The pasta here is delicious and big portion. Mouth watering just thinking back the food I had there. The Italian waiters there are lovely. It's one of my favourite local restaurants.
Il Bordello serves good traditional honest Italian food in Wapping. We had the garlic pizza (thin and crispy, with delicious tomato sauce) and very generous portions of pasta (aglio e olio and all'amatriciana, both very good). For dessert, the tiramisù and the mango sorbet again came in very generous quantities. Overall, one to go back to!
The thing to keep in mind at Il Bordello is that portion sizes are generous and so you really don't need to over order - at all. Even if you're tempted to just try an extra starter or something because everyone else around you has amazing looking food, don't. The food is amazing but I can guarantee you that you'll finish your starters and wonder why you ordered so much. Why? Because we did it. And it was amazing, but after our starters (three between two), we were groaning (and only partly because it was so good). Accordingly, Il Bordello gets busy so do book a table. It's a restaurant with a lively atmosphere and even though we went around 3.30pm on a Sunday, every table was full. Deservedly so, everything we ate was amazing.
As a pizza lover who had heard so much I was looking forward to this.
It started so well...engaging and fun staff (when will they learn this is half the battle! Well done on this front Il Bordello...buy them all a drink on the house), well sized and delicious starters and then the pizza.
Now I'm a generous guy...even a so-so pizza is pretty good. And this was a pretty good pizza...well better than that...it was very nice...but my boots ain't shaking. I was happy but with Time Out etc raving I was expecting more.
Happy enough and if I went back I'd try the pasta but...but...BUT! I encourage everyone to try this place once.... The staff alone are worth the trip
Super busy and loud, but food was very good and the service was as well. Portion sizes are huge. Menu with lots options and a board with at least 15 additional specials that night. Highly recommend.
Italian food at is best. Great menu, supersize servings, conscientious waiters, great tasting food, excellent wines. If you measure value for money by the size of the serving, then your in for a treat. If you measure vfm by the quality of the food, then your in for a treat. If you measure vfm by the no nonsense yet friendly and modern atmosphere, then your also in for a treat. Expert waiters serving expertly prepared dishes. Faultless, a great night was had by all. Four meals with wine and coffee £90.00.
Fantastic even 10 years on. Impeccable service and the monkfish still runs tings
10/10 everytime without fail. Real italian food. So many noticably fresh ingredients in the food no matter what you order. Service is amazing. Some of the best in London easily. It's reasonably fast, mouth wateringly tasty, best service i've experienced, warm and welcoming atmosphere and the value is excellent for the quality. Visit the bordello. I'm hooked, you will be!
The Food Connoisseur
+4.5
There’s only one place you need to be lured into the back streets of Wapping, even sometimes deem dangerous looking at night with it’s tall towering blocks and warehouses in the area. That place would be Il Bordello, it was a spontaneous decision with me fancying Italian food, and I heard many good things about the restaurant from my friends and decided to try it out. Turning up with reservations on a Saturday night we were luckily enough to get a table for 4. Upon arrival, the loud conversations of people just chatting away, clinking glasses and waiters running about greeted us.
Il Bordello has been on my hit list for a long time now; I've only ever heard good things about it, it hasn't changed since it opened it's doors and it is always rammed. If it ain't broke don't fix it is clearly the maxim of the day. We went down late on Friday night and had booked for their second sitting; we've finally moved into our new flat and this meal was our little goodbye to Wapping. The restaurant was buzzing to say the least, with the second service of the evening in full swing we were quickly shown to our table mostly to get us out of the door as more people were pouring grabbing take aways and waiting for tables. It's a good sign when people are waiting, makes me glad we had the fore sight to phone ahead as we were starving after much heavy lifting and moving furniture about. Getting down to business and the menu is old school Italian, the kind of Italian that was fashionable in the 80's and wouldn't feel out of place in a gangster movie. It's fairly simple food but you ha
With a requirement to have dinner in East London one Saturday night, it was an easy choice to finally try out the renowned Il Bordello in Wapping with See Yun and Wendy. Having tried out their sister restaurant of La Figa , I h
Il Bordello is located on Wapping High Street, a stone’s throw from Wapping tube station. Alas, travelling to Wapping is a veritable mission as Wapping tube station is closed until 2011. Despite the logistical challenge, a friend and I drop by Il Bordello
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More Italian than a Fiat 500 with a wheel of Parmesan strapped to the roof, Il Bordello (The Brothel) is located barely into Zone 2, just a spit from the Thames, over the road from the wonderful Captain Kidd pub, and a mere stroll east of Tower Bridge through the chain-dominated and relentlessly disappointing St Katherine Docks.
With tables cosily packed and a centre bar resplendently clad in shiny copper, the dining room is quite an experience in itself. Combine this with a small army of pensionable-aged and waistcoated Italian gentlemen running the floor, it becomes increasingly clear why this restaurant always seems to have a queue snaking from the door.
