The Very Best Pasta Restaurants In London
Whether you’re an Italian restaurant enthusiast or just looking for some delicious pasta to warm yourself this winter, London is full of spectacular restaurants serving up innovative pasta dishes for every craving. To make your next restaurant choice even easier, we’ve rounded up 21 of the very best places to try for excellent pasta in London, from Michelin-starred experiences to affordable fresh dishes.
Alba
This newly-opened Italian channels the taste and aesthetic of the Amalfi Coast, with sleek interiors, tasty cocktails and freshly made pasta each day. Overlooking Harrods, with a bill to match the location, this is more of a special occasion restaurant. The best way to start any Italian feast is with a burrata, and this one is truly brilliant. Follow this with a generously-sized portion of the caviar pasta. Our top tip? Then head straight for dessert with the pistachio tiramisu.
where: 70 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1ER
website: www.alba-ldn.uk
Padella
Renowned for serving affordable, quality pasta dishes, Padella is not one to miss. Their two locations in Borough Market and Shoreditch are serving up hand-rolled pastas seven days a week, inspired by the founder’s trips to Italy.
Try the Tagliarini with Dorset Crab, chilli and lemon, or indulge in Pappardelle with Dexter beef shin ragu, all topped with 24-month aged parmesan.
Renowned for serving affordable, quality pasta dishes, Padella is not one to miss.
Where: Borough Market & Shoreditch
Website: www.Padella.co
Luca
Executive Chef Rob Chambers has curated a truly modern Italian dining experience at Luca, where he creates new interpretations on traditions and techniques from his Italian heritage.
Opt for the ravioli with white alba truffle and parsley root for rich and indulgent pasta, or try the hearty rigatoni with pork sausage ragù bianco, brussels sprouts and chestnuts for the ultimate comfort food dish.
Where: 88 St John St, Clerkenwell, EC1M 4EH
Website: www.luca.restaurant
Bancone
Bancone brings other European influences like French snail butter to classic Italian pasta dishes, in three locations across London – Covent Garden, Soho and Borough Yards.
Menu standouts include silk handkerchiefs with walnut butter and confit egg yolk and gnocchi with snail butter, pumpkin and oyster mushrooms. Each location features a slight variation on their main pasta selection, giving you a new option to sample every time you visit.
Where: Covent Garden, Soho & Borough Yards
Website: www.bancone.co.uk
Il Gattopardo
Experience “la dolce vita” in true London fashion at Il Gattopardo. This intimate restaurant provides three unique spaces to enjoy delicious pasta dishes in the heart of Mayfair.
Savour pumpkin ravioli with parmesan cream in the cosy main dining room, try linguine with lobster reduction alfresco in the Terrazza, or take a seat to watch hand cut maltagliati with slow cooked wild boar ragù be prepared in front of you at the Crudo Bar.
This intimate restaurant provides three unique spaces to enjoy delicious pasta dishes in the heart of Mayfair.
Where: 27 Albemarle Street, W1S 4HZ
Website: www.gattopardo.restaurant
Tortello
One of London’s newest restaurant openings is Tortello. Located right next to Lancaster Gate station, this is the place to come if you love nothing more than a bowl of fresh pasta for a special occasion. The price point is certainly higher than you’d expect, but you can’t fault the flavours.
One for a special occasion, I recommend ordering the Orkney crab tortelli, charcoal pasta, langoustine & parsley butter sauce, along with the black truffle & ricotta tortelli, truffle butter emulsion, freshly grated winter truffle
Natasha, Digital Editor
where: Lancaster Terrace, London, United Kingdom W2 2TY
website: www.tortello.com
Lina Stores
The signature pistachio-coloured design of Lina Stores houses some of the best homemade pasta in the city, supplied by the very best of authentic Italian ingredients.
Dishes like the burrata ravioli or 30-egg yolk tagliolini with black truffle are just a taste of what there is to enjoy in each beloved storefront, part of an 80-year legacy that began in Soho in 1944.
