Italian
Coming from the people behind the much-loved Artusi in Peckham, Marcella is serving up bangin’ Italian food in SE8. The look and feel is very similar to Artusi, all stripped back wooden furniture, white walls, bare wood, and an open kitchen at the back of the room. The short menu is chalked up on the wall and it’s one of those ones where you just want EVERYTHING. The fried artichokes and saffron arancini are mega, the fresh pasta is up there with the best of them and you’ll wanna leave room for the puds too.
Popolo is a hidden gem of a restaurant, which boasts a pretty impressive bar for counter dining and intimate dining room upstairs. The menu is mostly Italian with Middle Eastern and Spanish influences…hello fried olives with labne and morita chilli oil. With other dishes like octopus with paprika and potatoes, gnudi with buffalo ricotta and sage butter, and burnt honey panna cotta and figs, this place is defo worth a visit.
If you like to spend time your time dining in what is an urban sanctuary that ticks all interior goals boxes – think large oval striped oak tables, a huge marble bar and a palette of sandy and concrete tones – then Passo is the place. Sitting just off Old Street roundabout, the family-style Sunday roasts are a winner, the emphasis being on the ‘family’ in terms of portion size too. With their meat coming from HG Walter, you best be in the mood for a feast. Grass-fed Aberdeen Angus 35-day dry-aged porcini roasted rump beef, served medium rare as well as free range, corn fed, British garlic and thyme roast chicken were both excellent, soft and juicy. Served, just as they should be, with lashings of gravy, a Yorkshire pudding, truffle cauliflower cheese (hello), parmesan and thyme duck fat roast potatoes, honey roast root vegetables and chargrilled king cabbage with almonds, we felt a little spoilt. We did love, love, love this roast. Top marks.
Via Emilia specialises in food from the Emilia Romagna region of north Italy (the clue’s in the name). That includes some of the lightest gnocco fritto in town, creamy squacquerone cheese and a delish selection of charcuterie. Then there’s the hand made egg pasta dishes, which are priced from just £5.50 and the red sparkling lambrusco at £5 a glass. The cheapest trip to Italy you’ll go on.
Bocca di Lupo has quickly become a Soho classic since opening in 2008, with its buzzy vibe, ever-changing and ever-crowd-pleasing menu and impressive wine list. The beautifully designed dining rooms and the comfortable, convivial vibes consistently draw mixed crowds of Londoners night after night to dine on some choice Italian food. The menu changes every day, but you can be sure to get plates of delicious fresh pasta, grilled meats and fish, as well as handmade gelati from Gelupo. We definitely recommend getting a seat at the counter, if you can, for a chef’s table experience right at the heart of the action.
Fresh, reasonably priced decent pasta is what Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is all about. Serving up old-school traditional family recipes that have been passed down the generations, expect fresh dishes that tick all the boxes. And if you can’t decide that 4-hour slow-cooked bolognese pappardelle is a must. Top food paired with a relaxed atmosphere makes Emilia’s the ideal place to get your pasta fix.
