31 of the best Italian restaurants in London

Offering up cicchetti, antipasti, pasta, pizza, meat, fish and, of course, dolci, it’s hard to go wrong when it comes to the best Italian restaurants in London. That being said, there are some that stand out from the crowd. These restaurants hit the nail on the head, providing excellent, authentic food each and every time you visit. 

Italy is arguably the home of comfort food, with filling portions and rich flavours characterising the nation’s cuisine. Luckily for Londoners, there’s no need to hop on a flight to taste some of the finest Italian dishes.

Italian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisine types in the world and can either be brilliantly rustic, beautifully refined or simply elegant. With a focus on the finest ingredients, it is only natural that Italian food is so full of colour and flavour. There are so many regions with different delicacies, from Tuscan ragus to Neopolitan pizza, so there is something for everyone to enjoy.

The only problem is that there is almost too much choice when it comes to Italian restaurants in London. That's why we've distilled our favourites, taking into account price, setting, service, food, location and more. We've also included the address and a link to the restaurant's page. That way, once you find one you're interested in, you can jump straight to our full review and book a table. 

From pasta canteens in London Bridge to nose-to-tail dining in Shoreditch, from quick pizza to lavish three-course feats, whatever you're after, we've covered all the bases. Without further ado, here they are.

The best Italian restaurants in central London

As usual, you can't go wrong if you're looking for good food in central London - the capital has a wealth of brilliant Italian food on offer, from pasta specialists to old-school Italian gastro-temples.

Brutto, Farringdon

What: The latest restaurant masterminded by restaurateur Russell Norman, Brutto manages to retain a real casual neighbourhood charm, serving outstanding, affordable food that stays staunchly faithful to classic Florentine dishes. The simplicity of the food belies who absolutely delicious everything is, and the restaurant has a buzz about it at all times. Throw in a Negroni that costs a fiver, and it's no wonder Brutto has heaving with guests since it opened in 2021.
Where: 35-37 Greenhill Rents, EC1M 6BN
Book now: Brutto

Margot, Covent Garden

What: Margot is a classy Italian off Drury lane that turns out elegant dishes in equally sophisticated surroundings. Diners can enjoy unusual starters like calamari in scamorza sauce, or sauteed scallops with summer squash puree. Don't miss the ossobuco with saffron risotto, or the parmesan and truffle agnolotti with globe artichoke puree if you're a vegetarian, and finish off with a classic tiramisu, panna cotta, or hazelnut mousse served with caramel cremeaux and lemon gel.
Where: 45 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AA
Book now: Margot

Locanda Locatelli, Marylebone

What: Michelin-starred London restaurant Locanda Locatelli deals in old-school glamour and confident dishes from the Italian canon. Handmade pasta is the star of the show, with the lobster linguine and tagliatelle with kid goat ragu being particular standouts, but everything on the menu here is the product of hyper-seasonal produce. The wine list is worth exploring too, with a particular focus on reds from Tuscany and Piedmont. 
Where: 8 Seymour Street, W1H 7JZ
Book now: Locanda Locatelli

Vasco & Piero's Pavilion, Soho

What: A fixture of the Soho scene since 1971 and one of the few remaining family-run restaurants in Soho, this charming dining room serves Italian classics with a focus on the specialities of the owners’ native Umbria. The priority here is quality rather than flashiness - expect hearty, uncomplicated classics like bruschetta, tagliatelle with Umbrian beef and pork ragu, chicken Milanese with panzanella salad, all washed down with a limoncello or elderflower spritz.
Where: 11 D'Arblay Street, W1F 8DT
Book now: Vasco & Piero's Pavilion

Bocca di Lupo, Soho

What: Claiming to spotlight the 'twenty regional dialects' of Italian food, Bocca di Lupo is suited to both quick meals at its counter or lingering dinners on the tables at the back. The menu changes with the seasons (indeed, it can change as often as twice a day!), but always delivers. Come for classics like Roman rigatoni amatriciana or Sicilian caponata and cannoli for dessert, but stay for more obscure dishes like Puglian tripe braised in a rich tomato sauce with borlotti beans and rosemary.
Where: 12 Archer Street, W1D 7BB
Book now: Bocca di Lupo

Bocconcino, Mayfair and Soho

What: Bocconcino backs up its stylish looks (think plush seating and glittering chandeliers) with some serious substance. Perfect for date night, Bocconcino boasts dishes such as oozing burrata with baby plum tomatoes and pesto and pasta spun in a wheel of cheese, which are guaranteed to ignite romance. If that weren't enough, you can also enjoy DJ performances on Wednesday through to Saturday, and bottomless pizza and prosecco (or Aperol Spritz) on weekends.
Where: 19 Berkeley Street, W1J 8ED; 58-59 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JY
Book now: Bocconcino Mayfair; Bocconcino Soho

