Italian
20 Water St, London E14 9QG
Fish Game comes from Roberto Costa, the man behind steak restaurant Macellaio RC. Here, he's trying something different - an Italian restaurant that centres around fire-grilled seafood and game (its name is pretty self-explanatory). Produce is all sourced from the UK, and they even have a special chilli catalogue alongside dishes like game and spinach ravioli and Dover sole on the bone.
79 Barlby Rd, London W10 6AZ
Set with the impressive arts and design collective Ladbroke Hall, Pollini is their seasonal Italian restaurant. It's led by chef Emanuele Pollini, who has worked at a host of Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy before this. The room is impressive, if a little cavernous, and Pollini's creative take on traditional Italian cuisine is proving popular.
33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF
The Dover is a Mayfair restaurant by Martin Kuczmarski, former right-hand man to Soho House's Nick Jones, aiming for understated glamour with NYC Italian-inspired cuisine. With an ambience best described as "casual but not too casual", there's a real feel of old-school Mayfair hospitality here. The menu is also welcomingly old-school with dishes including an excellent Chicken Cordon Bleu. On top of that, there's an impressive bar specializing in martinis that' it's worth visiting for alone.
120 Morning Ln, London E9 6LH
Dalla took over from Peg on Morning Lane and is a collaboration among three Italian friends with diverse backgrounds. Gennaro Leone, focusing on design, joins forces with Mitchell Damota, ex-head chef at P Franco, and chef Gianmarco Leone, formerly at Claridge's. Together, they aim to offer homestyle Italian cuisine, rediscovering old recipes in a contemporary setting.
36-37 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BN
Russell Norman, who also created Polpo, founded this restaurant just off Smithfield Market. It takes its influences primarily from Northern Italy with a particular focus on Florence. So you'll find Italian snacks and pasta alongside huge T-Bone steaks. It's also part-bar, with an extensive list of cocktail classics, so very handy if you're looking for a decent bar in the area.
77-78 Marylebone High St, London W1U 5JX
This Marylebone restaurant from the Big Mamma Group (Circolo Popolare, Gloria) is described as more "intimate" than the others but it still has the mad, flamboyant design that they're known for (and some crazy toilets). Food is their take on Neapolitan and Sicilian classics with an Americano twist - and some pretty large portions along the way.
27 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4HZ
This high-end Itlaian restaurant comes from the same people behind Coya, Amazonico and Bar des Pres. It's taken southern Italy as the inspiration in a restaurant that's made of a warren of rooms and bars. The room with the retractable glass roof will be a hit on warm days, while their veal tomahawk Milanese is a must.
National Theatre, Upper Ground London SE1 9PX
They started out as a rooftop in Peckham and for their second restaurant, Forza Wine took over one of the restaurants at The National Theatre. It has a great view of the Thames and on a good day, you'll definitely want to grab a table on the extensive terrace. As for the food, expect Italian small plates and a natural wine list that's pretty good value for the area.
23 Euston Road King’s Cross, St Pancras London NW1 2SD
Thisis a contemporary Italian restaurant at The Megaro Hotel where Executive Chef Manuele Bazzoni, previously at Trinity restaurant, and he's put together a menu of modern Italian cuisine using locally sourced produce. Tthe food definitely showcases that there's real talent in the kitchen and make sure to check out the cocktail bar in the basement too.
4 Suffolk Pl, London SW1Y 4HX
For maximalists rather than minimalists this Italian restaurant took over a former bank just off Pall Mall, so expect acres of marble and gilt. In addition to the restaurant and bar, there’s also a walk-in wine cellar, whisky room and private dining room - it’s definitely a dress-up place for a special occasion.
1 Norris St, London SW1Y 4RJ
Finding well-priced restaurant options in St James can be a bit tricky but this Italian pizzeria is always a good bet. The USP here is that they use Mediterranean seawater in the pizza dough - that may sound gimmicky but the proof is in the eating and the pizzas are really good.
300 - 302 St Paul's Road, London N1 2LH
Probably Islington's most famous restaurant, this Italian affair sees Tim Siadatan (also behind Padella) and Chef Owner Conor Gadd in charge. Expect superlative Italian cuisine and if you're passing by, it's well worth a look in their next-door deli too.
94 Kensington High Street, London W8 4SH
Jacuzzi comes from the Big Mamma group, also known for the hugely popular Circolo Popolare and Gloria. Here in Kensington it's an opulent three-floored affair decked out with trees and flora throughout. As for the food, expect Italian cuisine in huge portions and a few high-end items like caviar that are better priced than you might find elsewhere.
