molise truffle, mascarpone, and button mushrooms) is just the right amount of muchness. Order either of those dishes to send yourself on a one-way journey to pasta paradise.
8. Pophams Hackney
197-205 Richmond Road, E8 3NJ
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game
Not just a dab hand at croissants and pastries, Pophams Bakery's Hackney site is one of the latest spots to find itself canonised as a big gun in London's artisanal pasta game. Open during the evenings from Wednesday to Sunday, Pophams does absolute bits on a range of hand-crafted pasta dishes. You can practically taste the care and attention on every mouthful: n'duja scarpinocc with broad beans and parsley; taleggio cappelletti with macerated grapes and hazelnuts; carrot triangolotti with tangy goat's cheese and chervil salsa verde. Every plate here ties together old school techniques with a new school approach to what eating out should be. If you're wanting to experience what the future of dining in London is going to look like, Pophams needs to be on the top of your hit list.
9. Forza Win
133 Copeland Road, SE15 3SN
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Peckham has slowly turned into one of London's most enticing areas to eat and Forza Win is a very large reason for that. The Copeland Road cult classic churns out high-quality Italian cooking that utilises local suppliers and seasonal produce in a way that other restaurants could only aspire to. The oxtail, red wine and black pepper pappardelle here is as rich and musky as Elon Musk – a dish that trammels all over your palate with the brute power of a fully grown oxen. The menu constantly changes but don't be surprised to see the likes of rarely-seen radiatori zhuzzed up with cavolo nero and pistachios or snappy spaghetti with roasted tomato and parmesan on the cards. Forza Win's a tidy place for a drink, too – its aperitivo menu is stocked with everything from classic spritzes and negronis to more obscure cocktails like the bicicletta (white wine, campari, and soda). All absolute stunners.
10. Locanda Locatelli
8 Seymour Street, W1H 7JZ
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Locanda Locatelli's a bit of all the above. Eating at Giorgio Locatelli's Michelin-starred pasta restaurant is a proper experience. A sit down, shut up, and think hard about what you're eating sort of meal. Though don't think that concentration ruins any of the enjoyment. In fact, quite the opposite. It's hard not to enjoy yourself when you're tearing through rings of calamarata pasta or chowing on little ear-shaped parcels of orecchiette. Yes, you'll be paying £17.50 for what is – essentially – a bowl of flour, turnip tops and anchovies. But it'll be the best damn bowl of flour, turnip tops and anchovies you've ever eaten and worth every single penny. People say this is one of the best places to eat pasta in London. People, contrary to belief, aren't always wrong.
11. Cafe Murano
Various locations
You can find Angela Hartnett’s relaxed and regional Italian restaurants in the heart of St James’s, Bermondsey, and Covent Garden
John Carey
You can find Angela Hartnett’s relaxed and regional Italian restaurants in the heart of St James’s, Bermondsey, and Covent Garden
John Carey
You can find Angela Hartnett’s relaxed and regional Italian restaurants in the heart of St James’s, Bermondsey, and Covent Garden
John Carey
You can find Angela Hartnett’s relaxed and regional Italian restaurants in the heart of St James’s, Bermondsey, and Covent Garden
You can find Angela Hartnett’s relaxed and regional Italian restaurants in the heart of St James’s, Bermondsey, and Covent Garden
You can find Angela Hartnett's relaxed and regional Italian restaurants in the heart of St James's, Bermondsey, and Covent Garden. Every one of those restaurants is ideal for settling in and having yourself a proper pasta session. Pumpkin tortelli offers a soft paddle through flavourville thanks to a gentle dribble of sage butter while the exemplar risotto milanese hits you in the face with an ossobuco and gremolata kick and punch combination to knock you back on your arse. Want to dine at one of Londons' best pasta restaurants? You're going to want to make a booking at Cafe Murano, baby.
12. Pastaio
19 Ganton Street, W1F 9BN
Grouse, rabbit and pork agnoli
Top right, clockwise: slow-cooked tomato sauce, rigatoni, marjoram; castelfranco, pomegranate & pecorino salad; pesto, green beans & potato cassarecce; and slow-cooked sausage sauce, malloredus
Pastaio on Ganton Street
Top right, clockwise: Fried mozzarella, nduja & honey sandwich; cured meats and sweet pickles; heritage tomatoes and basil; heritage tomatoes and basil; clams cooked in butter and grillo; castelfranco, pomegranate and pecorino salad; Buffalo mozzarella, olive oil, chilli and oregano; and red pepper stuffed with tomato & anchovy
Stevie Parle's Pastaio is a Soho safe space if we've ever known one. Harried by tourists and tired of getting in the way of an endless stream fo Instagram photoshoots? Scuttle into Pastaio for a lovely lunch and dinner that'll take you away from the hullabaloo of Carnaby Street and plant you firmly in the realm of good eating. Let the rich sausage sauce poured over a bed of knuckly malloreddus wash over you like an episode of Friends. With a new stuffed pasta added to Pastaio's menu every week, you've also got plenty of reasons to come back and satisfy all seven of your basic erogenous flavour zones. Now, most restaurants will hit 1-2-3 and then go to 7 and set up camp. Pastaio, however, understands that the important thing is to take your time, hitting 'em all, and mixing 'em up. You'll be kept on your toes eating pasta here.
13. Portobello Garden Caffe
269 Portobello Road, W11 1LR
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Cannelloni, lasagne, gnocchi. If you want to find out what the Portobello Garden Caffe' has got to say for itself on the pasta front of things, you really need to order one of those three. This West London location is less about refined portions of intensely pored over al dente pasta strands and more about heavy, cheesy pots of baked deliciousness. There's nothing fancy about the food here, but when there's that much molten cheese and bolognese working in tandem, you won't be too worried about the niceties.
14. Artusi
161 Bellenden Road, SE15 4DH
Peckham's where your cooler friends live – the mates who you go to for music recommendations to impress potential partners with some real musical deep cuts. Peckham's also where you can find one of the best pasta restaurants in London in the form of the fresh plates of tagliatelle (sexed-up with mussels, cabbage and guanciale) and casarecce (made comforting AF thanks to gorgonzola fonduta, shallots and warming thyme) coming out of Artusi's galley. Opened in 2014 on Bellenden Road, Artusi has become the neighbourhood restaurant du jour for the area. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious, the simple menu changes on the reg – sourcing from a mixture of local suppliers and old school Italian producers – and the pasta is always made fresh that day. Artusi is Peckham (and perfect) through-and-through.
15. Lina Stores
51 Greek Street, W1D 4EH
Lina Stores' deli has weathered the Soho storm (also known as rising rent rates and the influx of chain restaurants) for more than 75 years. Its beautiful restaurant on Greek Street has managed the same feat for the last year or so. Come for the so-good-it-should-probably-be-illegal agnolotti verdi con ricotta e tartufo, where crumbly chunks of ricotta are bundled up into bright green pasta parcels and topped with a punch of black truffle shavings. If you're looking for something warming then a plate of the pici alla norcina, with its mountain of parmesan and creamy porcini mushrooms, wouldn't go amiss either. And if you have room for more, you could even take down the pappardelle con ragù di vitello – pappardelle with a rich veal ragu – too. Lina Stores is one of London's best pasta restaurants. So, do yourself a favour and go.
16. Palatino
71 Central Street, EC1V 8AB
If you're looking to get yourself a proper taste of Roman cooking without having to go through the hassle of booking an EasyJet abroad, Palatino's your restaurant. Delica squash ravioli bob in sea of butter and sage so rich and evocative it'll have you hearing the gentle gurgle of the Trevi Fountain. Palatino does a fine job at presenting firm favourites on its menu alongside more obscure inclusions. Cuttlefish ragu and veal pajata intestine ragu, for example, are traditional Roman sauces you'll struggle to find elsewhere in London. And you'll struggle to find them ladled over a better plate of snappy pasta than at Palatino.
17. Emilia's Crafted Pasta
C3, Ivory House, E1W 1AT
Emilia's Crafted Pasta is a proper feelgood restaurant where every strand and parcel of pasta is crafted just as it is in the small trattorias of Emilia Romagna: fresh every morning. Having opened up a second branch in Aldgate, Emilia's is committed to keeping things simple and letting its impeccable sourcing shine through on every dish. Homemade tomato and walnut sauce make perfect roommates for the piles of pasta on offer, available in every strain of pasta imaginable from fat tubes of rigatoni to thin and slurpable noodles of bucatini. Prices are reasonable and you'd be a damn fool not to pair a rich plate of carbs with something appropriate from Emilia's wine list.