So the stage is impressively set. But Il Bordello is unequivocally and unashamedly all about the food. With starters the size of mains and mains bigger than the sun, no one is ever going to go hungry. But where Il Bordello really succeeds is in the clever variety of its menu, and success in translating well-known and traditional Italian fare from page to plate in the heart of the East End.
This place is no pizzeria, but Il Bordello offers a classic selection on perilously thin bases with circumferences close to that of the London Orbital. Order the seafood version and an entire aquarium will arrive at your table.
Antipasti is widely covered, as are salads, seafood and fish. But, predictably resorting to carnivorous type, it’s the ‘carni’ section of the menu which provides the real treats – and it is very difficult to look past the five offerings of veal, especially the chop grilled with sage, butter and wine.
Desert? Tiramisu. Done.
We all know London can occasionally feel a little impersonal. From the large chains seen throughout the capital looking to pack you in and turn you around quickly, all the way through to the must-eat, special-occasion restaurants which have their sights set on the (Michelin) stars, it often feels like some places have lost the art of providing genuine hospitality with character and atmosphere and an authenticity which is, well, authentic.
But if you head just slightly off the beaten track and look down a side street or two, you’ll never find yourself too far away from a genuine local restaurant – somewhere both in and of the area it serves.
Whenever I need a restaurant in London, Il Bordello always makes the shortlist.
Absolutely amazing food!! Big delicious portions and very friendly staff. Definitely one of the best restaurants I've been to in a while. Would recommend to anyone.
Should be awarded as the best italian restaurant in the world! That should say it all! Go there whenever I'm in London! Used to go there literally every month when I used to live in London! Yummy!
The Food Connoisseur
+4.5
There’s only one place you need to be lured into the back streets of Wapping, even sometimes deem dangerous looking at night with it’s tall towering blocks and warehouses in the area. That place would be Il Bordello, it was a spontaneous decision with me fancying Italian food, and I heard many good things about the restaurant from my friends and decided to try it out.
My friend V and I had a long wait until the others arrived; starting off we ordered olives and focaccia. To our surprise the olives came with a large salad, filled with a variety with a vinaigrette dressing.
A large disc, with bubbly blisters arrived, still piping hot from the oven, with garlic salt and distinctive taste of rosemary and basil. The focaccia tasted fantastic.
For mains I decided on the cannellorni ripieni, rolled up fresh pasta, filled with minced meat in a bowl of tomato sauce. The portion was seriously huge. Bold, naturally flavourful essences came out. Mouthfuls, of flavoursome meat and pasta satisfied my palette. The melted mozzarella browned from the oven oozing with the rich tomato sauce made me lick every bit of the bowl clean.
Il Bordello, leaves you satisfied, fresh quality ingredients, friendly staff. Fine Italian food with incredible value, mains ranging from £10. I’m rating it high on my go to for Italian.
This is one of my favourite Italian restaurants ever. It's on a quiet street in wapping but as it's a small restaurant with lots of seating, it can get quite noisy during peak times.
My favourites here would be the lamb chops, the carbonara - it's divine and the amatriciana. Also the ice-creams are amazing!
Have to go back to this place next time I am in London!
Went to il bordello for valentine's dinner with my boyfriend. Had the 3 course set menu and I had truffle mushroom ravioli for starter which was so good that I could eat 3 portions of it. I would definitely go back and try other courses. All the waiters are very friendly and service is very good! Oh they also have good Italian wine
Saturday night at Il Bordello - really nice atmosphere, hustle and bustle, whilst waiters delivered a stream of plates piled high with delicious Italian dishes. We were heading here as my dad was competing in the London marathon the following day and needed to load up on the carbohydrate.
I had the pizza napoletana, with anchovies and capers. Tasty, just right with delicious runny mozarella and salty, oily anchovies. The food arrived quickly and presented well. The waiters are efficient and polite, whilst dealing with a super busy restaurant with 40+ diners. The meal was rounded off with a bowl of chocolate ice cream, which felt perfect. We paid, gave our thanks and left contented, wandering back through the narrow streets of Wapping to the station.
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Italian food for me is at its best home made with quality ingredients. Maybe that’s also why I’ve left London’s Italian dining scene pretty much untouched except for the occasional pizza which is difficult to do at home without a proper oven. I felt it was time for a change and explore what is out there other than pizza. This night the destination was Il Bordello, a local Italian restaurant in Wapping I’ve heard good things about.
Wapping is a residential neighbourhood, a dead silent one on top of that. The only sign of life is the restaurant emitting warm glow in the winter darkness. The first observation once inside was the age of the waiters which must average above 40. This usually means a three things: knowledge, arrogance and smooth service. Here it was true, false, true. The interior is simple and not too thought out. No fancy furniture or tableware. Also, you probably won’t raise any eyebrows if you laugh too loud or drop a fork on the ground, nobody cares here. Just like home!
