The best Italian restaurants in Covent Garden

Located in Covent Garden, the playfully named Bunga Bunga is a pizzeria that caters to families on the upper level and offers an immersive dining experience downstairs. The latter includes sharing feasts featuring metre-long pizzas, signature Italian cocktails, and house specials, all while enjoying a variety show with a range of cabaret performers, dough-tossing chefs, singalongs, and more. The excitement reaches new heights during Saturday brunch, where hunky male dancers provide entertainment that would make Berlusconi proud.

Cafe Murano in Covent Garden, a spin-off of chef Angela Hartnett's Michelin-starred flagship restaurant in Mayfair, serves up genuine Northern Italian cuisine, featuring dishes like risotto primavera, gnocchi cacio e pepe, and arancini. The restaurant also offers set lunch and pre-theatre menus, as well as a Sunday brunch. The highlight of the venue is its long bar with a sleek marble countertop, encircled by cosy leather banquettes.

Ave Mario is one of the largest Big Mamma Group locations, featuring three rooms and two terraces with a Florence theme, all stunningly furnished with the group's trademark OTT decor. The menu changes monthly and includes classic Italian dishes like pizza and pasta, as well as new creations by the head chef. Italian wines are available on an extensive wine list, and the signature Gelato Tower is an epic dessert to round your meal off with.

La Ballerina is an Italian restaurant located next to the Royal Opera House, offering elegant cuisine in a classic and opulent setting inspired by opera and ballet. In addition to the main menu featuring traditional Italian dishes such as risotto, pizza, and pasta, there are also lunch and Sunday lunch options and pre-theatre deals. The decor includes decorative wall art, pink and white tablecloths, and a sophisticated atmosphere.

La Goccia prepares its dishes with ingredients sourced from independent producers, including the family farm. Guests can enjoy contemporary Italian delicacies like white truffle pasta, beef tartare with horseradish, and roasted monkfish with capers and lemon. The restaurant features a distinctive bar crafted from individually cast bronze leaves, and offers private dining and special events like flower arranging or pasta-making sessions.

Sartori is a contemporary dining room with exposed brick walls that specializes in Southern Italian cuisine, prepared by skilled Neapolitan chefs. Its authenticity has earned the approval of numerous Italian regulars. The menu features a diverse selection of pasta dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and other traditional delicacies, accompanied by an extensive collection of Italian wines and cocktails. The restaurant's signature metre-long pizzas are sure to be a hit with groups as well.

Opera Tavern, situated in Covent Garden, offers a joining of Spanish and Italian cuisine in a chic setting decorated with art prints. The menu features a mix of popular dishes from both countries such as chorizo, burrata, and patatas bravas, as well as courgette flowers. Guests can enjoy a wide selection of wines and seasonal drinks in the inviting atmosphere of this tapas bar and restaurant.

Margot is a stylish restaurant that offers classic dishes from various regions of Italy. The restaurant has an elegant ambiance with leather booths, dark-hued furnishings, and dim lighting that is perfect for an intimate dinner or pre-theatre meal. They offer a two- or three-course set menu for lunch and pre-theatre dining, as well as an à la carte menu that includes a range of antipasti, pasta dishes, and traditional favourites such as veal Milanese. Margot also has a selection of signature cocktails and an award-winning wine list with over 300 wines from around the world.

The Garden Rooftop is a rooftop bar and restaurant located in the Assembly Hotel in London's West End, providing a great place to soak up the sun's precious rays. The venue boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, live plants, and stunning views of landmarks such as the London Eye and The Shard. The menu features fresh Italian cuisine, including pasta, seafood, risotto, and homemade tiramisu. The Garden Rooftop also hosts brunch sittings, live entertainment, and events like Wine Wednesdays.

VyTA is a restaurant and cocktail bar that takes inspiration from the Roman countryside and nature's raw materials to create a contemporary menu. It opens early for pre-theatre drinks and features a design inspired by Italian architecture from the 1960s, incorporating bold colours, velvet furnishings, and geometric patterns. The lounge bar serves unique cocktails and Santa Margherita wines, while outdoor dining areas, including a private terrazza overlooking Covent Garden, are also available.

At The Petersham guests can enjoy a luxurious dining experience surrounded by plants. You can indulge in organic Italian cuisine, with some of the lighter options including asparagus risotto and cod with mussels. The restaurant prides itself on using high-quality, ethically sourced ingredients in the dishes. In addition to the à la carte options, you can also partake in afternoon tea with treats such as tiramisu tart or mushroom and parmesan sandwiches.

Pasta Brown offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, as well as affordable and delicious food. The menu features classic Italian dishes such as bruschetta, fresh salads, pasta with a variety of sauces, and thin, crispy pizza. Gluten-free and wholewheat pasta options are also available. Families with children are welcome, and there is a selection of Italian wines to choose from.

There might not be much overlap between Peruvian and Italian cuisine at first glance, but that doesn't stop Covent Garden's Monmouth Kitchen from offering a side-by-side menu of contemporary dishes from both cultures. The chic and modern Covent Garden establishment boasts sophisticated black marble tables and furnishings. The restaurant also offers a lounge bar and a terrace area for guests to enjoy.

The San Carlo Cicchetti restaurants are influenced by the classic Venetian bars that serve small plates and snacks together with drinks. Their menus are filled with seasonal Italian bites that are perfect for sharing. The elegant interior design uses light colours and grey marble to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. In addition to beer and aperitivos, the drink menu boasts an extensive selection of Italian wines, including high-end options.

Notto Pasta Bar showcases famed Michelin-starred chef Phil Howard's lifelong love of pasta in a simple, minimalistic setting. The menu likewise goes for simplicity and natural flavours, offering a concise yet satisfying assortment of freshly made pasta with seasonal sauces, such as ravioli of pumpkin and chestnuts with pine nuts, brown butter, sage and parmesan. There are cocktails and wine to go along as well.

Luci in Long Acre has a real buzz about it. This glam Italian restaurant is upmarket and offers casual dining as well as more refined meals. On the restaurant's ground floor you can grab takeaway options like sandwiches, fresh bread, and desserts whilst upstairs you can try pizza, pasta, and other specialities. The restaurant space is grand and contemporary.

Named as one of the best pizza places in the world, you can't miss Rossopomodoro when you're in Covent Garden. This place brings authentic Neapolitan flavours to the city, serving seasonal pizza recipes as well as fresh pasta. A bottomless pizza brunch is on too. The open kitchen helps to give this venue a lively and bustling feel.

Prima Sapori d'Italia occupies a prime location in the middle of Covent Garden. Soak up the area's lively atmosphere here whilst you savour classic Italian cuisine; indoor and outdoor seats are available. The menu features a tempting selection of antipasti, pizza, and fresh pasta dishes, paired with Italian wines and classic cocktails.