Top Best Italian Restaurants in The Rookery

"Not to be confused with the wallet-beating Italian restaurant, this particular River Cafe is an old school caff located right opposite Putney Bridge tube. It’s a stunner inside, with blue and white tiles, creaking plywood wall panels, and formica tables, largely unchanged since the 1960s. There are plenty of nods to the Italian owners too, with walls covered in Italian football flags and posters."

"I thought of who I would share it with, what I would wear, the endless photographs, and which song I would want played. If you think I’m talking about my wedding, you are sadly mistaken. I’m talking about the magical day where I could finally eat River Café’s signature Chocolate Nemesis dessert at home."

"Restaurants Italian Hammersmith. When to go: for lunch on a sunny day. No-one will mind if you just have a plate of pasta (the cheapest way to eat here) and you can go for a walk along the towpath afterwards."

"Trullo’s elegant dining room and simple, seasonal food, marks it out both as one London’s best Italian restaurants and one of the city’s finest neighbourhood restaurants. Dark wood, low lighting, white table cloths, and just-put-it-on-the-plate plating characterise it as decidedly anti-Instagram. Trullo’s spiritual parents are the two most important restaurants of a generation: the River Cafe and St. John, so dishes marry Italian traditions with British (and Italian) ingredients — fashioned into delicious antipasti, fresh pastas and secondi, dishes which often do a little time on the charcoal grill."

"Highbury Corner restaurant Trullo is a real gem, displaying with prominence the from-the-heart style of cooking that Italy is known for. In fact, you'll probably see the chef (glass of wine in hand) carefully dishing up plates of food at the open kitchen as you tuck into specialities including meat and fish from the charcoal grill and gutsy freshly-made pastas. Expect to pay around £10 for starters and £20 for mains."

"Sure, have beef shin pappardelle to break the fast — why not, go big. But for an easy start to the day that doesn’t require a table and cutlery, head to Trullo’s deli and shop, next door to the north London Italian restaurant. Snag one of the savoury pastries which are hearty enough for a breakfast and lunch combo."

"With a menu combining delicious Pizza and Pasta with a superb range of grill and speciality dishes there's something for everybody....."

"If you’re after a real crowd-pleasing meal, nothing beats pizza with the family. Pizza Pilgrims is one of the best options with restaurants across London, including a lovely spot just off Carnaby Street. Their authentic stone-baked pizza is some of the best in the city, and the Nutella pizza ring is as indulgent a pudding as you’re likely to find."

"Spawned from a three-wheeler food van, Pizza Pilgrims now has bricks-and-mortar sites across town – all dealing in Neapolitan-style sourdough pizzas with thick bases and on-trend toppings. Gelupo provide the ice creams, and there are gluggable wines by the carafe to match the retro vibe. Flagship site: 11 Dean Street, W1D 3RP"

"Authentic Pizzeria serving a range of Pizzas and Neapolitan delicacies including mortadella croquettes, mozzarella and Arancini stuffed with slowcooked ragu."

"Thankfully the connoisseurs themselves have an incredible vegan and vegetarian range that includes calzones and starters. With their popular dishes being re-imagined with vegan cheese and delicious toppings, you don't need to miss out on your favourite comfort food. Try their new Calzone Verdure, packed with veggie goodness like roasted peppers and aubergine, it'll soon become your favourite."

"As the country’s favourite pizza chain, Pizza Express has been serving up authentic thin crust pizzas since 1965. If you’ve been craving their legendary dough balls, a Sloppy Guiseppe pizza, or their al forno cannelloni, you’re in luck. Pizza Express is one of the Wembley Park Restaurants reopening for outdoor dining on 12 April."

"Restaurants Contemporary European Lambeth. The big attraction at this all-day diner next to the Park Plaza Waterloo is the full English with a huge fried ostrich egg (a seasonal treat that’s big enough for six people), but you can scale things down by ordering any number of different egg riffs for breakfast or lunch here. Otherwise, go for the kid-friendly flatbreads, salads, pasta, burgers and other crowd-pleasing platefuls."

"At the Florentine Restaurant in south London, customers can order a sizzling, shareable brekkie where an enormous ostrich egg takes pride of place. So enormous that it’s said to be the size of twenty-two regular chicken eggs!. On the side, you’ll get all the usual trimmings: portobello mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, streaky bacon, Cumberland sausages and baked beans."

"A charming family-run haunt in Fitzrovia, Conchiglia is dishing up some of the best Italian food in London. Settle into the cosy spot and enjoy a wide menu of cheese slices, creamy pasta, tasty antipasti and heady cocktails."

"On the outskirts of Aylesbury sits the very beautiful Hartwell House and Spa. Despite being leased to the National Trust, the grounds aren’t currently open to the general public and can only be viewed if you are a guest of the hotel. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you have to stay overnight – coffee in the Great Hall is the perfect excuse to visit."

"6 floors up from the madness of Leicester Square lies an oasis of calm in the form of the AWAY Spa at W London. The spa is all-white and minimalist, with smooth, sleep lines. A team of celebrity therapists are on hand to help you: from the signature facials by Su-Man and advanced aesthetics of Dr. Wong, expert tanning of James Harknett, to Ruthie Belle's stunning eyelashes and hair styling of Sergio Giannasso."

"This luxe Soho spa at the W Hotel on Leicester Square is the go-to place for glamour, perfectly placed for pampering ahead of a night on the town. Revitalise your body with one of their tailor-made treatments or revive your soul in their sauna and steam rooms. Book a ritual or package for a loved one, including specials for the ‘modern gentleman’ and ‘the entrepreneur’."

"This vibrant and superbly sexy London hotel and spa is an energising experience from the spa to the restaurant. Putting you in the mood to party and recover the next day, it’s a breath of fresh air in the heart of Soho."

"The British Museum, founded in 1753, was originally consisting almost entirely of the collections from Sir Hans Sloane, who was a physician and scientist. Today, the Museum has a permanent collection of more that eight million items, including works and documents from every corner of the world. It is a great opportunity for kids to know more about the history and cultures of the world through the many themed departments including: Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, Department of Greece and Rome, Department of the Middle East, Department of Asia, Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas, and many others."

"You could spend several lifetimes in the British Museum, Britain’s largest museum, without running out of artifacts to ponder. The collection is one of the largest in the world, arranged by location (Ancient Egypt, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Greece and Rome), and the list of big hitters includes the Rosetta Stone and other finds from Ancient Egypt, Asia and the Middle East. Come early on a weekday for a less crowded experience, pick one gallery and stick to it (or go for a guided “Highlights” tour), and plan to hit one of the day’s free 30-minute taster talks."

"As its name suggests, The National Gallery is a government-sponsored museum that ranks, after The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum, as the 4th most visited museum in the world. The National Gallery is particularly known for its encyclopedic art collection, with works from artists including da Vinci, van Gogh, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, Goya, Delacroix, Cézanne, Monet, and Renoir."

"Strawberry Hill is one of several stately homes and houses in the suburbs of west London. It’s close to the suburb of Twickenham, and part of a large estate including gardens. It’s one of many amazing places to visit near London that relatively few people seem to know about."

"Alternatives: There are many other things to see in the area (mostly in Chelsea), including the Chelsea Physic Garden (fee*), Leighton House Museum (fee), Design Museum, Portobello Road Market, Chelsea Football Club Stadium Tour & Museum (fee*), and the recently renovated National Army Museum. London Itinerary Day 6 – Greenwich or Free Day"

"Leading Victorian artist Frederic (Lord) Leighton lived and worked in this building on the edge of Holland Park, spending 30 years (and…"