manteca

"Manteca’s large dining room feels constantly full. There are people crowding into booths for lunches that involve brown crab cacio e pepe; early days relationships sharing focaccia; and counter-cruisers ordering two plates of this, two glasses of that. The Shoreditch spot is stylish and assured, with accomplished, comforting dishes—deep-fried pig’s head fritti and offal ragu numbers—that are just a little creative. Don’t ignore the john dory and house-cured Rizla-thin salumi." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"Manteca has a large dining room that feels constantly full. There are people crowding into booths for lunches that involve pappardelle with duck ragu. Early days relationships, hiding parts of themselves but sharing focaccia. And counter-cruisers ordering two plates of this, two glasses of that. This is one of London’s best Italian restaurants. It’s stylish and assured, with accomplished, comforting dishes—deep-fried pig’s head with mostarda and brown crab cacio e pepe—that are just a little creative. Order pasta, yes, but don’t ignore the house-cured, Rizla-thin salumi either." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, daisy meager

"Manteca is an excellent and affordable pasta spot in the heart of Soho, but right now they’re offering an at-home meal kit service based out of their Shoreditch sister restaurant, Smokestak. The kit contains a slab of focaccia, house salumi, and DIY pasta kits. Order here for collection or delivery to EC and some E and N postcodes." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak

"This excellent and affordable pasta spot has now started offering a new at-home meal kit service based out of their Shoreditch sister restaurant, Smokestak. The kits contain a slab of focaccia, house salumi, and DIY pasta kits. For collection or delivery to EC and some E and N postcodes, order here." - oliver feldman, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak

"Everything you need to know about this Italian restaurant with a staunch commitment to British produce can be found among its incredible pasta dishes, like the brown crab cacio e pepe and pappardelle hogget ragu. There are four-or-so changing pastas on Manteca’s menu at any time, and while traditionalists might have a wobble in this slick Shoreditch spot, it’s unlikely to last. Duck fat pangrattato sprinkled on top of a rich ragù is a flourish that even the most hardened Marcella Hazan stan will eulogise over." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna