You can't take your pup to the OG Padella, but this Shoreditch iteration of the Borough Market stalwart is decidedly dog-friendly. Come for a winning formula of delicious, belly-filling dishes served in a spacious, shiny-topped setting. The menu is short without being restrictive, offering the usual Italian suspects – olives, bruschetta and burrata to begin with, and mains including the restaurant’s popular, slimy-yet-satisfying cacio e pepe, a rainbow-flecked tagliarini with crab, chilli and lemon and a rich beef shin parpadelle

When the food’s this good and the prices are this restrained, you won’t mind waiting in line...to get on the waiting list. This no-reservations, edge-of-Borough-Market eatery is a favorite of the pasta-obsessed, and a place where a plateful of the pici cacio e pepe is a must and aperitivi are a steal, with inexpensive spritzes, Negroni, and Prosecco by the glass. It’s perfect for a comforting carb fix, and a great place for dinner and a catch-up.

Have a mosey round the stalls of bustling Borough Market while you wait in the virtual queue; once you’re in, try for a seat at the kitchen counter and you can watch the skilful chefs at work. This place is dedicated to pasta, which is hand-rolled in house; sauces and fillings are inspired by the owners’ trips to Italy, and prices are extremely pleasing to the pocket. Fast and friendly service completes the picture.

I found myself thinking of the food back in London: the rugged sausages and the deep-fried sage leaves with anchovy at Bocca di Lupo, the seafood fregola at Sartoria, the pasta dishes at Locanda Locatelli, Padella and Theo Randall. The same happened in Barcelona: lots of serviceable tapas; nothing as good as those at Barrafina, Sabor or José Pizarro. Unless I wanted to join the queue for Cal Pep.

Much like Billie Eilish’s career and the return of scrunchies, Padella’s popularity really shows no sign of slowing down. But it’s good reason that you’ll pretty much always find a long queue outside of this London Bridge spot. Their handmade pasta is top-notch, and conveniently the two best pastas here are the eight-hour beef shin ragu pappardelle and the very much meat-free cacio e pepe.

Initially conceived as the little sister of Islington’s acclaimed Trullo, Padella opened its doors in 2016, quickly establishing itself as a firm favourite amongst pasta aficionados and London's Italian community. Serving a short pasta menu of innovative dishes such as fettuccine with mascarponeand the spicy Calabrian sausage ‘ nduja, as well as comforting classics like gnocchiin nutmeg butter, this little London Bridge pasta restaurant helped to raise the bar for pastai(pasta chefs) across London. But before visiting Padella, there’s one thing to know: just like its fresh, hand-crafted pasta, the restaurant’s long, winding queue has become famous – or infamous – in its own right.

Below, we list our 25 favourites across north, east, south and west London – including pasta purveyors Padella for the silkiest cacio e pepe in town (£12 in Shoreditch and Borough Market); Roti King for bowls of daal served with buttery, flaky roti canai for dunking (£8.95, Euston); and Club Mexican for all-you-can-eat tacos (£20 on Tuesdays, Kingly Court, Spitalfields or Seven Dials). We've also included a price range for each of the spots we've tipped as the best restaurants in London, for more inspiration. Or take our London restaurant finder quiz to find out where you should eat the next time you're in the capital.

If you see a group of hungry looking people wrapped around the block in Borough Market, it’s highly likely that they’re waiting in line to nab a spot at Padella, the pasta-focused restaurant from the team behind Trullo. Opening in 2016, with a Shoreditch location following in 2020, their pici cacio e pepe quickly became a dish written into London legend, while the concise menu of predominantly pastas, alongside snacks and burrata, enticed diners to wait for lengthy times year-round, come rain or shine. The fact that seven years on the restaurant still attracts the same crowds is a testament to its influence.

If you want to eat at Borough Market but perching on a kerb balancing a Scotch egg on your knee isn’t your style, Padella offers a foodie haven – just don’t expect any calm from the hubbub outside. This casual, no-reservations pasta specialist from the team behind Highbury’s Trullo has near-permanent queues thanks to much-Instagrammed dishes like pici cacio e pepe (thick hand-rolled long pasta, butter and pepper – no adjective can capture its unassuming wonder) and pappardelle with eight-hour ragu. The small menu offers around six pasta dishes, plus excellent starters and desserts.

