Luca

Occupying a striking multi-room space that gives the touchstones of 1950s design a contemporary facelift, this second venture from Clove Club maestro Isaac McHale and his ‘Young Turk’ chums is an unrelentingly style-conscious venue that looks the part with its bare tables, fabulous lighting, leather upholstery and mirrors.

Luca is also billed as a ‘Britalian’ restaurant, and the kitchen makes its mark by fusing seasonal British ingredients with the vigorous traditions of Italian cuisine: “sublime” handmade pasta is an unmissable highlight (perhaps bucatini with kale pesto, Calabrian chilli and Castelmagno cheese), but we wouldn’t ignore bigger plates such as best end of Hebridean lamb with crisp sweetbreads and spiced carrots or Cornish monkfish with Jerusalem artichoke, hazelnuts and butter.   

Bookending the traditional four-course menu are moreish antipasti and cleverly crafted desserts – from whipped salted cod with mussels and peperonata or burrata with winter panzanella to freshly churned ice creams, affogato or pannetone bread-and-butter pudding with Solerno custard. We also adore the Parmesan fries that are offered as a warm-up.   

Luca’s beautifully designed bar is handy for drinks, express lunches and pre-theatre, while its two private rooms are “great spaces” for a celebratory bash: readers particularly like the dedicated Pasta Room (a working space for the chefs during the day), although the Italian-style Garden Room also has a special allure all its own.

A cluster of tip-top Champagnes and a brace of Sussex sparklers add variety to the “exceptional” Italian regional wine list, while ever-attentive, exceedingly helpful staff get top marks all round.  

Luca is an Italian restaurant located in Farringdon serving high-quality ingredients from around the British Isles and Italy. With a restaurant, bar and outdoor terrace, it’s a multi-faceted dining destination where you can stay, eat and relax for a sit-down dinner, pop in for some drinks and snacks at the bar or enjoy a plate of pasta bathed in sunshine in the stunning courtyard.  

The main dining area offers bright and spacious interiors that marries Italian-meets-art deco design, with red leather banquette seating, wooden floors, exposed brick walls and large light fixtures to illuminate the space. It is here where guests can indulge in Luca’s modern Italian plates all year long. Kick off with a plate of Italian salumi with pickled giardiniera vegetables to nibble on while you decide what to order. Starters include tempting combinations such as burrata with winter tomatoes, tropea onions, taggiasca olives and schiacciata, while the ‘primi’ course includes many impressive pasta dishes including agnolotti carbonara with speck and puffed quinoa and red wine paccheri with braised octopus, Italian courgettes and black olive. For ‘secondi’, opt for the likes of Hereford beef fillet and braised cheek, smoked potato, calcot and salsa al pepe verde.  

When the sun is shining, guests can also reserve a table alfresco in the secluded, foliage-adorned terrace surrounded by olive trees and jasmine. There is even an open fire for when it gets chilly in the evenings. Or, plump for a meal at the bar for an occasion that’s a little more relaxed, where you can order classic Italian cocktails or a glass of wine from one of its many wine-making regions. A range of aperitifs and digestifs are also available, and food can be ordered from the bar's ‘express menu’ for lunch if you want to taste the food but can't stick around for long.