Bancone, Covent Garden, Soho and Borough

What: Fresh pasta joints are no longer the novelty they once were in London, but this small group of casual pasta restaurants from the mind of ex-Locanda Locatelli chef Louis Korovilas will win you over with its buzzy atmosphere and pocket-friendly prices. Our advice? Order the intensely buttery potato and sage gnocchi, and do your best to get a seat at the intimate kitchen counter.
Where: 39 William IV Street, WC2N 4DD; 10 Lower James Street, W1F 9EL; Arch 213, 18 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD
Book now: Bancone Covent Garden; Bancone Soho; Bancone Borough Yards

Murano, Mayfair

What: Angela Hartnett’s Mayfair flagship is a fine diner like they used to make them, combining an exquisite ‘Britalian’ menu with slick, unobtrusive service, and decked out in the eponymous Venetian glass. Prices can be high, but the excellent value set lunch menu offers a budget-minded way around them - enjoy tuna tartare, plaice caponata, and vegetable ragu orecchiette for less.
Where: 20 Queen Street, W1J 5PP
Book now: Murano

Franco's, St James's

What: Open all day, Franco’s has had a place in Londoners' hearts for over 60 years, and is versatile enough to work both for business breakfasts and late-night dates. Grab an alfresco table if you can, while enjoying something from the considered Italian menu, such as lobster linguine or pan fried wild seabass with samphire, artichokes, cherry tomatoes and clams, washed down with a tipple from the dedicated negroni list.
Where: 61 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX
Book now: Franco's

Luca, Farringdon

What: From the team behind Old Street’s Clove Club comes this ‘Britalian’ restaurant which takes style inspo from the 1950s. Classic, freshly made pasta is the unequivocal highlight, but the likes of gooey Parmesan fries also put on a good show. Luca is also unafraid to showcase more unusual, less carb-heavy dishes, such as monkfish crudo with pickled beetroot, or summer vegetable tart with stracciatella and smoked aubergine. 
Where: 88 St John Street, EC1M 4EH
Book now: Luca 

Cantinetta Antinori, Knightsbridge

What: An authentic all-day Tuscan restaurant with its flagship restaurant in a Florentine palazzo, Cantinetta Antinori is a peaceful retreat from bustling Knightsbridge, decked out in homely dark timbers and royal blue wallpaper. The menu is full of traditional Tuscan favourites executed properly, like pappardelle al ragu and veal fillet escalope, as well as slightly more surprising things like yellowtail sashimi with Sicilian lemon. If that weren’t enough, the wines are presided over by the Antinori family, one of the oldest family businesses in the world.
Where: 4 Harriet Street, SW1X 9JR
Book now: Cantinetta Antinori

Carlotta, Marylebone

What: From the Big Mamma group that runs Gloria and a host of other Italian restaurants across London and Europe, Carlotta is somewhat more tranquil and sophisticated than its kitschy predecessors. There’s a grill here (a Big Mamma first) and a focus on British meat and fish suppliers - try the luxurious lobster in herby beurre blanc or T-bone Fiorentina shared between two. There’s still room for fun, though - the Carlotta ‘wedding’ cake promises a typical Big Mamma commitment to layered desserts, and the truffle alfredo is mixed tableside.
Where: 77-78 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5JX
Book now: Carlotta

Cecconi's, Mayfair

What: Monochromatic floors and emerald green banquettes are instantly recognisable as belonging to Cecconi’s, a concept which has now been shipped all over the world. The Mayfair original still holds its own, though, with a simple menu championing comfort food classics. You really can't go wrong with a classic Cecconi's rigatoni bolognese or cacio e pepe, and if you're hungry enough to look at the secondi piatti, perhaps a hearty veal Milanese as well.
Where: 5a Burlington Gardens, W1S 3EP
Book now: Cecconi's Mayfair

The best Italian restaurants in north London

North London's Italian set is led by the superb Trullo in Islington, but we're also huge fans of Luca Meola's cooking at Rossella in Kentish Town.

Trullo, Islington

What: This Islington mainstay (which is also responsible for the much-feted Padella chain in Shoreditch and London Bridge) has hordes of fans and it’s easy to see why. A lively atmosphere, relaxed interiors and an excellent regional wine list all contribute to Trullo’s success, as does the hyper-seasonal menu - look out for dishes you won't find at most other Italian restaurants, like a whole quail starter drenched in nduja.
Where: 300-302 St Paul's Road, N1 2LH
Book now: Trullo

Rossella, Kentish Town

What: Tucked away in the heart of Kentish Town, Rossella takes its place as one of London’s true trattorias from its well-stocked deli-counter to its selection of homemade wines and oils that come straight from the family vineyard in Italy. A favourite amongst locals for uncomplicated, hearty versions of Italian classics, Rosella offers reasonably priced and tasty food, which is a winning combination in our opinion. 
Where: 103 Highgate Road, NW5 1TR
Book now: Rossella 

The best Italian restaurants in east London

Whether you're hanging about in Shoreditch, or you're more of a Hackney native looking for somewhere to get a pasta fix, you're spoilt for choice in east London. 

