Pasta e Pizza at Eataly

Pasta e Pizza is one of four restaurants at glossy Eataly, which combines the produce of a market with the luxurious atmosphere of a department store. Eataly is a temple to Italian food, with racks of wine towering above diners and fresh pasta spilling from every nook and cranny - you’d be hard pressed not to be drawn into its clear passion for Italian cuisine.

On our visit to Paste e Pizza, we were greeted by a cadre of helpful staff, who were willing to guide us through the menu's offering. First, we opted for cocktails, with the zesty orange of Aperol Spritz drawing the line between the fruity and the glamour of Prosecco. Contrastingly, the Penicillina is a punchy, vivacious mix of Monkey Shoulder, Laproaig ten year old Scotch whiskies and ginger that impresses with its bitter tang.

From the food menu, starters are unapologetically Italian; ‘Frisella and Bufalla’ is a bruschetta made with crunchy Frisella bread and topped with an indulgent fresh ball of buffalo mozzarella - an irresistibly charming start.

Pizza and pasta, the cornerstones of Italian dining, are the obvious things to order come mains. The Tajarin Al Tartufo is a pasta lavishly garnished with a bundle of earthy grated black truffles and Italian sourced Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s a creamy sumptuous treat which is a perfect example of simple food done well. 

For dessert, cannoli and tiramisu offered a rich finale. The cannoli was a flakey, chocolate-topped delight, filled with a sweet smooth filling that pleased, while the tiramisu offered layered excellence of coffee and lush cream.

The atmosphere of the restaurant has a charming liveliness and high spirit to it. However, Pasta e Pizza falls short with it’s confused identity; we found at times the vibe was akin to a high street chain, contradicting the emphasis on authenticity that Eataly espouses. We also found the menu confusing to navigate for plant-based diners, with vegetarian options labelled inconsistently.

Despite these flaws, Pasta e Pizza - through its focus on freshness and simplicity - makes for a good option for casual dining, whether for post-work dinners or something a little more romantic.

Situated in the department store Eataly, Pasta e Pizza places an emphasis on using authentic ingredients to give diners a taste of traditional Italian cuisine. With a cosy and warm dining room, Pasta e Pizza is certain to evoke a sense of homeliness as food is cooked in open kitchens before customers eyes.

The menu at Pasta e Pizza brings together classic Italian dishes; starters include ‘Insalata Di Polpo e Patate’, octopus in a garlic salad along with taggiasca olives or ‘prosciutto e melone’, a 20 month aged parma harma with watermelon. Alternatively, Pasta e Pizza offer a range of ‘fried’ dishes as starters including ‘pizza fritta’, fried pizza dough with tomato coulis or ‘polpette di menlanzane’, deep fried aubergine in breadcrumbs. At Pasta e Pizza there is a wide variety of options for starters that are certain to please.

The main meals of Pasta e Pizza are eponymous. Offering diners both lavish fresh pastas such as Tajarin Al Tartufo topped with fresh black truffles as well as dry pasta from Naples like the signature ‘Spaghetti Eataly’ which is bathed in extra virgin olive oil and sicilian salt to give customers a true taste of Napolese cuisine. In terms of pizza, Pasta e Pizza uses 50 hour leavened dough that is cooked freshly in ovens in front of diners, with classics like Margherita Eataly and Marinara as well as more experimental toppings like artichokes on the Capricciosa pizza.

The drinks menu at Pasta e Pizza offers diners, a range of cocktails like the creamy ‘Ori Di Napoli’ which uses Black Cow Vodka and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, to give customers an interesting take on the espresso martini.

Pasta e Pizza offers diners a taste of authentic Italian cuisine, with a variety of both classics like spaghetti and Margherita pizzas as well as more luxurious options. At Pasta e Pizza, there is certainly a dish for everyone’s taste.