Miscusi Covent Garden

Miscusi is already hugely popular in Italy and has now landed in Covent Garden. This backstory might conjure the image of a chic ristorante lit by candles and white tablecloths, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Miscusi is more like the Italian, pasta-based version of Leon. A canteen-style eatery offering fast, affordable dishes. That’s not to say that there is a lack of style here. The downstairs of the restaurant boasts a 60s-style shop displaying utensils and cookbooks, while the upstairs walls are adorned with various colourful plates.

We kicked off with an Aperol spritz and gin and tonic, the latter featuring an unusual flat, lemon-infused tonic which was surprisingly pleasant. After a brief skim of the streamlined menu, we chose the carbonara - always a good litmus test - and the paccheri tricolore. Miscusi didn’t quite live up to the label of ‘fast food’, but once the pasta arrived our timekeeping qualms evaporated.

A tangled heap of silky egg tagliatelle, sprinkled with crispy cubes of guanciale hit the spot. And £8.90, considering the generous portion size, was great value. The ancient grains paccheri, meanwhile, came tossed in a light tomato sauce topped by blobs of creamy burrata, with fragrant basil completing the trifecta. The pistachio may not have added a fourth colore, but it did bring a pleasing earthiness to round out the flavour profile.

When it came to the house - and only - wine at £4 a glass, we got what we paid for. Pleasingly full from our generous mains, dessert had to be shared. A cheesecake, its biscuity base topped with tranches of poached pear and deliciously melty chocolate, finished things off nicely. If the slightly sluggish service speeds up, this would make a great place to enjoy dinner and a drink for well under twenty quid.

Miscusi is an Italian restaurant located in Covent Garden just a short distance from many theatres and attractions including St. Martin’s and The Ambassadors. The Miscusi menu has been designed responsibly and thoughtfully to include a good range of vegan and vegetarian dishes, with 60% of their menu now plant based. Seasonal ingredients are used throughout the Miscusi menu, along with seven different flours to enhance biodiversity. Much of the produce has been sourced from the Miscusi Farm, meaning many of the dishes can be traced from seed to fork. 

The seasonal menu regularly changes, however you may find some of the Miscusi signature dishes available, such as the paccheri tricolore pasta made with ancient grain, tomato, burrata and pistachio cream, and the mezze maniche al funghi which is a lentil and durum wheat dish made with mushroom sauce and sauteed mushrooms. Other freshly made pasta dishes include the classic carbonara made with crispy pork cheek and pecorino cheese, and the tagliatelle al ragu made with Italian beef ragu. 

Miscusi also offers a creative menu where you can pick your pasta, sauce and finishing touches. Perhaps you’ll go for the rigatoni coated in crema di funghi topped with sauteed mushrooms, or the whole wheat trofie coated in pesto mediterraneo topped with crispy pork. There are plenty of sharing dishes on the menu too, from hummus with toasted sourdough, to burrata served with cherry tomatoes and pesto powder, you will find plenty of tempting sounding dishes if you’re looking for some drinks and small plates. 

There is a good selection of wine and house wine, plus beer and prosecco. When it comes to desserts you will find a good selection of classics such as tiramisu, gelato and chocolate cake.