Gloria, Shoreditch

What: People primarily come to Gloria to have fun - think the kitschy 70s decor, and the ten-layered lasagne and pasta served in a wheel of pecorino that you've seen plastered over Instagram - but the food is still better than it needs to be. Soak up the electric atmosphere while tucking into loaded pizzas, pasta showered with truffle and the now-legendary lemon meringue pie.
Where: 54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR
Book now: Gloria

Manteca, Shoreditch

What: Manteca offers something a little different. This is an Italian take on nose-to-tail dining, so expect the likes of pigskin ragu and even pig’s head fritti. Dishes here are punchy and simple. Think nduja steamed mussels, malloreddus with beef offal ragu, and wood oven-roasted John Dory. House cocktails at Manteca are similarly gutsy and heavily feature amaro and montenegro alongside a variety of spirits and juices.
Where: 49-51 Curtain Road, EC2A 3PT
Book now: Manteca

Polentina, Poplar

What: The brainchild of Canadian-Italian photographer Sophia Massarella, Polentina certainly wins points for its unique location: it’s part of the staff canteen of a sustainable clothing factory in Bow, and the lines of sewing machines are fully visible as you dine alongside factory workers. Despite the prosaic setting, the food is divine - the daily changing menu might include rigatoni alla pagliata (a Roman tomato-based sauce with veal intestine) or sciusciello Cilentano, a coastal Campanian soup with wild asparagus, spring onion, and guanciale.
Where: 1 Bowood House, Empson Street, E3 3LT
Book now: Polentina

Leo's, Clapton

What: A retro-styled Italian cafe-cum-neighbourhood restaurant born out of the 1960s biker-themed Jim’s Cafe, Leo’s is a vintage Italian canteen transplanted to deepest Hackney, ideal for whiling away a summer afternoon on pleasingly seedy mid-century furniture. Sardinian chef Peppe Belvedere is at the helm, and aside from a few pasta dishes, most of his offering utilises the grill - don’t miss the steamed wild sea bass with courgette stew, or grilled pork neck and belly with fig mustard.
Where: 59 Chatsworth Street, E5 0LH
Book now: Leo's Clapton

Ombra, Bethnal Green

What: In a former art gallery that preserves its previous pared-back, industrial-inspired aesthetic, Ombra offers a regularly changing Venetian-influenced menu beside Regent’s Canal, with an emphasis on local produce from suppliers like the Ginger Pig. There’s a healthy balance here of inventive cicchetti starters (think ‘bombette’ pork rolls with smoked pancetta, n’duja & cacio cavallo) and more substantial pasta and secondi plates, as well as a very reasonably priced chef’s tasting menu. 
Where: 1 Vyner Street, E2 9DG
Book now: Ombra

The best Italian restaurants in south London

Brixton and Bermondsey between them boast some of the capital's most interesting and underrated Italian restaurants, not to mention of course the ever-present Padella in London Bridge, which has become a key part of London's culinary fabric. 

Baccala, Bermondsey

What: Sometimes, the best restaurants are the ones that only locals know about. Baccala is exactly that for Bermondsey residents in the know, a low-key neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar serving modern Italian sharing plates with a focus on fresh seafood, extra virgin olive oil and wine. An excellent trio if you ask us! Pull up a seat and sample the likes of fusilli with monkfish, parma ham and wild mushrooms, and salted cod with sautéed escarole and yellow datterini. 
Where: Unit B3, 194-204 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ
Book now: Baccala

La Nonna - Pasta Fresca, Brixton

What: This homely pasta joint meets the sky-high standards of its neighbours in Brixton’s Market Row. The attentive and intuitive staff know their stuff, delivering to your table rustic dishes such as beef and pork meatballs in a slow-cooked tomato sauce 'della nonna'; aubergine parmigiana; arancini; top-tier carbonara; and burrata and truffle-filled agnolotti. This is a true Roman pasta restaurant and we love it.
Where: 7 Market Row, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LB
Book now: La Nonna - Pasta Fresca

Sorella, Clapham

What: Chef Robin Gill and Dean Parker transformed what was once experimental restaurant The Manor into a rustic Italian joint. Come for the heavenly house focaccia, and stay for the charming service, Italian-accented drinks (don't miss the caramelised apple Bellini) and deliciously moreish pasta, including beef shin and mushroom ragu pappardelle and ricotta agnolotti, with asparagus, brown butter and hazelnuts.
Where: 148 Clapham Manor Street, SW4 6BX
Book now: Sorella

