This review is solely based on the fact that I called at 9pm because both Unilocal and deliveroo said they were still open until 10 on Wednesday and that they deliver. They sounded open and busy to me when I called asking if they could deliver to me(new customer, ordering for the first time), when they flat out said no, I could pick it up. I’m sure the food is lovely but for customer service like that I want to make sure there overall rating goes down. I can’t say I’ll be rushing to order from them again soon.
Linzi M.
Classificação do local: 5 London, United Kingdom
I agree with Joelle, can I give more than 5 stars? I don’t usually frequent Italian restaurants as I mostly cook Italian myself so I never bother going out for it. My boyfriend had been telling me about this place that is literally two streets away and I had never been. So we wandered over and immediately became intoxicated by the delicious aromas wafting outside. Now, I’m not one for places that are half shop/half restaurant but this place is incredible. Open 25 years, I can’t believe I’ve never been. They brought out the pasta plate and we agonised over crab tortellini versus the wild boar. Fortunately our friends showed up and we got to share. The wild boar was delicious but dear god, please please order the crab if you go. It swims in a buttery prawn sauce and you’ll want to die of food heaven. If it’s the last thing you ever eat, it would not be a mistake. We also both ordered the Quattro Stagioni pizza because it’s just that good. Normally I am not in favour of people ordering the same thing but I’d happily go back and all get the same because I am not for sharing here! It’s mine! So with that in mind, we got two orders of amaretto tiramisu and completely and utterly cemented our love at first sight for the place. I want to go back already!
Joelle R.
Classificação do local: 5 San Diego, CA
Si si! I would give them more stars if there were more. We popped in here the other night to meet some friends and felt like we’d stumbled upon a gem. We got a bottle of house red and ordered the Quattro Stagioni(4 flavors of pizza on one pie) and the crab tortelloni. (Hang on, I need a moment of silence for the crab tortelloni.) Okay. That pasta was so amazing. We used the pizza to mop up the excess sauce. Couldn’t stop wiping the plate. It bordered on déclassé. But we basically ate everything we got our hands on and all of us had a sad when the tortelloni was over(to the point we spoke nostalgically of it on the walk home). We ended the meal with amaretti tiramisu, which was also delicious. The pizza was great, the dessert was great, the house wine was delightful. But the crab tortelloni, man… *looks wistfully into the distance*
Nicolas M.
Classificação do local: 4 London, United Kingdom
Excellent pizzas. I particularly like the atmoshpere for its taste of The Sopranos.
Emma C.
Classificação do local: 5 London, United Kingdom
I went here for lunch with my coworkers after they guaranteed it was the best pizza in London. I wasn’t disappointed! Lovely Italian delicacies, chocolates and cookware fill the deli from floor to ceiling. Being Christmas time, they had a wide selection of Panettones to purchase and amazing gift baskets. The owner is very nice and everyone who works there is genuine Italian! The pizza was amazing, fresh ingredients, thin crispy crust. Amazing! I booked immediately for dinner the following night to try their handmade pasta. They also do private parties if you’re looking for a cozy venue and great food. I’ll soon be calling myself a regular.
Jooz P.
Classificação do local: 3 London, United Kingdom
So, hidden away deli-type of place: they have a big counter full of cheese and salami and stuff. They also have an outside space, a nearly-inside space(it’s the outside space but covered with some canvas/gazebo type of thing), and an inside space. They have a fairly large variety of panine and focaccia, as well as pizzas and pasta dishes. There’s also random nice stuff like arancini. In general, the food was good(had pizza and a panini), although expensive(hence the 3 stars). On the other hand, there was no pressure to move and we stayed there a while reading and chatting. Going back to the food, the pizza was nice(think and crispy), and the panini was a bit of a mouthful(dislodge your jaw to make it fit in). The pasta looked gorgeous too. We also had a ricotta cannolli, which was very nice, although verging on the extortionate(5 quid!). It appears that if you choose wisely, you can enjoy a good meal/brunch and still keep it reasonable. It can also prove to be quite expensive too.
Robyn A.
Classificação do local: 5 London, United Kingdom
Great, homey, authentic little Italian deli tucked away just off a quaint little church yard. The pizza is delicious, although just a little bit on the pricey side. The custard tarts are a bargain at £1 each, with crisp shells and smooth filling. The older gentleman is very warm and friendly, and was happy to offer my 8yo daughter a generous slice of prosciutto when he heard how much she likes it. All in all, it’s a local hidden gem that I am glad to have right around the corner.
Eoin O.
Classificação do local: 4 London, United Kingdom
Found this deli by accident while taking a short-cut to Essex Road. Beautiful dark interior with lots of knick-knacks and books on the walls and counter, but with a small uncluttered dining area. There’s outside seating which is ideal in the current time of year. I’ve only been here a couple of times so far and only for take-away, but I was impressed with the quality of the food and the service. I had the toasted focaccia with ham, mozzarella, sun-dried tomato & olive tapenade on one occasion and the beef, mushroom & smoked buffalo mozzarella lasagne with truffle oil the second time — both were very satisfying.
Totall
Classificação do local: 4 Nice, France
Why doesn’t this lovely little place have a list of great reviews already? Saponara can be found, conveniently for me but not for them, diagonally opposite Islington’s Packington estate, where demand for truffle oil and Lingua della Suocera* is likely to be low although, I imagine, other grander residences nearby are well-stocked with the deli’s delicacies. I visit every six months, following visits to my dentist in Packington Square(the terrific, painless Maxine O’ Grady at Charles Landau’s surgery). A few gulps of their great coffee are usually enough to distract me from a numbed maxilliofacial muscle and, if I’ve not been ‘treated’, I’ll stop for lunch. A fairly typical choice of Italian panini, although their food is more tasty than usual deli fare. Soups are delicious — cream of courgette soup was on offer the day I was there. Fresh pasta is sold at the counter and an interesting selection of tinned and bottled Italian imports, along with a good few shelves of great Italian wines, is on offer. A bowl of soup, at £3.95 — isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s not really that kind of place — the place is busy lunchtimes with a devoted clientele and Saponara brands itself more as a high-quality, high-end deli that lays on food for its cognoscenti friends. The owner(owners?) are charming, funny, helpful and welcoming. A few square metres of la patria, in Islington. Enjoy. *The astonishing ‘Mother-in-law’ biscuit. Like langues du chat, but longer, and rougher… (thanks to Rubber Slippers in Italy) Their white truffle oil, at £6.95 for 40ml, is pretty good value and, available in three choices of fancy bottle, makes a brilliant gift.