Whether you find yourself in the streets of Shoreditch or the vibrant neighbourhood of Borough, Padella has been a guaranteed crowd-pleaser since its debut in 2016. Created by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Freida, the now-cult eatery catalysed London’s fresh pasta revolution and is famous for its mouthwatering menu (and, pre-virtual queuing, long waiting lines). Plates include the much-loved pici cacio e pepe and pappardelle with eight-hour Dexter beef shin ragu, alongside seasonal specials of flavour-packed fettuccine with chicken liver and sage, and tagliarini with Dorset crab.

Ever since opening in 2016, Padella in Borough Market has had a seemingly never-ending stream of customers willing to wait hours for a table - and it’s not hard to understand why. As an offshoot of Islington institution, Trullo, Padella has links with one of London’s most consistently “excellent neighbourhood” Italian restaurants, wrote Grace Dent in the London Evening Standard when it opened. While head chef Tim Siadatan’s original is all “linen tablecloths, old-school chic and plenty of choice”, Padella’s is “a sparse white space serving a pared-down single-sheet menu”.

Frequently listed in Top Tens, this Borough Market gem brought to you by the same duo behind Islington’s much-lauded Trullo, offers a simple menu of eight seasonal pasta dishes. The pasta is all freshly made on site – passers-by can watch it being rolled out by hand in the window of the restaurant – and come with delicious sauces and fillings inspired by the owners’ trips to Italy. Bookings aren’t accepted and space is limited, but you can queue virtually by scanning their QR codes, or give their Shoreditch site a go, which will take a limited number of advance bookings.

It’s been eight years and you still can’t avoid queuing for Padella. Which is sort of unsurprising seeing as it comes to us from the folks behind Bib Gourmand-winner Trullo (another great pasta restaurant on this list). The original spot is a two-floor, art-deco-dressed space in Borough, where – alongside a small selection of classic cocktails (with a little creative twist) – you can tuck into the likes of Westcombe ricotta and sage ravioli; an extraordinary cacio e pepe; and tagliarini with Dorset crab; all for about a tenner.

Best for: A smart, sophisticated pasta bar with pocket-friendly pricesAddress: 6 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TQ. Speaking of queues, the ones at Padella are on the lengthier side, but we’d argue it’s more than worth the wait for the reasonably priced plates of pasta, exceptional wines, brilliant cocktails and lovely desserts served here. The interiors are satisfyingly swish too – picture an open kitchen wrapped with wood and metal bar stools, ceilings revealing exposed pipework and walls decorated with framed vintage prints.

We all think we can serve up a good game when it comes to pasta dishes, but restaurants such as Padella prove that no one does it quite like the masters. The restaurant has always remained consistently affordable, and the same goes for its pasta kits, which come in at £14 for two people. One of the pitfalls of Padella were the lengthy queues and the fast turnaround once you had finally made it inside, but Padella's delivery options just give you all the good stuff - great pasta and strong cocktails - without the hassle.

The Scoop: Little sister to Trullo, it wouldn’t be a pasta round-up without Padella now would it?. And their Cacio e Pepe (literally, ‘Cheese & Pepper’) is still an unbeatable example of the genre in our opinion. Although they’ve become infamous for their long queues and packed tables, there is actually a way around standing around in the cold waiting for a table: in the evenings the restaurant runs a waiting list system so you can pop by, leave your name, and then head off for a tipple somewhere nearby.

There’s no better place to indulge your pasta fix than at Padella, one of London’s hottest Italian eateries, and multi-winner of Observer Food Monthly’s ‘Best Cheap Eats’. Here, guests can feast on classics including the likes of tagliatelle with nduja, mascarpone and parsley; pappardelle with eight-hour Dexter beef shin ragu; and ravioli of Neal’s Yard goats curd with marjoram butter. Each dish is priced between £5 and £10, which means you can either be frugal or order twice as much as usual.

Padella, situated in the bustling Borough Market, is a wonderful pasta bar serving hand-rolled pasta with a range of homemade sauces and fillings that have been inspired by the owners’ trips to Italy. This is the perfect spot for lunch if you need a quick lunch but you don’t want to sacrifice the quality of your meal (it’s also incredible value). They offer a huge range of antipasti, pasta, puddings, and drinks, so there should be something for everyone.

