There are so many incredible Italian restaurants in Islington that picking where to go eat lunch or dinner can be extremely difficult. Since our team is a huge fan of Italian cuisine, we decided to gather our favourite Italian restaurants located in Islington and share them with you in this list!
We present to thee a quintet of the finest Italian dining establishments in the esteemed district of Islington that thou must needs venture forth and partake of forthwith.
Saponara
First on our list is Saponara – a family-run Italian restaurant that first opened doors in 1989 – and has been offering delicious pizza ever since. Yes, the main focus of their menu is pizza. Of course, they have a few pasta dishes – all of which are made with their own pasta dough, as well as a few traditional starters.
We always start off with Prosciutto and melon. We know that it’s not for everyone, however, if you love the combination of sweet and savoury you will love it! We also really enjoy the Carpaccio.
Then we always move on to their pizzas. We love every single one that Saponara offers and in our opinion, these are some of the best pizzas in Islington which is why we highly recommend you visit this restaurant.
Address: 23 Prebend St, London N1 8PF
Cafe La Divina
Next on our list is Cafe La Divina – a casual yet super stylish restaurant with brick walls, wooden furniture, wooden floors, film posters covering the walls, and a beautiful record player as decor! This place is super cosy and welcoming. It first opened in 2009 and have never stopped growing and improving both the interior as well as the menu!
They have incredible starters including Mussels (cooked in garlic, chilli, parsley), Bruschetta, Deep-fried squids (served with a salad and tartar sauce), Oven-baked aubergines (with melted mozzarella, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese), etc. We also highly recommend you order a Meat Platter especially the “La Divina” one – with Parma ham, chorizo and Milano salami, olives, hot bread, rocket, parmesan, bread!
When it comes to their main dishes, they have it all – pizza, pasta, risotto, salads, and a lot of other traditional meat and seafood main dishes. We love their pizza as well as the pasta – our favourite is the Arrabiata (penne, fresh chillies, chilli flakes, basil, tomato sauce).
La Divina also has a separate Dessert Menu with traditional options like Homemade Panna Cotta and Homemade Tiramisu!
Address: 134 Upper St, London N1 1QP
Radici
The next restaurant on our list we highly recommend you visit is Radici. It has a modern yet rustic interior, there is a bad and an outside terrace perfect for summer nights. Of course, the menu consists of traditional Italian dishes and the service is always excellent!
We highly recommend you book a table before you go because Radici can get packed especially during the weekends!
We always start off with deep-fried calamari (served with chilli jam) and the spicy meatballs (with ‘nduja and grana Padano).
Then we either move on to their incredible pizzas or to Spaghetti with spicy king prawns (tomato and herbs), Truffle Tagliolini, or Charcoal beef with rocket salad. These are our favourite dishes on the menu!
And for dessert, we highly recommend you get the Panna Cotta with chilli and chocolate sauce – it’s such an interesting combination!
Address: 30 Almeida St, London N1 1AD
Terra Rossa
Terra Rossa is a relaxed neighbourhood restaurant that is super casual and welcoming but at the same time the interior is quite stylish! It’s such a lovely place perfect for lunch or dinner with friends over some wine or a cocktail!
When it comes to the menu, you will both see traditional dishes as well as dishes with a modern twist such as the Burrata and Zucca starter (mozzarella with pumpkin puree, amaretto biscuit and toasted almonds)!
We love their pasta dishes – especially the Orecchiette di Grano Arso (pasta, yellow tomato sauce, olives, broccoli puree), the Penne Alla Corsara (seafood pasta with shrimps, clams, king prawns in a tomato sauce)!
Terra Rossa also offers incredible pizzas!
Address: 139 Upper St, London N1 1QP
Trullo
Trullo is one of our favourite Italian restaurants in Islington. They offer incredible food that is always fresh and flavorful, the atmosphere of the restaurant is always welcoming, the interior is stylish yet casual. It feels like you are dining at a friends’ home and we are certain you will fall in love with Trullo!
The restaurant opened in 2010 and has been delivering incredible Italian food ever since. Keep in mind that they do not serve pizza and the menu is quite small because they are focused on delivering quality over quantity!
We highly recommend you start off with Burrata with Italian black figs and basil or with Wild seabass carpaccio!
Then move on to the main dishes – our favourites are the Pappardelle with duck ragu, the Ravioli with squash and sage butter as well as the Pork Chop.
Address: 300-302, St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2LH