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World Pasta Day: The best pasta restaurants in London

16 Oct 2024 | | By Annie Lewis

If you ever needed an excuse to sample London’s best pasta – from Michelin-starred fare to Sicilian-inspired bowls – book your table at one of these great restaurants now for World Pasta Day

From ravioli to rigatoni, and tagliatelle to tortellini, you can trust that London’s seasoned pasta makers have perfected every shape of the famed Italian food. Cooked in hearty and rich ragùs or doused in plenty of olive oil, lemon and pepper, no two pasta dishes are the same and World Pasta Day on 25 October 2024 provides the perfect opportunity for you to get out there and sample the best portions on offer. Here are the best pasta restaurants in London to book now. 

Flour and Grape, Bermondsey

flour and grape bermondsey

Since opening in 2017, Flour and Grape has become a Bermondsey Street stalwart, known for sporting queues around the block thanks to its reasonably-priced, hand-rolled pasta. Owner Nick Crispini, formerly of Theo Randall at the InterContinental, oversees the freshly-made morsels coming from the open kitchen, ranging from the ever-popular fazzoletti with spinach, mascarpone, nutmeg and parmesan, and the ricotta ravioli with pumpkin, almond, parmesan and sage butter, plus cult favourites of pappardelle with beef short rib ragu and the delicious spaghetti carbonara. An avowed oenophile, Crispini recommends wine pairings for each dish, with most wines from the exclusively Italian list available by the glass, carafe and bottle. If you’re looking for authentic pasta with a side of neighbourhood restaurant vibes, this is the place for you. 

214 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ, visit flourandgrape.com

Saison by Mauro Colagreco, Westminster

saison
Image: Justin De Souza

The laidback younger sister to Mauro Colagreco’s flagship London restaurant (which happens to be next door within Raffles at The OWO), Saison takes its cues from Colagreco’s French coastal restaurant Mirazur and is a fresh, elegant spin on a traditional European brasserie. Served under a carefully-restored glass arcade, the three Michelin-starred chef’s pasta menu features agnolotti with aubergine and stracciatella, prawn ravioli with Slipcote goat cheese and lemon tarragon butter, and the popular lobster bolognese with homemade spaghetti alla chitarra, lemon and dill.

57 Whitehall, SW1A 2BX, visit raffles.com

The Italian Greyhound, Marylebone

Perched on the edge of Marylebone, The Italian Greyhound offers, unsurprisingly, an Italian menu featuring seasonal British produce executed by head chef Robert Carmo. Transport yourself to the streets of Milan on the sun-drenched terrace and indulge in an array of classic plates with a twist, such as pea, mint and taleggio arancini and cacio e pepe ravioli. Ahead of World Pasta Day, Carmo has created a veal osso bucco agnolotti, originating from Lombardy and combining slow-cooked veal shanks that are braised overnight with bone marrow sauce to create a dish that packs a wintry punch. The filling is freshened with a little mascarpone, parsley and chilli – true ‘comfort cucina’.

62 Seymour Street, W1H 5BN, visit theitaliangreyhound.co.uk

N5 Kitchen, Finsbury Park

N5 Kitchen, Finsbury Park’s all-female caterer and deli, is teaming up with Northern Pasta Co for a month-long collaboration this month. Kicking off on 18 October, this partnership will see delicious pasta lunch boxes added to N5 Kitchen’s menu every Friday using Northern Pasta Co’s handcrafted, artisanal pasta. Each week, expect a new pasta to form dishes of chicken Milanese with cavolo nero and rigatoni, grilled chicken with autumn squash and black olive gremolata, and courgette and ricotta fritters with rocket. 

68 Mountgrove Road, N5 2LT, visit n5kitchen.com

Eataly, Bishopsgate

Standing proud next to Liverpool Street station, Eataly is an all-encompassing foodie destination, comprising a restaurant, workshop space and deli to provide Londoners with the ultimate one-stop-shop for all things Italian. While we'd highly recommend booking one of its many workshops to master the art of cooking filled pasta, and whiling away an hour or two wandering through its massive deli (stocking only the very best produce from the motherland), a trip to its Pasta e Pizza restaurant to sample reasonably-priced pasta is a must. Pick from tagliatelle alla bolognese, mezzo pacchero with fried cod and olive taggiasche, and gnocchetto with broccoli sauce topped with a cheesy, rosemary crumble. Oh, and don't miss picking up one of Eataly's exclusive at-home kits so you can recreate your favourite pasta dishes in the comfort of your own kitchen too.

135 Bishopsgate, EC2M 3YD, visit eataly.co.uk

Pastaio, Soho

If you’re looking for speedy pasta dishes with a side of fun, head to Stevie Parle’s Pastaio on Soho’s Ganton Street. Renowned for its upbeat playlist, bright and energetic interiors and modest prices, enjoy a range of seasonally-changing sharing fresh pasta plates, alongside a selection of prosecco slushies, house-made limoncellos and vegan wines. Menu highlights include girolle and sheep's ricotta ravioli, Ukrainian porcini bolognese, aglio e olio linguine with Aleppo chilli, and delica squash, walnut, and garlic butter casarecce. Plus, gluten-free penne is available upon request and the vegan menu – think courgette and mint casarecce, and aglio e olio linguine with new season purple garlic – doesn’t disappoint either. 

