Padella is one of our favourite pasta restaurants in London. With two locations, cosy restaurants, and a great menu, you can’t go wrong with a good bowl of pasta. We take you through our experience at the restaurant, what we ordered, and the other food you can expect to be on the menu when you visit.
Table of Contents:
- Our Review
- Padella’s Menu
- What to Know About Padella
- Where is Padella?
- FAQs
- What to Do in Borough or Shoreditch
Our Review of Padella
A busy Friday night is when we visited Padella. Once we arrived we scanned the QR code on the door and joined the virtual queue (a very common thing for restaurants in this area) as you cannot make reservations. We then headed to a local pub around the corner in Borough Market for a glass of wine before our table was ready.
Once our table was ready we got a text to let us know and we headed back to the restaurant to be seated. The restaurant has two floors, and we were taken down into the cellar floor – where you can see the kitchen which adds a nice level of ambiance.
For mains all three of us went for the cacio e pepe which was really delicious. It was served on really thick pasta which worked perfectly for the sauce. We followed this up with tiramisu for dessert which was lovely and creamy and the perfect thing to end an Italian meal with.
I really enjoyed the food at Padella, and if you’re up for waiting a while I’d definitely recommend joining their virtual queue to get in. There’s so much to see around the area that you’ll be able to fill the time easily!
What’s on the Menu?
The menu at Padella does change relatively often – we believe possibly slightly each day – but here’s a few of the things you can expect to be able to choose from:
- Burrata
- Bruschetta
- Ravioli with sage butter
- Nduja, mascarpone, and lemon fettuccine
- Stracci with gorgonzola and sweet onions
- Pappardelle with 8 hours beef shin ragu
- Biscotti
- Rhubarb and almond tart
The Background of Padella
Padella is owned by Tim Sidadatan and Jordan Frieda, who also own Trullo in Islington. The restaurant is inspired by their trips to Italy, and their long-held dream to open a fresh pasta restaurant in London serving hand rolled pasta with delicious sauce. The restaurant first opened in 2016 and has been pleasing Londoners ever since.
For Borough, you can either join the queue for the restaurant by using the QR codes outside when you get there. Or you can use Dojo when you’re nearby to join the queue even before you get there.
Shoreditch does take some reservations, or you can join the virtual queue here too.
Where is the Restaurant & How to Get There
Padella has two locations – we visited the one in Borough Market, but you can also find them in Shoreditch.
Borough Market Location: 6 Southwark St, London, SE1 1TQ
The nearest tube station is London Bridge, which has an entrance just opposite the restaurant.
Shoreditch Location: 1 Phipp Street, London, EC2A 4PS
The nearest station is the overground Shoreditch High Street, or Liverpool Street Station or Old Street tube stations are also not too far away.
FAQs
You can’t book Padella in Borough Market – but you can join the virtual queue ahead of arriving on the Dojo app.
You can book a table at Padella Shoreditch online.
Padella does appear to let small dogs in – we’d recommend calling ahead to double check to avoid disappointment however.
Most of Padella’s dishes include cheese, so it’s not a very vegan-friendly restaurant. Although their Tripadvisor profile says some of the dishes can be adapted for vegans.
What to Do in the Local Area
Looking for something to do before or after your meal at Padella? Here are our top recommendations for both London neighbourhoods:
Borough
Borough is a historic area, with the famous Borough Market where you can explore lots of fresh produce to take home with you. You’ll also find lots of the London filming locations for Bridget Jones around this area (including the front door to her flat by The Globe pub).
For history lovers we recommend taking a stroll to Southwark Cathedral and taking in the grand architecture of this historic building.
You could also take a walk along London Bridge to take in the river views out to Tower Bridge and beyond.
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is a very creative area of London, so we recommend taking a walk around the local roads to see what street art you can take in. You’re also a short walk from Brick Lane which boasts lots of vintage clothes shops as well as one of our favourite stores in the city, The Brick Lane Bookshop.
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