18. Italo Deli
13 Bonnington Square, SW8 1TE
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Looking for an Italian delicatessen where you can sit and knock back portion after portion of pasta with ease? Look no further than Italo Deli on Bonnington Square. Located just around the corner from Brunswick House restaurant, Italo is a local favourite that stocks unique Italian produce and serves a host of cracking dishes to OAPs and hip 20-somethings alike. We loathe the word 'rustic' around here, but there aren't many other synonyms that do this joint justice. The menu changes daily so you're not always guaranteed to get your fave dish. However, keep your eyes peeled for when the lasagne's around and order it as soon as you get a whiff of its meaty, cheesy presence. We're not kidding when we say it's pure manna and one of the burliest plates of pasta in London.
19. Sartoria
20 Savile Row, W1S 3PR
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As the only restaurant on Savile Row, Sartoria's got to make sure it looks pretty swish, huh? Well, thankfully for them, it does – thanks in no small part to David d'Almada's design of the space – and the pasta Sartoria serves is fairly suavely cut, too. With Francesco Mazzei as chef patron, Sartoria serves an all-day dining menu, primarily inspired by Mazzei's home region of Calabria. The carbonara at Sartoria isn't your run-of-the-mill cheesy mess; it's a real refined and sophisticated dish that you've even got the option to upgrade with a generous shaving of black truffle should the feeling take you. Sartoria isn't cheap, that's for sure, but it is one of the better pasta restaurants in London.
20. Ciao Bella
86-90 Lamb's Conduit Street, WC1N 3LZ
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Large portions and an equally large amount of mischief are always on the cards when you dine at Ciao Bella. This red sauce institution has duly earned its reputation as one of the rowdiest places to grab a meal in central London and, honestly, we wouldn't change a single thing about it even if we could. Split a pizza as an amuse-bouche before diving into as many of Ciao Bella's 24 gut-busting pasta dishes as your conscience and appetite can manage. Don't bother with the half lobster in tomato sauce though: stick to the surefire classics of bolognese, puttanesca, and arrabiata here. They're what Ciao Bella does best. Ciao Bella is as no-frills as it gets and it's for that very reason it's one of London's best pasta restaurants. And one of the best places to eat in Holborn, too.
21. Osteria Wolf
110 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7NY
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North London's Osteria Wolf is a pasta haven of the highest order; a little nook of loveliness where you can get your fill of 12-hour beef shin ragu draped over tender tubes of paccheri. We're firm believers that meals are meant to be enjoyed and mulled over rather than scoffed in mere second, and Osteria Wolf underlines that belief by providing a pleasant arena where you can consume your pasta at a relaxed pace. The difference that makes this one of the best pasta restaurants in London (and one of the best restaurants in Stoke Newington) isn't just to do with the actual pasta but the fresh produce and ingredients that Osteria gives its noodles for company. Pappardella is made all the merrier by fragrant Sicilian fennel sausage and a golden St Ewe's egg yolk that tastes as if it's never heard what a cage is – let alone been anywhere near one. Wild garlic pesto (made in-house) turns wavy ribbons of mafalde into something spectacular.
22. Circolo Popolare
40-41 Rathbone Place, W1T 1HX
Think of Circolo Popolare as the younger West London brother of Gloria. He's a bit less loud, slightly more refined, but just as much fun on a night out. All of the pasta at Circolo is made in-house, everyday. Combine that with just how much of a blast it is to eat there and you've the makings of one of the best pasta restaurants in London. Dishes with kitsch names like 'Crab Me By The Paccheri' are anything but: containing a serious amount of thick-cut paccheri pasta rolled around with crab, red gurnard, mussels and tarragon. 'The Great Open Lasagne' is another absolute must. Designed for two to demolish, that dish consists of giant silk handkerchief pasta topped with a lake of Tuscan cinta senese pork ragu, aubergines, and a metric fuckton of pecorino. Oh, what's that – your mate's ordered the overgrown gnocchi filled with ricotta di bufala and spinach in a rich San Marzano sauce? Don't mind if we just have a forkful, do you? Ta.
