london

Manteca

• Italian• Shoreditch

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About the restaurant

Manteca comes from Smokestak owner David Carter and chef Chris Leach, formerly of Cora Pearl and others. The two refined their craft with two residences in three years, before opening their first permanent restaurant in Shoreditch.

The smart dining room is buzzing when at full capacity, with an attractive kitchen counter. It’s the kind of restaurant that’s as suited to a date night as a party, and everything in between.

There’s a big emphasis on fresh pasta when it comes to the food menu, with dishes like fazzoletti with duck ragu and brown crab cacio e pepe going big on flavour while still remaining simple and elegant in their execution. House-made mortadella and focaccia is also a must-order, with the often underrated Italian luncheon meat becoming a delicious treat that’s made with rare-breed pork and a deft touch.

Reviews from the Web

Critic reviews

The Infatuation

Manteca is an Italian-ish restaurant on Great Marlborough Street, and it’s the kind of place Soho should be known for from here on in.

The Guardian

Manteca doesn’t do subtle or restrained. It does dinner. And it’s bloody marvellous.

Standard

Indulgent, imaginative Italian is such a joy I almost forgot to actually leave

The Telegraph

Lunch was wonderful – but it will be my last for a while'

The Independent

Manteca has influences from other London restaurants - there’s a bit of St John in the nose-to-tail approach, there’s a dash of Trullo in there, a hint of Brawn

Time Out

Manteca’s pasta is right up there with the best in London. And that’s coming from someone who worships at the altar of Trullo

The Nudge

Big trays of pillowy focaccia and thick batons of salami sit next to one another, ready to be carved and plated up.