Legare, Tower Bridge

What: Housed in an old dockyard archway, this tiny restaurant in Shad Thames punches above its weight when it comes to pasta, and the staff seem genuinely invested in creating a friendly, 'neighbourhood' dining experience. Silky, fresh plates of pure comfort food joy - the ox cheek ravioli is particularly warming - are bookended by simple antipasti and homemade desserts such as cherry, almond and polenta cake, all washed down with a Negroni Sbagliato or Disaronno Sour.
Where: Cardamom Building, 31G Shad Thames, SE1 2YR
Book now: Legare

Padella, London Bridge and Shoreditch

What: Arguably responsible for London’s spate of no-bookings restaurants, Padella has spawned a thousand imitators but is still yet to be beaten. Its whirlwind success (and the typical two-hour wait for a table) can be put down to its unassuming simplicity – an uncomplicated menu of affordable and superb pasta. The pici cacio e pepe is the stuff of legends, but the eight hour beef shin ragu pappardelle and delightfully smooth burrata antipasti are also not to be missed. If you want to book, head to the Shoreditch site instead.
Where: 6 Southwark Street, SE1 1TQ; 1 Phipp Street, EC2A 4PS
Book now: Padella London Bridge; Padella Shoreditch

Artusi, Peckham

What: The understated, blink-and-you'll-miss-it cult favourite Artusi is confident in its own ability, offering a concise menu (only three starters, three mains, and a couple of pasta dishes) that allows the quality of the ingredients to shine through. You could easily eat here for under £30 (a smaller portion of pasta comes in at under £10), but the caramelised white chocolate ice cream and all-Italian wines are worth splurging for.
Where: 161 Bellenden Road, SE15 4DH
Book now: Artusi

Maremma, Brixton

What: Named after a coastal area of south-western Tuscany, Maremma is a new addition to a particularly foodie area of Brixton, and aims to showcase a little of the produce (from land, sea, and vineyard) of its eponymous region. Menu highlights include fish dishes like hake with clams and samphire and grilled swordfish with gremolata, and the ubiquitous Tuscan pappardelle with wild boar ragu executed to perfection. Complete your meal with a glass of wine from a lesser-known producer in the Maremma, or an entire bottle - most come in at under £40.
Where: 36 Brixton Water Lane, SW2 1PE
Book now: Maremma

The best Italian restaurants in west London

As usual, west London is home to some of London's more glamorous eateries and the likes of Belvedere and Pollini are certainly worth a visit for those in search of great food in beautiful settings. 

Belvedere, Holland Park

What: Tucked away in the heart of Holland Park, Belvedere fits right in with the glamour of its picturesque west London location. Serving creative menus of Mediterranean cuisine (the pear, gorgonzola, and pecan pizza is one imaginative highlight), Belvedere also serves up charming Italian hospitality and terracotta Tuscany-inspired decor that will have you feeling transported, yet right at home at the same time.
Where: Off Abbotsbury Road, Holland Park, W8 6LU
Book now: Belvedere

Pollini, Kensington

What: Come to Pollini for its grandiose location, inside the historic Ladbroke Hall in North Kensington, decorated with a rotating door of modern artworks to keep things interesting, but stay for the food. Here are the Italian classics done well with precisely selected British produce; menu highlights include the deceptively simple-sounding spaghetti pesto and prawns, and the chargrilled rib-eye from a Cumbrian farm that uses regenerative farming techniques. In keeping with Ladbroke Hall’s status as a broader cultural institution, there are also jazz nights every Friday.
Where: 79 Barlby Road, W10 6AZ
Book now: Pollini

Giulia, Shepherd's Bush

What: Giulia is a true Italian family business. Run by the eponymous Giulia and her husband, head chef Endris, who met working in luxury hospitality, this elegant trattoria aims to bring a slice of Italian hospitality to West London’s restaurant haven Askew Road. There’s nothing wildly unpredictable here, but classics like the spaghetti alle vongole with parsley emulsion and lamb loin with aubergine puree are worth the hefty price tag.
Where: 77 Askew Road, W12 9AH
Book now: Giulia

The River Cafe, Hammersmith

What: A true classic that almost needs no introduction, River Café still pulls in the crowds more than 30 years after its debut. Eye-watering prices and slightly dated decor may be off-putting, but that seductive riverside terrace and the decadent likes of the chocolate nemesis make it all worth it. You can also expect a menu that changes with the seasons - in summer, indulge in glossy pastas and delicate seabass carpaccio, while winter might involve a rich ragu of veal, rabbit, pancetta and radicchio slow-cooked in red wine.
Where: Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6 9HA
Book now: The River Café

If you can’t get enough of all things Italian, check out our pick of the best pizza restaurants in London.