Some might argue that Padella was the restaurant that put fresh pasta on the London map. With its iconic glass window acting as a lens into the goings on of the restaurant, there’s something rather exciting about simply strolling past in the hope of catching a glimpse of chefs making that day’s fresh offering. Now you have been warned, if you head there at peak times (evenings, lunchtimes or weekends), you will have to wait for a table.

Renowned across the capital for exceptionally good pasta, sold at exceptionally reasonable prices, Padella is the place to go if you want a five-star pasta dish for a tenner. The restaurant's walk-ins-only policy means that you should be prepared to wait for a table upon arrival, but trust us – this fresh pasta proves it is worth the wait the moment you get a taste of the pici cacio e pepe. Our advice is to order a few dishes to share.

There was only one downside to Padella – the queue that snaked out the door, down the street, and sometimes even around the corner into Borough Market. Thankfully (although there's still a wait) queues are a thing of the past and it's also easier to get a table at the newer Shoreditch restaurant. Everything else about the place is just perfect, from the design to the plates of beautiful fresh pasta, made every day by the team in-house.

Since opening in 2016, Padella has garnered fame and acclaim for serving up pretty perfect pasta at piccolo prices. Bowls of pasta here start at £9 and they’re among some of the best in the capital, made fresh on site everyday. The pici cacio e pepe comes in at £12, is made with little more that pasta, parmesan and pepper, and is one of the restaurant’s star dishes – but as you can expect, you'll have to queue to get anywhere near it.

I'm sure this place needs little introduction to most, but, just in case… Padella is the spot that sort of launched the concept of casual, affordable and authentic pasta (or at least, heavily popularised it) in London. The portions are super generous and the prices pretty unbelievable. The original Borough spot operates a virtual queue but in very welcome news, you can make reservations at the newer Shoreditch site.

Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda, the duo behind Trullo in Highbury, opened Padella in Borough Market in March 2016. Padella’s menu is made up of eight pasta dishes taken from Trullo’s ‘greatest hits’, using fresh pasta rolled in the window of the restaurant just before service. A small, no-bookings restaurant where queues are a given, Padella was born of a desire to make fresh handmade pasta accessible to everybody.

This popular restaurant attracts crowds throughout the day, thanks to its combination of delicious dishes and affordable prices. If you want to make your money go a little further while enjoying the latest London hotels special offers, then this is a fantastic choice. The bulk of the menu focuses on pasta dishes, which can be found in almost every variety (including some more obscure shapes and varieties).

Padella is infamous for its outrageously long queues, but it’s for a good reason. Besides their ridiculously cheap prices, their food comes highly praised. All of the pasta is hand-rolled and made fresh every day, prepared on somewhat of a stage; three large windows facing the street overlook the kitchen work station so passersby can watch the chefs form the pasta by hand all throughout the day.

Padella serves up hand rolled pasta dishes in Borough Market and Shoreditch. The casual spot has a small menu, but it definitely delivers – all the pastas, from pici cacio e pepe to ricotta raviola with butter & sage to THAT pappardelle with 8-hour Dexter beef shin ragu, are absolute dreams and a dinner here won’t break the bank either. All in all Padella is great value grub, made with love.

Known for their queues that have been winding all the way around the entrance of Borough Market since 2016, Padella is a London Bridge fixture. As the sister restaurant to Trullo, it’s had the celebrated pappardelle and crab tagliarini on the menu for years. The glossy fettucini with chicken livers and marsala is a standout rival to those star dishes, as is the zippy, cavolo-nero cavatelli.

With queues often out of the door at both their Shoreditch and Borough Market branches, we can see why Padella is so popular. This restaurant offers a curated, seasonal menu including their iconic pappardelle and cacio e pepe, and their small plates start at just £9 – yes, really!. P.S., they don't take bookings for their smaller, Borough Market location but do for their Shoreditch branch.

Known for its daily hand-rolled pasta, Padella quickly became a London favourite and the queues at their Borough Market site speak for themselves. With a menu inspired by the founders’ travels through Italy, dishes here are bold, rich, and incredibly satisfying. Expect a short but well-curated list of pasta classics like cacio e pepe, beef shin ragu, or nduja with ricotta.

So popular, there's nearly always a queue outside the OG restaurant which sits at the edge of Borough Market (since you can't reserve a table ahead of time). But who would mind waiting when the food’s this good and the prices are this reasonable?. Offering the most delicious pasta dishes (all of which are under £20) – you just can't go wrong with their Pici Cacio e Pepe.

Word on the street is this pasta bar is the best in town, with a range of speciality dishes, including gnocchi from just £4. The focus is quality not quantity, so if you’re feeling particularly peckish, make sure you fill your boots (or bowls). Padella is also known for its long queues, so it’s best to have a Plan B in place just in case you don’t have enough time.

Probably London’s best-known non-booking restaurant, Padella has big queues because it’s very good, and very good value. At around £6.50 a plate, you can have a great meal on the cheap. Nowadays they’ve got a mobile queuing system which means you can put your name down and wait around somewhere else before getting your hands on their famous cacio e pepe.

🍽️ Italian | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps (Borough / London Bridge) | 📧 [email protected]. If you’re looking for a cheap eat without compromising on quality, Padella is here to satisfy your fresh pasta cravings. This simple yet popular pasta shop offers freshly made pasta that is hand-rolled and served with a variety of tasteful sauces.

Padella, next to Borough Market is one of the most popular restaurants in London but it absolutely deserves the accolades. They serve up delish yet simple pasta dishes at affordable prices. Trust me, I’m picky about my Italian food after having lived in Florence, and as far as Padella goes, it’s one of the best cheap eats in London.

📍 6 Southwark St, SE1 1TQ 💷 Average price per person: £10–£18. If fresh handmade pasta for under £10 sounds too good to be true, Padella is here to prove you wrong. Their menu changes seasonally, but favorites like pici cacio e pepe or tagliarini with nduja have become modern classics in London’s budget food scene.

Recommended by Jun Tanaka, from The Ninth: "I love Shuk, especially during the warmer months when you can sit outside and enjoy the vibe of the market. You have to order their pitas. Everything's delicious but if I had to choose a favourite it would be the spiced lamb meatballs with harissa, yoghurt, and herbs.

Homemade pasta, ravioli with herbs and goat cheese, slow cooked meat and affordable prices is what sets this place apart from the rest of London. And the fact that it’s located Borough Market, where you will end up one way or the other. When you do, don’t miss out on delicious homemade food at Padella!

Padella and its sequel Padella Shoreditch serve arguably the best pasta in London, and somehow also the cheapest. Their tagliarini with dried chili, garlic & pangrattato is a mere £9.50, with a number of other favourites (like the pici cacio & pepe, pictured above) not far over the £10 mark.

A fresh pasta bar from the founders of Trullo, Padella serves a small but finely curated menu of classics such as the 8-hour beef shin ragu, which changes regularly. The short but perfectly curated drinks list includes just four Italian wines and an affordable selection of aperitifs.

Eaters go wild for its succulent and savory pasta dishes—there’s always a line curling out the front door into this one-room fishbowl alongside Borough Market. Once you’re in, you mount a stool at a counter (facing the cooks is best, but it’ll be too busy for you to be choosy) and…

This cult favourite pasta bar has two branches near Borough Market and Shoreditch. Hungry teens will love watching the hunky chefs pulling long strains of spaghetti for all customers to see. There is room for fussy eaters and vegetarians with dishes ranging from £6-£12.50.

Padella is a pasta bar located in Borough Market that’s known for its affordable, yet high-quality dishes. Their menu is small, but every dish is executed to perfection. The Pici Cacio e Pepe and the Tagliarini with Dorset Crab are two dishes that are always popular.

We were big fans of Padella, a cute pasta restaurant in Borough Market that was delivering the goods… like so much so that we would give it the Grackle stamp of approval to people in conversation. It was our favourite, the one, the best… or so we thought!

Look through the window of Padella from the street, and you will see one of their chefs hand-rolling pasta. It is the perfect spectacle for those walking searching for a place to eat. And if you weren’t hungry yet, we guarantee you will be.

The first ever restaurant to pride themselves soley on a pasta menu in London. At the time, some would say that could have been risky and could have gone either way. But of course, the boys behind Trullo are laughing now.

Talking of public pasta-making, Padella at Borough Market, have turned it into an art. Literally, check out their Instagram feed!. But they’re right to boast about it because it’s amongst the best this side of the Alps.

The chefs at Padella, Southwark, make their pasta fresh every morning, so it's no wonder people queue up out of the door every day to eat here. The food is more than reasonable, with main courses starting at just £5.

Padella: Situated in Borough Market, Padella is known for its delicious handmade pasta dishes served at reasonable prices. It’s a popular choice among locals and visitors alike.