19 Ganton Street, Carnaby, W1F 9BN, visit pastaio.co.uk

Luca, Clerkenwell

Luca opened its doors in November 2016 as the second restaurant from Daniel Willis, Johnny Smith and Isaac McHale: the trio behind the multi-award-winning and Michelin-starred The Clove Club in Shoreditch. Luca soon replicated its sister’s star-studded success and was awarded its first Michelin star earlier this year, with a menu by Robert Chambers (formerly of The Square, Locanda Locatelli and The Ledbury) celebrating modern Italian cuisine. 

The food at Luca observes the traditions of Italian cooking, but bends the rules with British twists, delivering a menu of modern classics. Choose from a number of fresh pasta dishes, such as Luca’s famed rigatoni with pork sausage ragù and anchovy and ravioli of white alba truffle, while Luca’s pasta production chef makes the day’s fresh pasta in the restaurant’s dedicated pasta room. Grab a seat on the fire-lit terrace for the ultimate al fresco dining experience. 

88 St John Street, EC1M 4EH, visit luca.restaurant

Padella, across London

Whether you find yourself in the streets of Shoreditch or the vibrant neighbourhood of Borough, Padella has been a guaranteed crowd-pleaser since its debut in 2016. Created by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Freida, the now-cult eatery catalysed London’s fresh pasta revolution and is famous for its mouthwatering menu (and, pre-virtual queuing, long waiting lines). Plates include the much-loved pici cacio e pepe and pappardelle with eight-hour Dexter beef shin ragu, alongside seasonal specials of flavour-packed fettuccine with chicken liver and sage, and tagliarini with Dorset crab.

Visit padella.co

Pophams, Hackney

For the committed carb lover, there’s only one place better than a pasta restaurant: a daytime bakery that transforms into a pasta restaurant by night. Every evening from Tuesday to Saturday, the team of skilled chefs at the Hackney outpost of Pophams partake in the daily ritual of hand-shaping hundreds of individual pieces of pasta, taking inspiration from traditional Italian flavours and methods while offering an irreverent approach to classic recipes. The menu changes regularly to reflect seasonality, with current dishes including pork ragu lasagne, aubergine and ricotta mezzelune, gnocchetti sardi with clams and tomato, and ciceri e tria in a chickpea ragu topped with a parmesan pasta crisp.

197 Richmond Road, E8 3NJ, visit pophamsbakery.com

Trullo, Islington

Since its inception in 2010, Trullo has become a cherished cornerstone of Islington's dining scene, serving a British take on Italian cuisine in simple, white-tablecloth surroundings. Under the culinary direction of chef-owner Conor Gadd and co-founders Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda, the restaurant has earned its stripes as one of London's most revered dining establishments while remaining rooted in simplicity and seasonality. Specialising in antipasti, primi (including handmade pasta), and a selection of oven and grill dishes, Trullo’s most notable pasta plates come in the form of pappardelle with a rich beef shin ragu, fettuccine with with Romana courgettes, parmesan and basil, and tagliarini with chopped St Austell mussels and wild oregano. 

300-302 St Paul's Road, N1 2LH, visit trullorestaurant.com

Theo Randall at the InterContinental, Mayfair

For fine dining pasta, your best bet is Theo Randall at the InterContinental on Park Lane. The restaurant focuses on top quality British and Italian seasonal ingredients that reflect Randall’s extensive travels across Italy and this pasta menu truly follows suit. Think cappelletti di anatra filled with rich slow cooked duck and porcini, tagliatelle allo scoglio with tiger prawns and datterini tomatoes, and pappardelle con ragù di manzo cooked in slow cooked beef with chianti. Bellísimo.

One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, W1J 7QY, visit theorandall.com

Bocconcino, Mayfair and Soho

bocconcino pasta

Bocconcino, with outposts on Great Marlborough Street and Berkeley Street, creates trays of fresh pasta handmade daily on site to form an extensive pasta menu. Expect piping-hot plates of pappardelle with wild mushrooms and stracciatella cheese, tagliatelle with wild boar ragù, fusilli with creamed langoustine and ravioli with crab, butter and caviar served in low-lit, red-brick surrounds.

59 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JY, visit bocconcinorestaurant.co.uk

Cicchetti, Knightsbridge

Get a taste of la dolce vita at Cicchetti by San Carlo, which brings a touch of Venetian bácaro culture to the capital in the form of colourful sharing plates perfect for lunch, dinner and everything in between. Situated in Knightsbridge, opposite Harrods on Hans Road, the restaurant’s opulent decor is inspired by classical Venetian architecture, featuring polished wood and brass fittings that nod to the luxury yachts synonymous with the Floating City, while a large striking mural takes centre stage in the dining room.

Alongside stuzzichini (nibbles) – including prosciutto San Daniele with gnocco fritto and burrata with Parma ham and black truffle – signature mains include strozzapreti e polpette (slow cooked beef meatballs), gnocchi gorgonzola and truffle and pecorino ravioli. Made fresh to order, the soft ravioli parcels are filled with buttery pecorino and nutty truffle, covered in a comforting creamy suave and topped with a generous serving of truffle shavings. 

6 Hans Road, SW3 1RX, visit sancarlocicchetti.co.uk

Norma, Fitzrovia

Set across three floors of a Victorian townhouse on Charlotte Street, Norma’s golden-hued interiors and decadent dining menu don’t disappoint. Inspired by the culinary fare of Sicily, head chef Giovann Attard likes to tackle traditional Italian dishes from a fresh angle by intertwining Moorish and North African influences into his cooking. The seasonal menus change regularly, but highlights of the current offering include spaghetti with courgette and lemon, sausage ragu pappardelle, and swordfish and black olive strozzapretti.

8 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LS, visit normalondon.com

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