The Best Pasta Restaurants in London

In an epic mash-up, Maremma has brought Tuscany to the neighbourhood of Brixton. The cooking draws inspiration from the coastal area of Maremma in the south of Tuscany, which is famous for the produce of both land and sea – not to mention the vineyards that are the starting point for celebrated Tuscan wines. Pumpkin cappellacci (pasta dumplings) and tortelli Maremmani with sage butter are just some of the handmade pasta on offer on the menu.

Italian-inspired Manteca with a British accent is the joint effort between Chris Leach from the famed Petersham Nurseries and David Carter from Smokestak’s Shoreditch. Expect grilled meats cooked over fire sourced from British producers and small plates such as burrata and fried ciccioli. But the star is the handmade pasta such as tonnarelli, brown crab cacio e pepe or agnolotti del plin with pork and hazelnuts. The most amazing part? Manteca is a nose-to-tail restaurant – no animal parts are wasted and instead used in ragus (fat and skin) or broths and stock (bones).

Based on the fresh pasta restaurants of northern Italy, Burro e Silva offers a short menu with pasta dishes to fall in love with. The catch? You’ll have to fall in love all over again with the food offered on your next visit, because the menu changes every week. Signature specials and seasonal highlights include agnolotti cavour, tender ravioli filled with mixture of pork, beef and spinach, drenched in a butter sauce, and tagliolini with classic Tuscan ingredient monk’s beard and meaty anchovies.

If you’re as much into your wines as you are into your pasta, then it’s Flour and Grape you’ll want to head to for its pasta and wine pairing menu. As per recommendation, enjoy chianti with ricotta, basil, parmesan and peperonata ravioli, barolo with preserved truffle taglierini or soave classico with roasted pork shoulder and sage butter tortelloni.

Both the interior and menu at Artusi are pared back, to let the customers focus on the flavour only. The kitchen takes the best of the day’s produce and crafts a menu with only three starters, three mains and a few pasta dishes of sizes both small and large. Think ox cheek ragu tagliatelle or cavatelli with braised greens and pecorino.

Officina 00 is not just about the food, it’s also about the theatre. Watch a pasta maestro as he kneads and stretches the dough to then shape it into all types of different pasta. From occhi to corzetti and farfalle, you may end up trying variations of the much-loved Italian food that you hadn’t even heard of before. The restaurant also offers a masterclass so you can recreate the magic at home.

Legare is a neighbourhood restaurant with a refined menu consisting of raw seafood, antipasti, handmade pasta, and dessert. The small, functional space with whitewashed brick walls, flagstone floors and an open kitchen invites customers to a cosy, Italian meal. There will be oysters and cuttlefish, orecchiette and cannoli as the finish of a well-rounded dinner.

Tradition meets modernity in this Pophams Hackney joint, a branch of Pophams Bakery in Islington. Bakers take their hand craft skills they use to make pastries in the mornings and apply those to create a range of delicious pasta dishes in the evenings. It’s a fusion of traditional techniques and modern-style dishes such as taleggio cappelletti, macerated grapes & hazelnuts, or carrot triangolotti, goat’s cheese and chervil salsa verde. Their coffee comes from local roasters and wine is carefully selected from small, independent producers.

Just moments from food heaven Borough Market, Padella is the affordable and trendy handmade pasta place you don’t want to miss. Expect up to two-hour queues during busy times and a speedy meal once it’s your turn. But the hype is justified: with a small menu the team behind Padella have stripped down and perfected their offerings to dishes you’ll keep returning for. Make sure not to miss the Pappardelle with 8-Hour Beef Shin Ragu.

With its open kitchen, Bancone is another restaurant showcasing the skill of its chefs for all guests to see while they sip on their Merlot and enjoy their doughy, garlicky focaccia drizzled in honey. Like in many other pasta joints, it is encouraged to order several small plates per person, but here the menu changes regularly, meaning you can share many novelty dishes every time you go.