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Forza Wine at the National Theatre

London, South Bank - 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

After years of pop-ups, this Italian-inspired restaurant group is firmly established south of the river with permanent spots in Peckham (Forza Wine) and Camberwell (Forza Win). Now a third venue – its most ambitious project to date – is to be found on the second floor of The National Theatre. The concrete, wood and glass 160-seater is the place to pop in for drinks – Forza’s special cherry Negroni leads the cocktail charge and there’s an interesting list of approachable, modern European wines including plenty by the glass. From the kitchen comes a compact, seasonally aware list of Italian-style small plates to share. To begin, we enjoyed a generous serving of cauliflower fritti with aïoli, as well as a satisfying plate of potato, pancetta and porcini mushrooms. As dishes arrive when they are ready, we happily discovered that roasted Delica pumpkin set atop a pool of creamy pearl barley and sage worked really well with pink, well-flavoured slices of la...

After years of pop-ups, this Italian-inspired restaurant group is firmly established south of the river with permanent spots in Peckham (Forza Wine) and Camberwell (Forza Win). Now a third venue – its most ambitious project to date – is to be found on the second floor of The National Theatre. The concrete, wood and glass 160-seater is the place to pop in for drinks – Forza’s special cherry Negroni leads the cocktail charge and there’s an interesting list of approachable, modern European wines including plenty by the glass. From the kitchen comes a compact, seasonally aware list of Italian-style small plates to share. To begin, we enjoyed a generous serving of cauliflower fritti with aïoli, as well as a satisfying plate of potato, pancetta and porcini mushrooms. As dishes arrive when they are ready, we happily discovered that roasted Delica pumpkin set atop a pool of creamy pearl barley and sage worked really well with pink, well-flavoured slices of lamb shoulder, celeriac and salsa verde. Each of these items was simply executed and tasted deliciously of its excellent well-sourced ingredients, although not everything we sampled passed muster. However, there was nothing awry about our milk soft serve with roasted apple and a topping of candied walnut; the famed ‘Custardo’ – an affogato made with custard – is not to be missed, either. While on-the-ball staff check if you are dining pre-theatre, such is Forza’s following that few people depart when the final call sounds for the Lyttelton Theatre one floor down – the atmosphere remains lively. It's also worth checking out the pleasant, partially covered terrace looking onto the river and Waterloo Bridge.

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G Weller

22 January 2025

Great location for a get-together of former work colleagues coming from different out-of-town locations - the river view puts the icing on the cake. The small plates are a winner- we all ordered our favourites and shared...
Great location for a get-together of former work colleagues coming from different out-of-town locations - the river view puts the icing on the cake. The small plates are a winner- we all ordered our favourites and shared. Two each was enough for us, but we are all in our seventies. Stand-out dishes were butternut squash baked to caramelised perfection and a creamy burrata - I think with roasted tomatoes. I didn't have dessert, but they looked amazing. The wine by the glass is reasonably priced a...
Great location for a get-together of former work colleagues coming from different out-of-town locations - the river view puts the icing on the cake. The small plates are a winner- we all ordered our favourites and shared. Two each was enough for us, but we are all in our seventies. Stand-out dishes were butternut squash baked to caramelised perfection and a creamy burrata - I think with roasted tomatoes. I didn't have dessert, but they looked amazing. The wine by the glass is reasonably priced and has choices to suit everyone - perfect for lunchtime. We were surprised it wasn't busier. The staff were welcoming, attentive and friendly.
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VENUE DETAILS

National Theatre
South Bank
SE1 9PXGB

020 3989 5455

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OTHER INFORMATION

Wheelchair access, Parking, Family friendly

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