Best pasta in London: 24 places in the capital you have to try

When we’re asked where the best pasta in London is, we can’t help but feel our hearts skip a beat. Thinking of pasta (as with pizza and most Italian food) often leads to daydreaming, professions of love, and lengthy discussions. This love of pasta means we could probably write a whole book about it. But instead, we thought we'd show you where to find the best pasta in London.

Since Italian cuisine is so popular in the UK, it may come as no surprise that there are hundreds of great pasta dishes in London to try. From cheap and cheerful, canteen-style pasta kitchens to upscale ristoranti, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to skilful pasta cooking in the capital.

Once you arrive, you'll be greeted by a second, arguably even harder choice - what to order. First off, there are over 600 pasta shapes, from the humble penne to the lesser-known radiatore. Then you have sauces, from the three-ingredient cacio e pepe, to the deeply rich 12-hour wild boar ragu. Finally, what goes on top? Grated Parmesan is a standard, but things often get more adventurous with toppings like roasted hazelnuts or porcini butter.

While this list of pasta restaurants in London might seem daunting, we've split it up by area so you can jump to your ends if you so choose. Alternatively (and we prefer this option), use this list as a kind of pasta treasure hunt, crossing restaurants off as you go. To find out more about each one, you can click 'Book now' which will take you to the full review of the restaurant, alongside all the info you need to book a table.

Best pasta in central London

If you're ever somewhere around central London and craving a bowl of pasta, you never have far to turn to find something good! Whether you're in the market for a speedy lunch, a leisurely dinner or even a 4pm snack, these guys have your back.

Agrodolce, Fitzrovia

What: Agrodolce brings the spirit of Rome to central London with a stellar line-up of handmade pastas, specialising in authentic Roman pasta dishes. Alongside comforting, trad classics like a divine, glossy carbonara loaded with guanciale, and a silky cacio e pepe, the kitchen showcases more inventive bowls like a tonnarelli laced with saffron cream and raw prawn tartare. We reckon Agrodolce is an essential visit for pasta fans, especially those that love Roman classics like carbonara, cacio e pepe, and bucatini all'Amatriciana. 
Must-try dish: The carbonara is top class - Agrodolce even does bottomless carbonara on Saturday lunchtimes!
Where: 67 Charlotte Street, W1T 4PH
Book now: Agrodolce

Mele e Pere, Soho

What: Slip down the stairs into this neon-lit Brewer Street basement for some serious carb therapy. Mele e Pere is a fixture of Soho life, beloved for keeping things gloriously simple with daily hand-rolled pasta, and rich, slow-braised sauces. This is the place to come to if you just want classics done right, washed down by one of London's biggest vermouth hoards. We'd recommend booking - this Soho icon still gets extremely busy at peak times.
Must-try dish: Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
Where: 46 Brewer Street, W1F 9TF
Book now: Mele e Pere

Luce e Limoni, Clerkenwell

What: Need an escape from grey London drizzle? Head straight to Luce e Limoni for a hit of pure Sicilian sunshine. Chef Fabrizio Zafarana drops vibrant, faithfully Sicilian pasta plates loaded with zesty citrus and local citrus, all handmade everyday. Family-run and utterly unpretentious, Luce e Limoni is the kind of neighbourhood sanctuary we all wish we had nearby.
Must-try dish: Rigatoni with fried aubergines, tomato, basil and salted ricotta
Where: 91-93 Grays Inn Road, WC1X 8TX
Book now: Luce e Limoni

The Ninth, Fitzrovia

What: Sure, Jun Tanaka’s Charlotte Street flagship isn’t a traditional trattoria, but skipping its pasta section is a massive error - Tanaka’s pasta dishes are some of the best in the capital. The vibe is cool and relaxed, but the cooking marries homely pasta nonna flavours with razor-sharp Michelin precision. Case in point: a stunning girolles tagliatelle with aged Parmesan, hazelnut, and truffle pesto.
Must-try dish: Dishes change with the seasons but you really can’t go wrong with anything!
Where: 22 Charlotte Street, W1T 2NB
Book now: The Ninth

2 Veneti, Marylebone

What: Flee the soul-crushing madness of Oxford Street and duck into 2 Veneti for a real-deal taste of Venice. Unapologetically old-school, this boisterous dining room channels proper bacaro energy with proper northern Italian pasta cooking. The piece de resistance is a plate of thick bigoli with duck and guinea fowl ragu - a stone cold Venetian classic that 2 Veneti does better than anyone in London.
Must-try dish: Bigoli with duck and guinea fowl ragu
Where: 10 Wigmore Street, W1U 2RD
Book now: 2 Veneti

Enoteca da Luca, St Paul's

What: Hidden in a courtyard just steps from St Paul’s, this intimate enoteca is the City’s best-kept pasta secret. It’s all about high-spec Italian ingredients sourced straight from small-scale producers, wrapped up in seasonal pasta dishes and served alongside stellar regional wines. Knock back a bowl of their duck ragu tagliatelle and you’ll already be planning a return visit.
Must-try dish: Duck ragu tagliatelle
Where: 20-21 Watling Street, EC4M 9BR
Book now: Enoteca da Luca St Paul's

Luca, Farringdon

What: Certainly one of the most stylish settings on the list, Luca is as chic as they come without veering into stuffiness, despite holding a Michelin star. While this isn’t purely a pasta restaurant, the hand-made yellow silk spun here is famous in its own right. There are typically four pasta dishes available at a given time here, so we recommend you take three friends to make sure you get a bite of all four. You might see Cornish crab taglierini with smoked datterini tomatoes, tarragon and chilli, or cardinali filled with spinach and sheep’s milk ricotta tossed in wild garlic, pistachio and lemon.
Must-try dish: This is a place to enjoy exquisite handmade pasta, like cappelacci or tortellini with seasonal fillings
Where: 88 St John Street, EC1M 4EH
Book now: Luca

Vasco's & Piero's Pavilion Restaurant, Soho

What: This Soho old-timer isn't interested in gimmicky dishes or photo opportunities, it has one drive and that is creating properly authentic plates of Italian food. The prawn spaghetti dish is one of the restaurant's most popular serves thanks to the sweet combination of the shellfish with a classic tang of tomato. With both starter and main sizes, you can choose to enjoy a plate of fresh pasta to kick off your evening, or go all in and indulge in a hearty portion. 
Must-try dish: Handmade smoked salmon and mascarpone ravioli with salmon caviar butter
Where: 11 D'Arblay Street, W1F 8DT
Book now: Vasco's & Piero's

Bocca di Lupo, Soho

What: When you’re about to go to the theatre, sometimes all you really want is a dish that is great and feels special, but can be eaten quickly. Pasta is the ideal thing for this and as Bocca di Lupo is located in the theatre district, it makes sense to give it a visit before you head to your show. On the Bocca di Lupo menu, try classics like tajarin with raw duck egg and Parmesan, with a shaving of white truffle on top to bring it up a notch. Other dishes you could try are the tagliatelle with ragu Bolognese or the pumpkin and amaretti cappellacci with butter and sage.   
Must-try dish: Spaghetti with half native lobster, mussels and tomato
Where: 12 Archer Street, W1D 7BB
Book now: Bocca di Lupo

Brutto, Farringdon

What: They just don't make 'em like Brutto anymore. This bustling trattoria offers up generous portions of rough-and-ready rustic dishes, all at reasonable prices. Order the perfectly al dente ribbons of tagliatelle with melty ragu, or tortellini in brodo (broth) for a good time. As if you needed more encouragement, the drinks are seriously affordable too, so kick off with a negroni before moving to the house wine. 
Must-try dish: The rabbit pappardelle is outstanding
Where: 35-37 Greenhill Rents, EC1M 6BN
Book now: Brutto

Best pasta in north London

North Londoners aren't spoilt for choice when it comes to great pasta, but there are a handful of excellent groups that have extended upwards into the northern boroughs, as well as some beloved family-run favourites.

Rossella, Kentish Town

What: Rossella chef and owner Luca Meola started his kitchen career young - he worked with his father Luigi in his restaurant in London, after the pair moved from Naples in the 60s. Now Luca runs his own restaurant - Rossella - and his menus celebrate his family’s love for real Italian cooking. Proudly family run, Rossella serves genuine, authentic Italian pasta dishes.
Must-try dish: Luca's tonnarelli carbonara is fantastic
Where: 103 Highgate Road, NW5 1TR
Book now: Rossella

Trullo, Islington

What: The restaurant that gave us Padella has been around long enough to become a north London veteran, but we reckon this outstanding Italian restaurant is better than it has ever been. Although the big oven-baked and grilled mains often take star billing, the pasta and antipasti sections at Trullo are always incredible, and no meal at Trullo is complete without a taste of the original (and best) beef shin ragu pappardelle, or the lesser spotted but must-order chicken liver fettuccine. 
Must-try dish: Pappardelle with beef shin ragu is as close as London has to an iconic pasta dish
Where: 300-302 St Paul's Road, N1 2LH
Book now: Trullo

Lupa, Highbury

What: Yes, there’s every chance you know Lupa as ‘that Theo James restaurant’ but the White Lotus star isn’t the star billing here, it’s the pasta. Milanese chef Naz Hassan does a fine job faithfully recreating classic Roman pasta dishes like a bucatini cacio e pepe, and a magnificent glossy carbonara. There are other great things on the menu as well, but we’d happily come back every week for a plate of pasta and a glass of Verdicchio.
Must-try dish: This is the best place to eat a plate of bucatini all'Amatriciana
Where: 73 Highbury Park, N5 1UA
Book now: Lupa

Best pasta in south London

In magnificent Legare and affordable pasta powerhouse Padella, south London boasts two of the finest pasta restaurants anywhere in the capital. Brixton and Battersea also have plenty to offer.

Baccala, Bermondsey

What: Bermondsey Street isn't short on great restaurants, but Baccala cuts through the noise with its laser focus on coastal Italian cooking. The daily-changing board pivots on whatever the trawlers bring in, anchored by delicate, hand-shaped pasta slicked with top shelf olive oils. Throw in a glass of cloudy low-intervention wine and you’ve got one of SE1’s coolest, most understated dinner dates.
Must-try dish: Calamarata with sardine, aubergine and pine nuts
Where: 194-204 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ
Book now: Baccala

Legare, Tower Bridge

What: Legare, we think, is somewhat of a hidden gem. Well worth the stroll out past London Bridge and along the Shad Thames riverside, Legare is found in renovated industrial arches and has a pared-back, cool aesthetic. Add to the buzzy ambience a few plates of some of the best pasta in town from an ex-Trullo chef and you’ve got a guaranteed enjoyable evening. The menu changes regularly, but we can’t say no to anything topped with golden pangrattato. The open kitchen allows you to watch the theatre of the team at work, and with perfectly made dough each day paired with simple but satisfying sauces, this is a pasta pilgrimage worth making time and time again.
Must-try dish: Dishes vary but keep an eye out for the ox cheek ravioli with sugo d’arrosto
Where: 31G Shad Thames, SE1 2YR
Book now: Legare

Padella, Borough, Shoreditch and Soho

What: As the original cheap and cheerful pasta restaurant, Padella's freshly made pasta attracts flocks of people daily. The best part is every dish is under £20. We recommend going for the buttery gnocchi but other dishes that are worth a try include the pappardelle with beef shin ragu, ravioli with squash, ricotta, sage and olive oil, and of course the famous cacio e pepe. If you’re planning on paying Padella a visit get there early because there are always queues (but you can book at the Shoreditch restaurant). 
Must-try dish: You can't go wrong with anything but the cacio e pepe is perhaps London's best pasta dish
Where: 6 Southwark Street, SE1 1TQ; 1 Phipp Street, EC2A 4PS; 2 Kingly Street, W1B 5PB
Book now: Padella Borough; Padella Shoreditch; Padella Soho

Flour & Grape, Bermondsey

What: With all dishes around the £15 mark plus plush leather seating, Flour & Grape is almost like a kind of pasta-gastropub. But don’t be fooled by the affordable menu, this restaurant knows its stuff. It even has gluten-free pasta too. Try the monkfish linguine with tomato, chilli and garlic, the pork shoulder tortelloni or the ravioli with caramelised leek, potato, sage butter and parmesan. There are also small plates like salumi, bruschetta and beetroot with whipped goat’s curd and walnut to kick things off.
Must-try dish: The monkfish linguine is always a winner if it's on the menu
Where: 214 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ
Book now: Flour & Grape

Best pasta in east London

East London's reputation as a new-school foodie hotspot is alive and well thanks in large part to some excellent trendy pasta restaurants, which mix solid cooking with wabi-sabi chic interiors.

Osteria Angelina, Shoreditch

What: The first thing you see as you arrive at Osteria Angelina is a chef making fresh pasta in a glass-fronted pasta lab, and this thrumming Shoreditch spot doesn’t disappoint on that front. The pasta here cleverly weaves Japanese elements into regional Italian classics - think delicate tortellini lifted by kombu or silk-smooth fazzoletti tossed with rich duck ragu. The whole restaurant is a huge amount of fun, and you won’t find anywhere else serving pasta with the same ingenuity.
Must-try dish: Tortellini, truffle and kombu
Where: 1 Nicholls Clarke Yard, E1 6SH
Book now: Osteria Angelina