Holland Park, Abbotsbury Rd, London W8 6LU
Belvedere is a complete reinvention of a classic restaurant in Holland Park, relaunched by the people behind Wild Tavern after months of attention lavished on it. The glamorous interiors match a menu that has an Italian flavour.
198-200 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EZ
Notto sees top chef Phil Howard opening a fresh pasta restaurant on Piccadilly. More affordable than his previous restaurants, like Elystan Street, you can expect an Italian menu (and Italian cocktails) and his own takes on pasta, created together with chef Louis Korovilas.
Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, London E2 9NF
Elis is the second restaurant in the Town Hall Hotel in Benthal Green from the two-Michelin-starred Da Terra team. Inspired by chef Rafael Cagali, the menu takes its inspiration from his Brazilian/Italian heritage.
20 Canada Square, London E14 5NN
Scarpetta is a mini-chain of restaurants in the City of London. Launched by two Italian best friends, they say the restaurant uses recipes from the farms, mills and roasteries that they've known since childhood. There's plenty of fresh pasta, Italian wines and they have a post-work happy hour too.
12 George Street, Wood Wharf, London E14 9QG
Emilia's Crafted Pasta's flagship restaurant in Wood Wharf sees all their pasta made fresh in-house every day. The team work closely with hand-picked suppliers for all their produce. This location even has tabletop games in the shape of a custom table bocce that they've planted in the bar.
277 Kensington High St, London W8 6NA
Billed as London’s oldest family-run restaurant, Il Portico is run by siblings James and Francesca Chiavarini and specialises in Italian specialities from Emilia Romagna. Much of the produce comes from the family's farm in Kent.
205 Richmond Rd, London E8 3NJ
Lardo is an East London restaurant with what they call a contemporary Italian menu. In practice that means some of London's best pizza, with regularly changing specials on the menu too. Alongside those are antipasti and a wine list that focuses on low-intervention wines.
23 Ezra St, London E2 7RH
Campania & Jones serves up Southern Italian food in Hackney, with pasta made fresh daily in its beautiful rustic-looking restaurant. The food is authentic Italian, the portions are generous and it's one of the most popular restaurant near Columbia Road. There's a daily changing menu, so you can always find something new to try.
197 Richmond Rd, London E8 3NJ
While the original Pophams is mainly a bakery and cafe, this, their second, also functions as a restaurant. So while you can still buy their bread and pastries here, there's the added draw of the pasta restaurant, with all the pasta made fresh in-house. It should go without saying that the desserts are pretty great as well.
88 St John Street, London EC1M 4EH
This Michelin-starred Clerkenwell restaurant is from the team behind World's 50 Best restaurant The Clove Club. An Italian restaurant using British produce it's split between a more casual cafe at the front and more formal dining in the restaurant at the back.
38-40 Exmouth Market, Farringdon, London EC1R 4QE
Macellaio RC have a few sites across London where the main event is the steak, and you'll see plenty of this hanging in the restaurant. It's all Italian-style steak from a female Fassona breed. There is some pasta available too - but you'll really need to be trying as much from the grill as possible to do the place justice.
4-6 Islington Green, London N1 2XA
This restaurant brings fresh pasta to Islington from chef Louis Korovilas (who created the original menu at Bancone). Expect pasta dishes that evolve with the season alongside plenty of fritti action (including fritto misto, of course).
20 Queen Street, London, W1J 5PR
There are a few Cafe Muranos across town - but this is the main Michelin-starred flagship restaurant of Angela Hartnett. It's high-end Italian dining but with a relaxed vibe.
1st Floor, 39 Chepstow Place, Bayswater, London W2 4TS
This longstanding neighbourhood gem of an Italian has been packing Notting Hill's denizens into its light-filled dining room - above the ground floor pizzeria - for over 20 years. They source the best Italian ingredients possible for a classic Italian menu that's inspired by the chef's Sardinian childhood.
20 Savile Row, London W1S 3PR
Francesco Mazzei is chef patron of Sartoria restaurant on Savile Row in Mayfair, serving dishes from his native Calabria as well as other regions in Italy. They go big on truffles here and the sommelier is a London gem.
8 Seymour Street, London W1H 7JZ
Giorgio Locatelli's Marylebone restaurant is still one of the best and most highly rated Italian restaurants in town. It's very much a high-end special occasion type of place (but if you can afford to eat here regularly - go for it). Old school Italian dining done to perfection.
20 Homer Street, London, W1H 4NA
This is a combined wine bar, trattoria and deli in Marylebone. It comes from chef Maurizio Morelli, also behind Latium in Fitzrovia. Expect a traditional Italian menu throughout, and you should pay particular attention to their bread - bricole does mean breadcrumbs, after all.
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