Great Italian food, lovely decor and brilliant service. Highly recommended. A good selection of…read morewine.

With a name meaning Song of the Raven and its twinkling, beckoning lights, Canto Corvino should be…read morea stand out in the little gastro nook that is Spitalfields. It's also basically on my street and one of the few sit downs open on weekends! However, each of my visits yielded a variable experience, meaning the quality consistency is lacking which means I wouldn't recommend it to a good friend. Not a good thing when it comes to lesser known restaurants. My first time, I was drawn in by the golden lights radiating from the bar and the warehouse lighting which looks almost chic when paired with the exposed brick and glass embellishments. Although my boss and I were the only ones here, the staff paid little to no attention to us - no greeting or any mind paid to us until we physically walked over the bar, distracting the group chatting away in their huddle. The wine was on the pricier side. The second time I came, the place was brimming with city brokers having Thirsty Thursday. The prosecco was decent and we had a nice time. Until we got the bill for the 3 shots of tequila we had which totalled £48. So that's over 15 pounds for each shot...when we queried the bill, the staff explained that the quality of the tequila he poured us explained the cost, exasperated with our stupidity. We said we were not going to pay for that just because when asked what kind, we had probably said "whatever" or "doesn't matter". Doesn't that usually mean house stuff? The third time I had post-birthday party brunch here where I opted for the Italian breakfast which means eggs, soppresetta, sour dough with pate?, tomato, and tuscan sausage. My tastebuds were (to be fair) taking a beating due to the hangover but it was just mediocre at best. Plus the stuff on the sour dough was strange and unpleasant. Canto and I are neighbours and I don't give up on my neighbours.

This pizza restaurant is concealed on the edge of Old Spitalfields market. You'd probably not…read morenotice it if you were walking past on Brushfield St - but if you are in need of Pizza it's one of the area's most satisfying choices. Generally the styles are similar to Pizza Express, except that the portions and toppings tend to be more generous.

This is a lovely Italian restaurant with fantastic food, fine wines and great service. Every time I…read morevisit I have a great time and can almost forget I have to go back to work! Without being over the top in price, it really gives you the impression that you are eating at a much more expensive restaurant without feeling like you are being cheated out of your money. Its a great buzzy area too. I can't give you a favourite item from the menu though because its all great - you'll have to go try it for yourself!

Familiarity breeds contempt and as such good old Carluccio's doesn't exactly set the pulse racing…read moreas a possible short lunch stop off in an area full of wonderful independent eateries. So a big shout out to the old man (if indeed he has anything at all to do with the place) for continuing to do the simple things really well and not charge the earth for it. My mushroom soup bucks the trend by steadfastly refusing to be the creamy, comfy clagged up version but instead a thin but powerful broth choc full of a variety of dried mushroom and the added bonus of small pieces of ham. It's a rustic affair, bravely done and all the better for it. A refusal to fall into the prissy traps. Arancini and a side of roast new potatoes for my nibblish mood don't disappoint either. The arancini's crispy shell giving way to unctuous insides and the potatoes perfectly crunchy and salty and rosemar-y. Again, simple stuff done very well. The arancini and the potatoes came to about £8. I'd rate that a bargain. Carluccio's wherever you go always feels bright and airy and modern. This one has the added advantage of being on Spittalfields so you can watch the groovy wordbenders whizz by on their hover boards and scooters playing spot the person without funky facial hair. Service is professional and smiley. I know it's a chain and that's a dirty word. I know the food was probably made somewhere in warehouse in Hemel Hempstead. But hats off to a place that hasn't forgotten its roots and continues to serve simple Italian fare in smart surroundings at excellent prices.

Carluccio's is always a "safe pair of hands", but nothing more. It serves as a good backup: when…read moreother places are full or closed I've always counted on getting a table here, and enjoying a decent (never spectacular) meal with friendly service. Unless memory deceives me, they've re-fitted this branch since my last visit, replacing the awful hard chairs with more comfortable ones and re-jigging the lighting and layout. Atmosphere's a bit cosier. The menu has changed somewhat, I tried the duck pappardelle labelled "new". As expected it was very decent, generous portion, but not mind-blowing. One thing I do love here is the coffee, I always get a second one to take away it's so good. I think they edge out the independent coffee shops in the area for flavour.

Stopped by for a quick weekday dinner -- I had a reservation for 7:00pm, and it was really busy…read morearound then, so definitely plan ahead! I had the sourdough w olive oil to start -- not a bad choice to whet the appetite, but the real move was to use it to mop up some of the sauce after finishing the pasta :) For my main I ordered the pappardelle with beef shin ragu -- so delicious. The pasta had a wonderful texture, perfectly chewy al dente, and the ragu sauce was rich and savoury without being too oily or heavy. I really liked how the flat pasta and the sourdough bread were able to carry the beef flavour so well. Price point was reasonable (and portion size ended up being quite large!). Would definitely recommend stopping by, and I'd love to come by to try some of their other pasta options.

Pretty good Italian restaurant with a bright atmosphere and home style pastas…read more Pappardelle with beef shin (15.50 GBP) - Well cooked pappardelle with plentiful beef. Although it was decent, it was very ordinary in flavor and I don't have much to add on this one. Fettucine with nduja (13.50 GBP) - This one was also decent, but didn't have much other flavor beyond the pasta, as there wasn't much nduja (or other stuff) in there. There was a generous amount of shaved parmesan on top though. If I were just going off the food, I might give 3 stars, but the nice atmosphere bumps it up a star. There is lots of natural light coming into the space, ample seating, and modern decor. The staff are friendly and the service speed is fast. Overall, I think Padella is a very good option for Italian food in Shoreditch, slightly away from the busiest part of town.

We had a great visit! The location is terrific and close enough to our hotel that it was a very…read morequick walk, and the staff are super friendly. Lovely restaurant inside too, with tons of seating available. We ordered the focaccia bread, which was absolutely delicious and a great way to start a meal. A generous portion, and the olive oil and balsamic for dipping are perfection. Then, we moved along to the table side carbonara in a cheese bowl and found heaven. You have to get it for 2, and the portions are more than plenty with some (optional) bacon on the top. The taste is just. so. good. It is a very heavy dish, so be forewarned that you will be very full. The making of the dish is also a production, so get ready to take some pictures. We highly recommend this place and sent pictures to our family and friends.

An excellent choice for after-work drinks and dinner with colleagues…read more The menu is very fancy, with loads of dishes to choose from. For starters, we went for a mix of many, and I can say that, though the calamari alla Romana, the scampi and the Bruschetta are good, carpaccio was the best, both tasty and melting in the mouth. All Mains were mouth-watering, pasta was al-dente, the pizza crust was thin and wood-oven cooked, and for once, I didn't go for a pizza-pasta-risotto (I got agnello alla cacciatora), and i was not disappointed at all ! A great night out, eager to go back !

Exemplary service, great meal, perfect ambiance! Menu had many good options and dessert was…read morefantastic. Lovely experience overall, highly recommend coming (especially for special occasions)!

We were in town to visit our daughter while she finished her first year at Northeastern University…read moreLondon. This was a special night for us as we celebrated with family and friends. The restaurant is a beautiful setting, intimate but spacious. Our service was some of the best we have ever had. We felt welcomed and appreciated. We thought it was clearly a professional waitstaff, but found out later the husband and wife owners were the ones making is feel so welcome! The food! The food! Amazing! Saving the best for last, we enjoyed every bite! Started with both versions of their bruschettini, excellent. Followed with a meat and cheese starter that was beautiful. The breads were amazing, favorite was the cherry tomato focaccia. Zuppa di peace was a table favorite as everyone dunked a piece of bread in for a taste! Pesto pasta was very clearly made from scratch and delicious! Tagliata di filetto di manzo, the beef was cooked perfectly, tender, and melted in your mouth! The entire night was wonderful!

I bought a portion of Tortelloni Spinach and Ricotta for take-away which were rally good, with a…read moretasty and fresh filling. Packaging is great as well. It is rather expensive though.

Wowsers. When I heard this place did good pasta they were not wrong. Upon seeing it listed, I…read moreimmediately ordered the Black Squid Ink ravioli from the menu. Have to admit my disappointment about the portion as I often have huge appetite but for the quality you get it will leave you craving for more. The pasta was perfectly cooked with a creaminess inside and firm texture that was all binded together with a simple tomato garlic based sauce. I nearly wanted to shed a tear the meal was over so quickly as I (tried) to savour the dish. A great authentic homemade type of meal in a great location that is quaint and light. I also took away some pasta to eat at home and cook. It has reminded me of my fondness and love of simple Italian food and actually made me want to cook more of it as I know it is so simple to do if like many things done right.

For nine quid we got a Margherita pizza with a beautifully charred crust, incredible (and…read moresalty/seasoned enough!) marinara sauce, fresh basil, and lovely stretchy mozzarella. Serves two if you aren't too ravenous. There's no real "system" to ordering. Just belly up to the counter and ask for what you want. They'll give you a paper stub with your number on it. Wait until the pizza comes out of the oven, which, incredibly, is in a little metal food truck trailer thing. Grab a seat nearby if you can find one, and munch your way to pizza heaven.

Phenomenal pizza at even better prices. I had the margherita (£8.50) and wasn't expecting much from…read morepizza from a truck, but I was craving it and wanted something that was a step up from Pizza Union. The woman working was very nice. I placed my order and she gave me an order slip with my number on it. It took maybe 10-15 minutes or so as there were some people before me, but soon enough I had my pizza in hand. It would have been nice to eat it there but I couldn't find a good open table at spitalfields so I took it back to the office. Heavens - it was so delicious. The crust was so chewy and warm and all of the elements were balanced perfectly. I ended up dipping some of the crust in olive oil and it was like the world's best bread. I recommended this place to some colleagues who also loved it. Will absolutely return.

Good food but service was lacking. Drink order was forgotten and we had to ask for it again. The…read moreservers did not seem to understand English very well as there seemed to be confusion throughout the meal. We loved the pumpkin soup! Rich and a bit chunky, it was great for a cold blustery day. Overall a nice restaurant and lovely decor. Pumpkin soup Linguine with hand picked crab, chilli, and amalfi lemon Chestnut pappardelle with Gressingham duck ragout and pistachio

We found L'Anima after deciding we fancied an Italian meal near our hotel and found it on Qype…read more The restaurant is on the ground floor with an open and brightly lit interior and a view of the kitchen; the staff were friendly and helpful. There were a couple of specials based on the fact that they had a white truffle, and they brought the truffle to the table in a jar. The starters (£9.50-18.00) were very good, but the mains (£12.50-33.50) were even better: a piece of tuna with some vegetables, and slow roasted black pig belly with a sauce. The puddings were excellent too: a 20 minute wait was well worth it for Malaga soufflé (£12.50) and the chocolate cake with saffron pear & mascarpone (£9.00) was lovely too. The nicest Italian restaurant I've ever had the pleasure to visit.