23. Savurè
20 Paul Street, EC2A 4JH
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Savurè is the real deal – its debut outpost is in Turin, northern Italy, which means you'll find traditional techniques and top-notch ingredients at its first UK branch in Shoreditch. Its range of daily made pastas include agnolotti, pansotti, tagliatelle, maccheroni, gnocchi di patate, with sauces ranging from pesto Genovese to a hearty beef ragù. The best bit? You can also take the raw pasta home to cook. It doesn't call itself an artisan pasta lab for nothing, y'know.
24. Pastificio
34 Tavistock Street, WC2E 7PB
Pastificio is a pasta factory, wine shop, deli-café from Angela Hartnett, and while it's not technically a restaurant in the traditional sense of the word, it's about as good as that combination of loveliness sounds. Fresh pastas and sauces are produced at Pastificio daily so that you (yes, you) can purchase them and take them home for your very own enjoyment. For £20 you can take home a Pastificio supper for two, including a tray of freshly made Cafe Murano pasta, homemade sauce and a bottle of wine. That's how you turn your own kitchen into one of the best pasta restaurants in London. Easy.
25. Campania
23 Ezra Street, E2 7RH
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It's hard to put into words just how much we love Campania. In fact, we love it so much that we debated a lot over whether we should include it on this list because we didn't want it getting any busier than it already is. But, alas, this is the guide to the best pasta restaurants in London, and Campania is undoubtedly deserves a place on this hallowed list. Nestled in a lovely corner of Bethnal Green, C&J's courtyard section is about as idyllic as you could ask for from a dining space – streams of light beaming in from the glass windows over head and lighting each plate with the spotlight it deserves. The pasta is simply fantastic; portions of beef ragu pappardelle singing sweet and low with a meaty verve that'll have your umami sensors on high alert.
26. Luca
88 St John Street, EC1M 4EH
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As part of The Clove Club Group (which also includes The Clove Club and Two Lights), Luca is an Italian restaurant with a rather impressive pedigree behind it. Thankfully, those working the pass at Luca understand those lofty expectations and make sure they're met with aplomb. Taglierini with white alba truffle, ravioli of soft herbs and bitter greens with salsa di noci, cappelletti of delica pumpkin with amaretti and sage butter. Every plate of pasta here is pure poetry – a gentle medley of al dente dough and superlative sauce that coats your mouth in a layer of pleasure. Ordering just one pasta dish at Luca is a crime, so be prepared to fork out a decent amount if you're looking to get the full balls-to-the-wall experience. Worth every penne.
27. Officina 00
156 Old Street, EC1V 9BW
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen
Elia Sebregondi and Enzo Mirto's East London restaurant might be a relative new kid on the block; however, it's already succeeded in sending a wave of excitement rippling throughout food media. How? Well, by serving damn good pasta. Located a hunger-induced shuffle from Old Street roundabout, Officina 00 focusses on a seasonal menu of artisanal pastas that are prepared before diners in a theatrical kitchen. The '00' stands for the premium type of flour used in most of Officina's recipes, and that attention to detail really shows. A single fried raviolo might not sound like much to get excited about but in Officina 00's hands it becomes a crisp and violent vessel of flavour, spilling its cacio e pepe innards into your greedy maw. The spaceship-like occhi are similarly stuffed to the gills, except this time with braised pork genovese, sour parsley, and aged provolone. The menu is succinct enough that a few trips to Officina 00 should be enough to sample all it has to offer, but it's also good enough that you won't be able to stop coming back even after that.
28. Trullo
300-302 St Paul's Road, N1 2LH
The energy of the place is infectious and in spite of the fact that Trullo's been dominating the London dining scene for about a decade now, it still feels like an exciting place to eat
The energy of the place is infectious and in spite of the fact that Trullo's been dominating the London dining scene for about a decade now, it still feels like an exciting place to eat
The energy of the place is infectious and in spite of the fact that Trullo's been dominating the London dining scene for about a decade now, it still feels like an exciting place to eat
The energy of the place is infectious and in spite of the fact that Trullo's been dominating the London dining scene for about a decade now, it still feels like an exciting place to eat
The energy of the place is infectious and in spite of the fact that Trullo's been dominating the London dining scene for about a decade now, it still feels like an exciting place to eat
Trullo is Tim Siadatan's British take on Italian cooking. Opening its doors in 2010, Trullo has offered a simple, seasonally focused, Italian-inspired menu that's on a daily basis ever since. The fresh hand-made pasta is rolled minutes before service, allowing the pappardelle that sits under its coating of chicken liver, sage and Marsala to come through with just the right amount of bite. The energy of the place is infectious and in spite of the fact that Trullo's been dominating the London dining scene for about a decade now, it still feels like an exciting place to eat. It's also one of Richard Curtis's favourite restaurants, and that's all the seal of approval this particular writer needs.