Manteca, Shoreditch

What: Manteca is quite unusual in that it offers nose-to-tail Italian-inspired dishes. While there are plenty of other options, it’s the hand-rolled pasta people keep coming back for. Choose from punchy dishes like rigatoni with kale sausage and chilli, brown crab tonnarelli cacio e pepe, fazzoletti with duck ragu and strozzapreti with house sausage, cream and black truffle.
Must-try dish: The lumache with kale sauce and chilli is always on and has no right to be this delicious
Where: 49-51 Curtain Road, EC2A 3PT
Book now: Manteca

Elephant, Hackney

What: When a former Manteca chef strikes out on their own, we sit up and take notice. The latter is widely regarded as one of the best pasta restaurants in town (hence why it is also in this list) and chef Francesco Sarvonio has brought those pasta skills to Elephant, with a handful of family-style classics. The ziti genovese is classic Neapolitan fare, rich, slightly creamy, with pasta cooked just the right side of al dente.
Must-try dish: Francesco's rigatoni genovese ragu
Where: 43 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0NS
Book now: Elephant Hackney

Leo's, Clapton

What: Leo’s is low-key home to some of the most skillful cookery in East London, and that’s particularly visible in the pasta dishes. Rabbit agnolotti with rosemary roasting juices? Who says no to that? Throw in the gorgeous, retro-riviera vibes and a stunning dining room with skylight and Leo’s is easily one of our favourite places to relax with a plate of pasta and a good cocktail.
Must-try dish: Dishes change often, but we loved the rabbit agnolotti with rosemary roasting juices when we visited
Where: 59 Chatsworth Road, Clapton, E5 0LH
Book now: Leo's Clapton

Best pasta in west London

Whether it's a bowl of pasta on the iconic terrace at The River Cafe, or in the courtyard of new-school Insta-friendly hangout Jacuzzi, West London has you covered with typically glamorous options. 

Manicomio, Chelsea and City of London

What: With a sprawling terrace on Chelsea’s Duke of York Square, Manicomio is the perfect place to spend an elegant summer lunch, sampling their delicious pastas and sipping on a spritz while engaging in some top-notch people watching. The menu is suitably indulgent, featuring elevated spins on classic dishes, like their carbonara which you are invited to top with a shaving of fresh truffle, or the lobster linguine, dressed in a tomato and basil sauce.
Must-try dish: If you're craving lobster linguine, this is the place to get it
Where: 83-85 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY; 6 Gutter Lane, EC2V 8AS
Book now: Manicomio Chelsea; Manicomio City

Canteen, Notting Hill

What: If you are hunting for silky, handmade pasta without the long wait times or steep price tag, Canteen is an absolute game-changer. This buzzing spot focuses on doing a few simple things extraordinarily well, turning out bouncy, hand-rolled ribbons and stuffed parcels coated in rich, comforting sauces. With former River Cafe chefs behind the pass, it’s widely seen as some of the best bang-for-buck cooking in the capital. There are often queues, but tables turn around quickly.
Must-try dish: The menu is always changing but we ate a magnificent sausage and tomato tagliarini last time we visited
Where: 310 Portobello Road, W10 5TA
Book now: Canteen

The River Café, Hammersmith

What: This Michelin-starred restaurant is a must-visit for any foodie. Specialising in Italian cuisine and having trained a number of celebrity chefs including Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, it is safe to say it may be one of the best restaurants in the city. Using the highest quality ingredients and complex cooking methods, the tagliatelle al Pomodoro may be a simple pasta choice to go for, but made with fresh pasta and cooked by expert chefs, it may be the tastiest pasta dish on this list. Other dishes worth mentioning include the tagliatelle al ragu and linguine con Granchio.
Must-try dish: Seasonal pastas change often, but all of the River Cafe's handmade pasta dishes are exceptional
Where: Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6 9HA
Book now: The River Cafe

Can’t get enough of Italian food? Neither can we. While a steaming plate of fresh, hand-rolled tagliatelle is usually our go-to comfort meal, there is an entire world of regional Italian cooking across the capital waiting to be devoured. Be sure to check out our guide to the best Italian restaurants in London to find your next favourite spot, whether you are craving wood-fired pizza in Soho or refined Venetian small plates in Mayfair.

If you're keeping an eye on your wallet after indulging in one too many bowls of cacio e pepe, fantastic dining in the capital doesn't have to break the bank. Take a look at our curated guide to the best cheap eats in London for delicious dishes that keep your balance happy. Or, for a multi-course treat that stays strictly on budget, dive into our selection of affordable tasting menus in London for high-end dining without the hefty price tag.