Where: Various Locations
Website: www.linastores.co.uk
Sale E Pepe
Take a break from shopping on Sloane Street to enjoy some pasta at Sale E Pepe, a historic restaurant in Knightsbridge that has embodied classic Italian hospitality for the last 50 years.
Try classics like their bucatini cacio e pepe and tagliatelle alla bolognese, or sample modern favorites like the paccheri with San Marzano tomato and vodka cream sauce.
Take a break from shopping on Sloane Street to enjoy some pasta at Sale E Pepe.
Where: 9-15 Pavilion Road, SW1X 0HD
Website: www.saleepepe.co.uk
Emilia’s
On a mission to provide Londoners with “soul-warming” pasta that honours cherished traditions while also aiming to be more sustainable for a better world, Emilia’s Crafted Pasta operates four vibrant restaurants across the city. With pasta and sauces freshly made every morning, this is one to try for simple and delicious dishes.
Each pasta item on their menu features a story detailing which part of Italy the recipe hails from, including a vegan Sicilian twist on pistachio and basil pesto with cherry tomatoes and ravioli with lamb in a butter and sage sauce from the Emilia-Romagna region.
Where: Various Locations
Website: www.emiliaspasta.com
Jacuzzi
A sprawling and colourful Italian restaurant spread across four floors in Kensington, Jacuzzi is a vibrant place to savour some seriously good pasta. Part of the Big Mamma restaurant group that offers locations across Europe, the menu changes monthly and always features fresh seasonal options for every taste.
Try the homemade linguine with chilli in a lobster bisque and lemon butter sauce, or splurge on the indulgent tagliolini in white truffle sauce.
Where: 94 Kensington High St, London W8 4SJ
Website: www.bigmammagroup.com
Campania
East London has a pasta restaurant gem in Campania, specialising in dishes all inspired by the southern region of Italy. You can enjoy your pasta in house or take it to go if you’d prefer to bring Campania’s rich Italian tradition home with you.
Try the raviolo zucca delica (pumpkin ravioli) or the wild mushroom tortelli, all made with quality seasonal produce from local suppliers.
You can enjoy your pasta in house or take it to go if you’d prefer to bring Campania’s rich Italian tradition home with you.
Where: 23 Ezra Street, e2 7rh
Website: www.campaniaandjones.com
The Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound is home to dishes that are both innovative and familiar, blending classic pasta recipes with new techniques and flavours. Plus, it’s true to it’s name and dog-friendly, so you can enjoy great food with family and furry friends.
Menu stars include fettuccine with girolles, porcini and confit egg yolk, and cornish crab spaghetti with chilli and garlic.
The Italian Greyhound is home to dishes that are both innovative and familiar, blending classic pasta recipes with new techniques and flavours.
Where: 62 Seymour Street W1H 5BN
Website: www.theitaliangreyhound.co.uk
Pastificio Al Dente
Nicknamed “the house of fresh pasta”, Pastifico’s four locations in Fitzrovia, Monument, South Kensington and Angel all feature a mix of iconic classics and new regional dishes for you to satisfy your cravings.
Sink your teeth into red prawn gnocchi, linguine seafood with prawns, squid and mussels, or ravioli al dente with spinach, mushrooms, ricotta and truffle among many other signature menu choices.
Where: Various Locations
Website: www.pastificioaldente.com
Officina 00
At Officina 00, all the pasta is made with the finest grade double-zero flour, hence the name. Every item on the seasonally changing menus is both authentic and creative, with tradition in every bite.
Pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter and sage is the perfect cosy dish, or savour the lasagna with rabbit and smoked provola for some hearty comfort food.
Every item on the seasonally changing menus is both authentic and innovative, with tradition in every bite.
Where: Fitzrovia & Old Street
Website: www.officina00.co.uk
Manteca
A so-called “nose-to-tail” Italian restaurant, Manteca focuses on whole-animal butchery and hand-rolled pasta to give you dishes that feature quality game and produce.
