Jacob Kenedy changed things. When he opened Bocca di Lupo London back in 2008, the city’s Italian food scene was mostly split between dusty, checkered-tablecloth joints and hyper-formal Mayfair spots where the carpet was thicker than the lasagna. Kenedy did something different. He looked at the map of Italy and decided to cook all of it. Not just the hits. He wanted the weird stuff, the deep cuts, the regional oddities that make people lean back and go, "Wait, they eat that there?"
It works. Nearly two decades later, it still feels like the center of the universe on a Tuesday night.
If you’ve never been, walking into the restaurant on Archer Street is a bit of a sensory slap. It’s loud. It’s narrow. The marble counter is the place to be, mostly because you get to watch the chefs sweat over the grill while you sip on a Negroni. It’s basically dinner theater without the cringe. You’re sitting there, elbows practically touching a stranger, watching someone shave truffles onto a plate of tajarin, and honestly, it’s exactly what Soho is supposed to be.
The Regional Obsession of Bocca di Lupo
Most "Italian" restaurants in the UK are actually just "Generic Central-Southern" restaurants. You get a carbonara, a margherita, maybe a ragu. At Bocca di Lupo, the menu is a literal geography lesson. Each dish is marked with its region of origin. You’ll see Lazio, Tuscany, Sicily, and even the tiny, obscure corners of Basilicata.
They don't compromise.
If a dish is from Rome, it tastes like Rome. The Cacio e Pepe isn't some creamy, bastardized version made for British palates; it’s sharp, peppery, and hits you with that specific Pecorino funk. Kenedy’s philosophy has always been about "stripped-back" cooking. He isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. He’s just trying to find the best wheel in a small village in Italy and bring it to W1.
Take the Fritto Misto. In most places, that’s just a pile of greasy calamari. Here? It might include sage leaves, bits of offal, or seasonal vegetables you didn't know could be fried. It’s light. It’s crisp. It’s the kind of thing you eat with your hands while gossiping about whatever play is running at the Gielgud nearby.
What to Order (and What People Are Too Scared to Try)
Look, everyone gets the pasta. You should. The Orecchiette with nduja and red onion is a staple for a reason. It’s spicy enough to make your nose run but sweet enough from the onions that you can't stop shoveling it in. But if you really want to understand why Bocca di Lupo London is a chef’s favorite, you have to look at the "Le Umili" or the more adventurous meat sections.
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They do offal well. Really well.
The Rigatoni con la Pajata is legendary, though it’s not always on the menu. For the uninitiated, it’s calf’s intestines. It sounds terrifying. It tastes like the richest, most velvety cheese sauce you’ve ever had because of the partially digested mother’s milk inside the intestine. It’s a Roman classic. People fly to Italy for this, and Kenedy serves it up in the middle of London with zero apologies.
If that’s a bit too much for a first date, go for the Spiedini. Grilled skewers. Simple.
- Sea bream with bay leaf and lemon.
- Lamb with rosemary.
- Glazed eel.
The menu changes constantly. Like, daily. This isn't just a marketing gimmick; it depends on what’s actually good that morning. This makes it a nightmare for people who like to plan their meal three weeks in advance, but it’s great for anyone who actually likes food. You walk in, you read the handwritten-style printout, and you choose what feels right for the weather outside.
The Counter vs. The Tables
There is a divide here. A literal one.
The front of the house is dominated by that long, curving Carrara marble counter. This is the soul of the restaurant. If you’re solo or a duo, sit here. You get the heat from the kitchen, the clatter of pans, and the fast-paced energy of Soho. It’s frantic in the best way.
The back of the restaurant is the dining room. It’s a bit more "grown-up." If you’re here to actually talk to your dining partner without shouting over a meat slicer, book a table. But honestly? You lose a bit of the magic back there. The energy drops about 20% once you leave the line of sight of the pass.
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The Wine List is a Rabbit Hole
The wine list at Bocca di Lupo London is exclusively Italian. All of it. From the sparkling wines of Franciacorta to the heavy-hitting Barolos and the salty, volcanic whites of Mount Etna.
What’s cool is the pricing structure. They offer almost everything by the glass, the carafe, and the bottle. You can start with a crisp Vermentino and move into a funky orange wine without committing to a £80 bottle that might be too weird for your second course. The staff actually know their stuff, too. They won't just point at the second-cheapest bottle; they’ll tell you about the specific hillside the grapes grew on because they’ve probably been there.
Why it Survives the Soho Cycle
Soho is brutal. Restaurants open with a massive PR push, trend for six months, and then quietly turn into a vape shop or a mediocre steakhouse. Bocca di Lupo has stayed relevant because it doesn't feel like a "concept." It feels like a kitchen.
There’s a lack of pretension that’s hard to find in this price bracket. You can spend £40 or you can spend £150. You can have a bowl of pasta and a glass of house wine and be out in 45 minutes, or you can linger over five courses and a bottle of Amarone. The restaurant adapts to you.
Also, we have to talk about Gelupo.
Directly across the street is Kenedy’s gelato shop. It is arguably the best gelato in London. A common "pro move" is to skip dessert at the restaurant and just walk across the road for a scoop of ricotta and sour cherry or blood orange granita. It’s the perfect palate cleanser after a meal that’s usually quite heavy on the garlic and olive oil.
The Reality Check: Is it Perfect?
No. Nothing is.
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Because it’s so popular, the service can feel a bit... brisk. They need that table back. You might feel a gentle nudge to wrap things up if you’re lingering too long over your espresso. And the noise? If you’re looking for a quiet, romantic spot to propose, this ain't it. You’ll be shouting "I LOVE YOU" over the sound of a dishwasher and a group of fashion interns laughing three inches away from your face.
It’s also not cheap. While the small plates (fritti) are affordable, the bill creeps up fast. Those "small" portions add up, and before you know it, you’ve ordered six things and the total is staring back at you with three digits.
But you’re paying for the sourcing. You’re paying for the fact that they’re making their own sausages and sourcing heritage vegetables that most supermarkets wouldn't touch.
Practical Advice for Your Visit
If you want to get in without a reservation, go at 5:30 PM. Right when they open for the evening session. You can almost always snag a spot at the counter. If you try to walk in at 7:30 PM on a Friday, you’re going to be disappointed or stuck waiting at the bar for an hour.
- Order the "Large" only if you mean it: Most pastas come in small or large. The small is perfect if you want to try three or four different things. The large is a commitment.
- Check the daily specials: They often have one-off seafood dishes that are flown in that morning.
- Don't skip the bread: It sounds basic, but the sourdough and the olive oil they serve are top-tier.
Bocca di Lupo London remains a cornerstone of the West End. It’s a place that honors the diversity of Italian cuisine by refusing to simplify it. In a world of "fast-casual" pasta chains, it’s a reminder that cooking is about geography, history, and a really good grill.
Actionable Next Steps
- Book the counter: If you’re going as a pair, specifically request counter seating in your booking notes to get the full experience.
- Explore the regions: Before you go, look at their online menu and pick one region (like Puglia or Veneto) to eat from exclusively for that meal—it’s a fun way to experience the menu's depth.
- The Gelupo finish: Always leave room for a walk across the street. Even in the winter, the blood orange sorbet is worth the brain freeze.
- Try the unusual: Challenge yourself to order at least one dish you’ve never heard of. That is where the kitchen truly shines.
- Watch the calendar: Look out for their special regional "takeover" events where they focus on specific festivals or harvest seasons from the Italian calendar.
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