Giulia Restaurant

Giulia is an Italian restaurant that offers a family feel, whilst still managing to remain stylish and contemporary. The team is mainly made up by partners Giulia and Endris, with Giulia manning the front of house to greet and serve customers, whilst Endris runs the kitchen in the back.

The menu uses classic Italian flavours, to create dishes that let the good quality ingredients shine. The seared octopus with nduja sauce seems an obvious choice to get things started, along with the white asparagus, guanciale and crispy egg. The octopus tentacle is soft with just the right level of bite, and marries beautifully with a lightly spiced nduja sauce. When paired alongside the creamy potato puree, it seems a sign of good things to come.

At Giulia, the pasta is made fresh by hand, every day - and it shows in the quality. The ricotta ravioli with mint and italian pea veloute is both fresh with spring flavours, and comforting from the hit of cheese inside each pasta parcel. Whilst the pasta itself is a little thick, it is easily forgiven for the great flavour this dish brings.

Mains offer something a little richer, with lamb cutlets served alongside creamy potato, artichokes and burned peppers. Bursting with flavour from the fatty lamb and slightly charred veg, it’s one of those meals you’re sad to see the back of.

With just enough space left for dessert, it’s time to round off on a sweet note, and it would be criminal to visit an Italian restaurant without ordering the Tiramisu. Though it contains just a few ingredients, a tiramisu tends to come in all shapes and sizes, and can often miss the mark on balance and texture, but Giulia hit the nail on the head for a fine example of this classic.

As expected, the wine list showcases mainly Italian options, and the Gavi di Gavi comes highly recommended by us. With a delicate flavour and hints of citrust fruit, it paired perfectly with the seafood and cheesy pasta options on the menu.

We couldn’t be more excited to see such a charming addition to West London’s busy Askew Road, and look forward to seeing what else it has in store as the seasons change.

Finding its home on Askew Road, a buzzy strip in W12 equidistant between Shepherd’s Bush, Chiswick and Hammersmith, this Italian restaurant is a proper neighbourhood spot that serves West London locals with an monthly-changing seasonal menu. Founded by front-of-house manager Giulia and her husband Endris (head chef), the couple decided to open a restaurant in 2022 having both worked in hospitality for many years. Following a stint at Sette Restaurant in Knightsbridge, the place where the duo actually met, Giulia Restaurant is very much a passion project which aims to bring their knowledge of the industry to this unassuming corner of London.

Attention to seasonality is showcased through an ever-changing menu, with dishes offering a contemporary take on classic Italian ideas. The a la carte menu features starters, pasta dishes, mains and desserts, and isn’t overly long to ensure the team can execute each one to the highest standard. To start, examples of dishes might include seared octopus with cauliflowers, potato puree and nduja sauce - which is the only plate they never remove from the menu - and an Aubergine Parmigiana. Next, you might opt for one of its pasta plates which features ravioli cacio e pepe and spaghetti alle vongole, while mains might include Cotoletta alla Milanese, or Tuna with seasonal vegetables.

There are plenty of aperitivo to whet your appetite before your meal, including classic Italian cocktails like Negroni and Aperol Spritz, bottled beers and spirits, alongside small snacks such as charcuterie and Italian cheeses. While an Italian-leaning wine list includes bottles from wine-making regions across Italy. Think crisp whites like Gavi di Gavi, sparkling proseccos and reds such as Chianti from Tuscany.