Try the blue fin tuna bolognese if you’re looking to try something new, or stick with the classics (with a twist) like the brown crab cacio e pepe.
A so-called “nose-to-tail” Italian restaurant, Manteca focuses on whole-animal butchery and hand-rolled pasta.
Where: 49-51 curtain road, ec2a 3pt
Website: www.mantecarestaurant.co.uk
Ida
Ida opened it’s doors in 2007, run by husband and wife duo Avi and Simonetta and their three kids. Here you’ll enjoy regional Italian cuisine based on recipes from Avi’s mother Ida, the restaurant’s namesake.
Indulge in their creamy Orecchiette ai tre formaggi, (pasta with three cheeses), or the flavourful Mezzi Rigatoni alla puttanesca (rigatoni with a Neapolitan sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovies).
Here you’ll enjoy regional Italian cuisine based on recipes from Avi’s mother Ida, the restaurant’s namesake.
Where: 222A Kilburn Lane, W10 4AT
Website: www.idarestaurant.co.uk
Noci
Taking inspiration from various travels across Italy, Noci infuses their fresh pasta dishes with true authenticity at all four London locations. Sample the hearty herbed pulled lamb open ravioli with chive oil or the wild mushroom silk handkerchiefs with confit egg yolks and walnuts for a trip to Italy without leaving the city limits.
Taking inspiration from various travels across Italy, Noci infuses their fresh pasta dishes with true authenticity.
Where: Various Locations
Website: www.nocirestaurant.co.uk
Flour and Grape
If you’re in the mood for excellent handmade pasta, Flour and Grape in Bermondsey should make your list. A comfortable and warm environment awaits you, perfect for date night or dinner with friends.
Enjoy pasta dishes like tiger prawn linguine or roasted pork shoulder tortelloni with the extensive Italian wine list they’re known for to make the perfect pairing.
Where: 214 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ
Website: www.flourandgrape.com
Eataly
Famous for their “eat, shop, learn” approach to celebrating Italian cuisine, Eataly has everything for pasta lovers under one roof, including pasta classes, a market to purchase quality ingredients, and some great places to enjoy a new dish.
Settle in at Terra – an Italian wood-burning restaurant by legendary chef Carlo Cracco, book a table in the Pasta e Pizza space, or explore the extensive Foodhall. Whatever experience you choose during your visit to Eataly, you’re bound to taste some fantastic pasta.
Where: 135 Bishopsgate, EC2M 3YD
Website: www.eataly.co.uk
Locanda Locatelli
For the ultimate pasta fine dining destination, head to the Michelin-starred Locanda Locatelli in Marylebone. A 5-star experience is guaranteed as you enjoy traditional dishes with a creative touch by award-winning chef Giorgio Locatelli.
The menu frequently changes, so check their website to see the latest that Locatelli is creating at this luxe restaurant.
A 5-star experience is guaranteed as you enjoy traditional dishes with a creative touch by award-winning chef Giorgio Locatelli.
Where: 8 Seymour St, Marylebone, W1H 7JZ
Website: www.flourandgrape.com
Ciao Bella
Boasting an impressive selection of pasta to choose from, Ciao Bella is an inviting family-run Italian restaurant in Bloomsbury. Owner Felice Pollano has over 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry and infuses his expertise into each dish.
You’re spoilt for choice at Ciao Bella, with over 10 types of spaghetti dishes among their many delicious menu options.
Where: 86-90 Lamb’s Conduit St, Bloomsbury, WC1N 3LZ
Website: www.ciaobellarestaurant.co.uk
Cafe Murano
Created by beloved chef and restauranteur Angela Hartnett, Cafe Murano is a relaxed and welcoming space to enjoy some great pasta, handmade at least twice a day in each location in Bermondsey, St. James’s and Covent Garden.
Genuine, simple Italian pasta is the star of Cafe Murano’s menus, with options like cavatelli with roasted vegetable ragu and tagliatelle with beef shin and crispy shallots.
Where: Various Locations
Website: www.cafemurano.co.uk
