Margot

This classy Italian off Drury Lane is the result of years of impressive networking. Co-founders Nicolas Jaouën and Paulo de Tarso certainly know their hospitality: de Tarso spent nearly six years as maître d’ at Bar Boulud, while Jaouën was the first general manager of Balthazar. Still, almost four years after opening, Margot doesn’t need comparing with the pair’s previous projects and has established itself as one of the most reliable bets in Covent Garden.

Margot is an impressive-looking proposition, a handsomely appointed, high-ceilinged space occupying a plum corner spot near the Royal Opera House and Theatre Royal. Attention to service is the top priority, from the white-suited Italian bar staff who can rustle up a classic cocktail to the eye-catching crockery and the attentions of the charming waiters.

We kicked off with uovo in camicia, a soft-poached duck egg that burst forth its rich, fondant-textured yolk over a parmesan polenta that was almost like a chunky cheese soup, with peppery seasoning courtesy of fresh watercress. Perfectly timed pan-fried scallops, meanwhile, came crusted with spicy nduja, some cauliflower purée offering a welcome blandness to offset the heat.

Pastas come in main-course portions; the chewy lobster in a tangle of tagliolini, alas, didn’t display the same sure touch as the scallops, though the pasta itself was excellent. Ossobuco was much better, a slab of tender veal shin sitting atop a golden saffron risotto soaking up veal jus and the sticky marrow from inside the bone.

Generous portions – including multiple visits from a waiter bearing a bread basket containing addictive focaccia – mean you might not make it to dessert; we’d recommend sharing a salted caramel semifreddo with gianduja cream, which delivers a hit of sugar without any heaviness.

With pre- and post-theatre menus, Sunday roasts and a 350-strong wine list boasting Italian heavyweights and 20 by-the-glass options, there’s much to enjoy here.

A classy Italian in an enviable corner position in Covent Garden, Margot serves big portions of well-crafted cooking in stylish surrounds. In the years since co-founders Nicolas Jaouën and Paulo de Tarso first set up shop just off Drury Lane, Margot has become a beloved staple of Covent Garden, serving faithful, authentic Italian dishes in a chic dining room, accompanied by an extensive wine list. 

Inside, Margot is a picture of elegance. Royal blue banquettes, gold accented lights and starched white tableclothes give the restaurant a classy ambiance that makes it popular with Covent Garden's pre-theatre crowd, as well as the thousands of tourists that descend upon this part of London. As well as the main restaurant, there are also comfortable stools at the bar for counter diners, or those who want to sit with a cocktail and a snack. 

The a la carte menu includes a section of sharing platters (cheese, salumi and focaccia), as well as four courses, laid out in the typical Italian way - antipasti, primi, secondi and desserts. Margot's menu is all about classic, authentic Italian cooking - dishes on the menu at the time of writing include aubergine parmigiana, vitello tonnato, pappardelle with wild boar ragu, veal ossobuco with risotto Milanese, and tiramisu.

Covent Garden is also home to a number of excellent theatres, and Margot is a very popular pre-theatre destination, offer two or three course set menus for a very reasonable price. 

Wine is another big part of the attraction at Margot - the restaurant holds a huge wine list that spans the old and new worlds, with particular focus on Italy and France. Still, if cocktails are more your vibe, the bar mixologists can whip up classic and signature cocktails for you, and they specialise in Old Fashioneds and Negronis, offering multiple twists on each.