London is the culture capital of the UK, offering a wealth of dining experiences from across the world. Whether you fancy some Thai or some Caribbean, a taste of Italy or an NYC experience, you can find it all within the city.
But, with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to actually separate the good from the bad.
So, to save you the trouble, we’ve found five of the best Italian restaurants in London. Spread across the city, these picks can cater to a range of budgets.
Bella Cosa
Found in Canary Wharf, this restaurant expertly combines a strong Italian heritage with a contemporary twist. Trained in Michelin-starred kitchens, head chef Kentaro Torii adds his own Japanese blend to the mix, creating great dishes that range from small bites through to fine dining.
With a relaxed downstairs bar and a more luxurious restaurant upstairs, this restaurant offers something for everyone. If dining in the restaurant, we recommend the Squid ink tagliolini and for the bar, the Tartufata pizza paired with truffle chips can’t be missed.
Budget rating: ££ – £££
Bocca di Lupo
This Soho eatery is an award-winning restaurant, renowned for its stripped down and honest approach to Italian cooking. With ingredients and dishes spanning across all of Italy’s twenty regions, there’s little wonder it consistently receives rave reviews.
With a menu that changes every day, twice a day, Jacob Kenedy’s mains use the best of seasonal produce to create stunning taste experiences that come as small or large dishes.
Budget rating: ££ – £££
Artusi
One of the cheapest restaurants on this list, Artusi offers simple yet delicious dishes that make the most of seasonal produce.
Opening in March 2014 in Peckham, Chef Jack Beer’s menu has consistently received fantastic reviews for its honest, authentic food. Although the dishes are few, with only a handful of options available, they more than make up for it in flavour. The menu changes regularly during the week to make use of fresh seasonal produce.
Budget rating: ££
Theo Randall
A high-end experience found on Park Lane, Theo Randall at the Intercontinental offers exquisite dining. Winning numerous awards since its opening, including the Italian Restaurant of the Year from the London Restaurant Awards, this restaurant is known for its rustic dishes with a modern twist.
With an extensive menu that recently underwent a renovation, you can find traditional dishes sitting side by side with contemporary ones, all offering a real taste of Italy. And, with a dedicated vegan menu, Theo Randall caters to everyone.
Budget rating: ££££
Franco Manca
While this is exclusively a pizzeria, it definitely deserves a spot on the list. Offering fantastic freshly baked sourdough pizzas from as little as £4.95, it’s the go-to budget friendly place in London for your favourite comfort food.
With seven pizzas to choose from, starters, desserts and a wine list, there will no doubt be something for everyone at Franco Manca and with a menu detailing where the ingredients are supplied from, you can rest happy knowing you’re eating honest, good food.
With pizzerias across the city and a takeaway service now in place, you can get your next pizza fix faster than you can say ‘bellissimo!’
Budget rating: £
