Blackfriars, Italian Restaurant Guide

2022 Review: A “family-run trattoria” three minutes’ walk from St Paul’s that rates highly for its “varied Italian menu” – and it’s notably well priced for the City, too.

2022 Review: This 55-year-old City trattoria is a popular, lunchtime rendezvous spot on account of its “huge” helpings of classic dishes; its terrace by Bow churchyard for al fresco eating; and its good regional list of Italian wines.

“Up-market Italian” pair, whose City branch has a “pretty good location near St Paul’s” and is “a reliable business lunch staple”, while the Chelsea branch next door to the Saatchi Gallery boasts “arguably one of the best outside patios in London”. “Prices are high, however, while the food is fine but nothing to write home about” (“I tend to use Manicomio City for entertaining lunches where we have a compliance-monitored expenditure limit, so trips to top-end eateries are, sadly, out – this fills the gap nicely”). BREAKING NEWS: In July 2025, the group launched a big and impressive-looking, new all-day City restaurant – Campanelle – in the former London Shipping Exchange at 19-21 Billiter Street, London EC3.

“Properly Italian food, properly cooked” is on the menu at this “super-authentic Puglian-style” restaurant “near the Almeida theatre” in Islington (“always a favourite place to go before a play”). “The food is rustic and always delicious” – “lovely pasta and rich, fresh, full-of-flavour sauces, in generous portions”, plus “spectacular pizzas”. There’s a “super atmosphere”, although it gets “very noisy at busy times”, and they have a second branch near St Paul’s in the City. Top Menu Tips – “they cater brilliantly for coeliacs, baking their own gluten-free bread on site and it’s fantastic”; “very good Salento Panzerotti di patate, finger croquettes with the lightest of crust rather than a mini-calzone”.

On the ground floor of what was once the Daily Telegraph’s Fleet Street HQ, a sister concept to Emerald Hospitality Group’s Como Garden. This late 2025 opening will house a salumeria (Italian deli), restaurant, bar, and 60-seat terrace. For more details see ‘Dining on the Clouds’.

“An excellent group serving good food and wine with a smile” – this trio of Italians in the Square Mile offer an impressive selection of red wines in particular from the peninsula, backed up by a sensible menu with a focus on meat from the grill. Prices are “premium” but quality is sound. The Devonshire Square outlet benefits from an attractive outdoor terrace for al fresco dining.