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Bancone Covent Garden

London, Covent Garden - Italian - Restaurant - £

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

Hand-crafted pasta is king at this sleek Covent Garden venue, and passers-by can watch as the virtuoso chefs fashion all manner of sheets, ribbons and parcels in the front window of the restaurant. Bancone means ‘bar’ or ‘counter’ and the best perches are at the expanse of shiny marble that runs the full length of the long, narrow space (although readers warn that it can get hot). Alternatively, diners can book a place at one the smart booths in the atmospheric dining area (think exposed ducts, Edison light bulbs, grey leather banquettes). The restaurant’s serially Instagrammed showstopper is the poetically named ‘silk handkerchiefs’ – soft, glistening rectangles of fazzoletti dressed with walnut butter, sprinkled with nuggets of crunchy walnut and topped with a golden confit egg yolk. Other artisan pasta hits might range from mafalde with spicy pork and ‘nduja ragù to tagliatelle with Cornish cod or rigatoni with salt-baked ...

Hand-crafted pasta is king at this sleek Covent Garden venue, and passers-by can watch as the virtuoso chefs fashion all manner of sheets, ribbons and parcels in the front window of the restaurant. Bancone means ‘bar’ or ‘counter’ and the best perches are at the expanse of shiny marble that runs the full length of the long, narrow space (although readers warn that it can get hot). Alternatively, diners can book a place at one the smart booths in the atmospheric dining area (think exposed ducts, Edison light bulbs, grey leather banquettes). The restaurant’s serially Instagrammed showstopper is the poetically named ‘silk handkerchiefs’ – soft, glistening rectangles of fazzoletti dressed with walnut butter, sprinkled with nuggets of crunchy walnut and topped with a golden confit egg yolk. Other artisan pasta hits might range from mafalde with spicy pork and ‘nduja ragù to tagliatelle with Cornish cod or rigatoni with salt-baked celeriac, almond and lemon. Bold regional flavours also come to the fore in antipasti such as fried polenta chips with Gorgonzola or a kale salad involving soft egg and bottarga (cured mullet roe), while desserts bring limoncello semifreddo or praline cannoli with crystallised hazelnuts. Prosecco and reasonably priced Italian wines (from £27) are supplemented by a ‘cellar’ list of more prestigious bottles.

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VENUE DETAILS

39 William IV Street
Covent Garden
WC2N 4DDGB

020 7240 8786

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Wheelchair access, Family friendly

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