29. Levan
12-16 Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QL
The 15-page wine list at Levan might well be the star of the show at this trendy Peckham spot, but there's no shame in the pasta coming a close second. The celeriac ravioli, with Jerusalem artichoke and cavolo nero has been a particularly huge hit. Catching a plate of fresh egg pasta here isn't the easiest feat in the world (at the time of writing you can find a tempting buckwheat gnocchi with king oyster mushroom and Jerusalem artichoke taking charge) due to the fact that the menu alters constantly and you'd be remiss not to order at least one plate of pasta when you see it in attendance. Yes, it's a bit like catching a rare Pokemon but, just like finally getting that shiny Dratini in your Pokedex after months of grinding, the satisfaction of tucking into Levan's careful pasta is well worth the effort.
30. Terra Rosso
139 Upper Street, N1 1QP
A selection of mains at Terra Rossa
Orecchiette and cime di rape at Terra Rossa
Gnocchi vongole e pistacchio at Terra Rossa
Polpo a pignatu at Terra Rossa
Paccheri al ragu di mare at Terra Rossa
Terra Rossa pizza at Terra Rossa
Millefoglie alle fragole at Terra Rossa
Risotto al frutti di mare at Terra Rossa
Located a dangerous-to-this-writer's-wallet distance from a Le Creuset shop on Upper Street, Terra Rossa is an Italian restaurant intent on delivering a taste of Puglia to Islington's bistro-hardened battalion of yummy mummies. Holding its roots in Italy's heel, Puglian cuisine takes inspiration from the traditional cucina povera (or "poor kitchen") style of cooking, transforming humble ingredients into dishes greater than the sum of their parts. Terra Rossa keeps that custom alive but brings with it a stiletto-sharp service you won't get eating at your nonna's. The paccheri al ragu di mare is the restaurant's undeniable hero dish. Sweet minced octopus ragu, seasoned well with black pepper, parsley and an array of Italian herbs, coats toothsome tubes of paccheri like a suit of armour. Or a really nice suede jacket. Terra Rosso is one of the best pasta restaurants in London.
31. Padella
6 Southwark Street, SE1 1TQ
You can't call yourself an avid eater in London unless you've queued up outside Padella to get your laughing gear around some of the city's best pasta. Rain, wind or shine they'll always be a huddle of people snaking outside the Borough venue. Yes, it's hyped to a worrying degree on social media, but we do just want to confirm that a meal at Padella doesn't disappoint. For one, the plates of pasta here range in price from an affordable £4 to a still affordable £12. But Padella isn't just astonishing value for money: it's also astonishing quality. The cacio e pepe at Padella is just as good as you'll find in any London restaurant charging £22 for those same silken strands and the slow-cooked tomato sauce is the kind we'd drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner if we weren't so afraid of ruining all our whites. Believe the hype.
32. Burro e Salvia
52 Redchurch Street, E2 7DB
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Shoreditch boasts a rather fetching collection of excellent pasta restaurants. Many of which have made it onto this list of the best pasta restaurants in London. The crown jewel of the lot, however. might just be Burro e Salvia. With its pleasant interior and passionate staff, Burro e Salvia is an epitome of a feel good place to eat. Not only is the food made with a helping of love, but each pasta dish is also riddled with the best ingredients. Rich ricotta affumicata and 24 month-aged grated Parmigiano-Reggiano both underline Burro e Salvia's meticulpus attention to detail. The restaurant's signature pasta dish of agnolotti cavour al Burro e Salvia is a prime example of how mixing beef and pork can bring out the best of each meat's respective flavour profiles – but only real Burro e Salvia heads know that the lamb meatballs are another essential. The menu changes every month so pop round often to keep up-to-date with the latest shapes the talented team of pasta makers are throwing. Want to have a go yourself? The affordable pasta workshops are a wonderful chance for you to turn yourself into London's next great sfoglina. Or, at the very least, the best tortellini slinger in Bethnal Green.
