London Hot Spot: Polpo

Looking for a hip and trendy place to grab some interesting food and a bottle of wine?  Check out Polpo, a neighborhood bacaro in the heart of London's Soho district.  Booking is advisable as crowds - even for lunch. Fun fact about the 18th century building: according to the restaurant's website, it once housed the famed painter Canaletto.


The food is a treat, with small plate dishes to satisfy any palate.  Try the arancini or the potato and parmesan crocchetta, and follow those with cured pork shoulder & peperonata panino. 

If you're in the mood for mains, the pork belly, radicchio and hazelnuts was quite good, as was the grilled sliced flank steak with flat mushrooms.  Plenty of fish and seafood options to choose from as well.

As their website describes, "the menu consists of cicheti and small plates and takes its inspiration from the osterie and dintorni of Venice. The wine list reflects the region too with almost all the wines on offer coming from northern Italy, some from tiny producers."

My vote:  worth a visit - and a repeat visit!

Polpo. A bacaro in Soho.

41 Beak Street
London W1F 9SB.
020 7734 4479