Pastaio is now dishing up brilliant pasta and frozen fizz from White City.
The Italian restaurant scene in London is molto bene, and standing out from the crowd can be pretty tough. But Pastaio (Pas-tye-YO) has definitely found a way of doing just that. Now open in Westfield London, the latest offering from talented chef Stevie Parle specialises in freshly made pasta and pretty addictive prosecco slushies.
Yeah, we said it: prosecco slushies. It’s hard to believe that humanity hadn’t dreamt up this truly inspired creation before, but once you’ve had one you’re sure to be slurping them at a rapid pace (though watch out for the brain freeze)! For the very reasonable price of £4.50, you can enjoy a glass of frozen fizz topped with either lemon and Barbara Grappa, or cherry, Campari & gin. And let me tell you: they’re basically the best thing about being a grown-up.
If slushies don’t sound like your thing, Pastaio also maintains a winning list of classic Italian cocktails; handy for those who naturally gravitate towards something more sophisticated, like a Negroni.
However, the backbone of any Italian restaurant worth their salt is, of course, the pasta – and this is where Pastaio certainly delivers. Technically, pastaio translates to “the pasta maker”, so it’s kind of expected, but even so, we were extremely impressed.
Pastaio hand makes fresh pasta every single day using simple, seasonal ingredients, and the results are unreal. Featuring all sorts of delights including squash ravioli with sage butter, a classic carbonara, and my personal favourite, a simply sensational slow cooked sausage sauce called conchuglioni, this menu is truly mouthwatering.
Now, with things like 30 egg yolk tagliolini on the menu, you might think that it sounds suspiciously like each plate of pasta you order will be accompanied by a rather large price tag – but how wrong you would be. With most of the main pasta dishes coming in at under ten quid, and the incredible spinach pasta with crucsco chilli, agretti, and breadcrumbs costing just £6, you can afford to get well and truly stuck in.
If you aren’t feeling pasta: firstly, are you feeling okay? But secondly, Pastaio’s antipasti menu offers a load of variety, and a couple of true standouts. The fried mozzarella, ‘nduja and honey sandwich could seriously go toe to toe with London’s best toasted sarnies, and clocks in at just £5.50. And on the pudding front? Well, all you need to know is that the tiramisu is to die for.
With incredible food, super-friendly staff and a buzzing atmosphere, Pastaio’s newly opened Westfield joint is sure to be as popular as their others in Soho and Market Hall. Whether you’re looking to fuel a mega shopping mission, chow down on some seriously tasty carbs, or you’re just trying to find somewhere that won’t break the bank, Pastaio is the place for you.
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Featured image: @pastaiolondon