Tocci’s Italian Delicatessen

For anyone who likes cooking authentic Italian food — this place is a gem — Tocci’s sells some of the more unusual deli meats and cheeses that are hard to get elsewhere. I like to try my rusty Italian on the proprietors — which sometimes ends up with pointing and nodding — but I always come away with something delicious.

Tocci’s in Seven Dials is a tiny little shop, advertising itself as a deli, although its main focus seems to be lunch type dishes –such as panini and other sandwiches and pasta dishes.
On the counter there are big italian hams and cheeses to gaze at hungrily, and big bowls of pre-​prepared pastas, which can be warmed up for you. I had the lasagne, and while it inevitably had suffered slightly from being cooled and then microwaved, the quality was excellent — a huge slab of rich mince and fresh tasting pasta. Sandwiches can be chosen from a blackboard selection of suggestions, or you can put together your own selection.
This is all served up by a reassuringly chubby, cheery Italian couple, who can be seen bustling around their shop at all times of day with obvious pride in what they do. It’s just as shame they don’t have bigger premises — some eat-​in seating would be a definite bonus.

I love Tocci’s Italian Deli. I proper loves it. Their suitably hick and informal yellow flyer with a pretty bad scan or perhaps on closer inspection a freehand outline of the Colosseum in Rome tells you a little bit about this place. That looks are firmly ranked in second place behind content, in order of importance. That is not to say that the interior of Tocci’s is offensively ugly or painful to be in. Nothing of the sort.
What I mean though is that the food here is genuinely quality, authentic, home made Italian food, which could be served up in some swanky, chrome laden, Helvetica fonted restaurant. However its actually served in a two floored little deli, which still only contains about 8 chairs and only 1 table. I love finding places like this. No pretention, just good, home cooked food and friendly service, which you may need to speak an Italian/​English hybrid to fully understand.
The price too is incredibly reasonable, with little hot portions of Pasta, Lasagna, Melanzana, Gnocchi and Meat Balls for £3.50. I had the meatballs which were served in a rich tomato sauce and came with fresh baguette. Really simple, tapas size portions, but really tasty and rich in flavour. There’s also a quality selection of Panini’s as well as salami’s, hams, cooked chicken and beef to buy over the counter.
Small and unassuming, but perfectly formed… like a rabbit? If it wasn’t raining outside and I wasn’t feeling an impending sense of doom for the coming winter in the pit of my stomach, I could have been in Italy!

Tocci’s is a really nice little place with great Italian lunch food and deli food. It’s just a small place but the owners have created a great atmosphere and offer a nice choice of paninis, pasta (that they can warm up for you), and tramezzini– lovely soft little Italian sandwiches like those you would have with an afternoon tea. If I’m up in the Sevendials area I stop by to buy some grilled aubergine and mozzarella tramezzini, a pot of olives (they have great olives and antipasti) and a take away coffee. The coffee is good an strong and it all comes to around a fiver. There are a few tables too if you want to perch for a sec.