10 Best Pasta Dishes in London

I have selected 10 truly outstanding pasta dishes that have been eaten in London over the last 18 months. They are rated outstanding or great because in my opinion they are not only beautifully executed by very talented and skilled chefs but they have been prepared with world class ingredients. To this end they are in most cases as good or more often better than the equivalent dish sampled anywhere else in the world.

What is really encouraging is that many restaurants are now using top quality dry pasta like Pastificio dei Campi (in the case of Tinello and Locanda Locatelli where I have had outstanding pasta dishes many times but not in the last 18 months). It's a pity that so many other Italian and non Italian restaurants can't be bothered to source quality durum wheat , bronze dye (sauce gripping) pasta from Gragnano or Abruzzo and continue to use industrial commodity variants that are often inferior to the supermarket own brand dried pasta. Will the addition of a few pence to their cost per portion be punitive ?

Also the quality of the homemade pasta at Alloro , L'Anima (Pappardelle) and Zafferano (Pappardelle) Galvin Bistro De Luxe (Lasagne) was really exceptional.

I have also been privileged to watch some of these chefs cook the dishes and the memory of Francesco Mazzei creating "emulsione con emozione" whilst preparing Linguine alle Vongole will forever remain in my mind.

Those of you who are particularly observant will have noticed that Paul Merrony's Penne Putanesca would, to most Italians be a total anathema . Firstly the ideal shape for this type of sauce is Spaghetti and the addition of Parmigiano-Reggiano or any cheese should be avoided. Paul is his own man and I have to admit that this actually dish works and despite the imperfect pasta shape and addition of Parmigiano-Reggiano perhaps because it's combination with anchovy creates nothing short of an umami weapon of mass destruction.

If you live in London or are passing through I strongly recommend all the restaurants mentioned not only for the specific dishes but for a fabulous dinning experience.



Spaghetti with Meatballs by Paul Merrony at Giaconda Dinning Room


Pappardelle al sugo di lepre by Francesco Mazzei at L'Anima


Penne Putanesca by Paul Merrony at Giaconda Dinning Room


Spaghetti a la Carbonara made by my Roman Great Aunt


Lasagne of Dorset crab, beurre Nantais by Chris Galvin at Galvin Bistro de Luxe



Linguini alle Vongole by Francesco Mazzei at L'Anima


Pappardelle allo zafferano con guanciale di maiale by Andy Needham at Zafferano


Spaghetti alla Bottarga at Sardo


Pacheri di Gragnano “Nduja” e burrata by Frederico Sali at Tinello


Tagliolini ai funghi porcini by Daniele Camera at Alloro

Premium Products That More Than Deliver

I have always thought that the quality of ingredients or products represents at least 60% of what it takes to execute a perfect dish. This ratio , in my opinion should apply equally to amateur cook and professional chef.

Over the last 18 months I have had the pleasure of meeting and sampling an amazing new dried pasta from Gragnano , a really phenomenal Irish Smoked Salmon as well as tea that is so good that I actually started drinking the beverage again at least once a day.

In all three cases I actually met the passionate people behind these products before tasting them and, saw them in full flow both educating their audience as well as going into detail about their respective products, points of difference.

Giuseppe di Martino is co owner of the established Gragnano pasta maker Di Martino as well as being President of the Gragnano Pasta Makers Association . Giuseppe and his sister created Pastificio dei Campi using the finest durum wheats and dried pasta making process.

The pasta is finished by hand and gently passed through bronze dies before being slow dried at low temperatures creating exquisite pasta. Every box of pasta can be traced back to what day that batch of wheat was sown, what field it was grown in and when it was harvested - directly linking the sourcing of the best limited supply grain back to the farmers. Gambero Rosso Magazine recently featured this amazing pasta under the title "Pasta Grand Cru"

Guiseppe explained to me over several meals involving this amazing product that his pasta when cooked al dente expands it's protein (Gluten)to circa 15-17% which explains why it seems so easy to digest and feels so light on the stomach. Inferior industrial dried pastas can expand to over 50%. It is not really a surprise that so many top Italian Chef's both in Italy and beyond are using this pasta in dishes that require the use of a top quality dried pasta.

Frank Hederman is in my view producing the finest smoked salmon in the world at his Belvelly Smoke House near Cork . I met Frank at of all places a male only steak fest orgainsed by Simon Majumdar where in my opinion the Irish stole the show with bothe the Salmon and Beef. In what was one of the best presentations on food that I have seen Frank made it clear it was not only the smoking and curing but the quality and selection of the salmon that makes the difference. He illustrated this by showing us the industrial dyes used by most salmon farms as well as sharing a few alarming facts about how many fish per cubic metre, some of the fish are farmed in.

Henrietta Lovell is a remarkable woman who has not only created a great company and premium tea business but is (re) educating this nation of tea drinkers into both making and drinking proper tea, both through personal appearences and through these charming videos. What is tea ? and How to make a cup of tea are a must watch.
On the rare days I don't have at least one cup of Lost Malawi Tea I feel a sort of emptiness and lingering listlessnes.

The products are all beautifully packaged and Giuseppe , Frank and Henrietta are passionate and knowlegeable gastronomes in their own right but, as always what really counts in the end is does the product deliver on the promise and, justify the premium. Well for me they certainly do !

In the UK Pastificio dei Campi can be purchased via the excellent FoodintheCity

Frank Hederman Smoked Salmon can be tasted at Goodmans and purchased from Wright Brothers

Rare Tea Company sells online and here

Melanzana , The boys are back

Lucio and Jimmy are back on the square with a new partner Paolo.

They had previously been across the road now a Dry Cleaners with a small deli cafe but now have created a Deli , Cafe and Tratoria that serves simple mainly southern Italian cuccina casalinga .

Even though Melanzana opened yesterday I was able to enjoy an excellent plate of pasta a la Norma (Rigatoni with aubergine , tomato and garlic sauce with Sicilian Ricotta).

The daily changing menu is available to eat in or take away.

The deli counter has a wide range of salumi , hams and cheeses and there is excellent bread and small selection of vegetables.

It's also great to be able to get a decent espresso as the other places on Battersea Square have coffee which frankly is as bad as their food.

Melanzana is a much needed addition to the Battersea Square area that is open for breakfast through to dinner .