On the menu you will see Italian classics lined up one after another. Nothing flashy but Italian comfort food. On the wine list the only old world country represented is Italy with reds and whites to choose from for a reasonable price. Representing the new world Australia, Chile, South Africa and New Zealand each contributes with one white and one red.
Parma ham with Cantaloupe was a refreshing way to start a meal. I’m not a big fan of involving fruits in starter or main because of the sweetness they often bring. This was not too bad although quarter of a cantaloupe melon on the plate was pushing the limits. More parma ham could definitely have balanced it out, but to be more realistic they could have spared on the melon.
The linguine pescatora had the right bounciness. It was cooked in a tomato based sauce with shrimps, mussels and squid mixed into it. Flavours of herbs and seafood were well blended with no disturbing acidity from the tomato sauce.
For the end of the meal a selection of sorbets, ice creams, cheese and fruits was on offer but the eye catching item on the menu was (of course) the tiramisu.
It turned out to be the best tiramisu I’ve had in my life. The goodness was light, fluffy and had a vibrant sweet bite of alcohol. The balance of sweetness was perfect. This was pure indulgence. Just the appearance of it is enough to seduce even the dessert hater. The size was enough for the two of us after the generous servings of starters and mains.
What started with a long ride down to Wapping turned out to be one of the best value meal I’ve had so far this year. If you want to finish three courses you need to come very hungry. The dining room is well lit up with a lot going on on the floor so it’s good for a meal with family or friends. Il Bordello is more than a neighbourhood restaurant and well worth a small detour for homely well-cooked Italian food.
For full review and photos: http://driftingepicure.com/2014/01/28/il-bordello/
Really welcoming, lovely food individually prepared and first class service from a team who clearly love their work and seeing people enjoy themselves. Haven't felt this good about a restaurant for a long time.
Located on a quiet street in wapping, the restaurant is a bit out of the way but they also do deliveries in the city. I thought the food here was brilliant. There is no shortage of Italian restaurants in London so you really have to be good in order to stand out from the crowd - and I think this place has what it takes.
They of course have the usual fare of pizzas and pastas like in Italian place but I think what makes them stand out is the excellent meat and fish menu. In particular I think the veal as well as the monk fish were just exquisite. And to top it all, the desserts are very good as well.
Best italian you'll find. Italians love it here which says alot. It just feels so authentic! All ingredients are very fresh and high quality, perfect pizzas and pastas, massive meats, enourmous plates, homemade tiramisu and pannacotta TO DIE FOR. The italian waiters are doing an impressive job, very proffessional and pleasant, the restaurant is very nice in winderful Wapping. Needless to say we go here as much as poss!
Nestled in one of the cobbled streets of Wapping, this family run restaurant has been a favourite for years.
The food is really good & so are the portions. The 'specials' board is always worth having a look at. The wines are great and what you must never miss are the profiteroles!! Beware though - one portion can be enough for 2 to 3 people... at least!
Top tip: Make sure to secure a reservation in advance as this place is consistently bustling with customers.
This charming, old-school Italian restaurant exudes a wonderful atmosphere. The quality of their food and the service they provide is truly excellent. Each dish is meticulously prepared with fresh ingredients, resulting in a culinary experience that leaves nothing to be desired.
You'll find that the prices are reasonable, making your dining experience even more enjoyable. Don't miss the chance to experience this hidden gem of a restaurant.
Isabelle Francis-Collins
+4
Quaint family owned restaurant based in Wapping, serving authentic Italian food.
I went with two other friends who have been here many times before, this being my first visit. I had heard very good things about the food here so was excited to finally try.
For starters we ordered the garlic bread and mussels, the portions were perfect for sharing. For mains I went for the salmon pasta which was seasoned beautifully and cooked well. I also tried some of the mushroom ravioli which was just as good being a vegetarian dish.
There was a good ambience with a mix of different people. This place is suitable for dates, catch up with friends and celebrating birthdays accommodating small and larger groups.
The service could be a little slow at times, however it was very busy and we didn’t mind too much as it gave time for us to socialise over bottles of wine.
I would highly recommend trying here and I will definitely be returning. One of my friends is gluten intolerant and the menu was accommodating, having different options for and gluten free pasta. It is great value for money and you will leave full after eating here!
This place smelled like 90s nostalgia.
The kind of smell that we smelled at restaurants as a kid 🫶🏽
it’s family run restaurant, the average age of the waiters was 55 & they all wore waistcoats & bows.
Food was top notch, im a fussy eater and this reminded me of what I miss from my home - good comforting food with great taste. Less is more as it’s all about the produce
Has been a favourite for a while. New location, sort of, but the food is great.
The pasta dishes are definitely 5 star, the pizza is good but not up to the pasta level.
If you’ve never been try it. Portions are very large so one pizza and one pasta will be plenty for two people. You won’t need a starter.
The service is ok. Used to be quite unique in that the waiters were old school. Take your time, couples should be sat next to each other rather than opposite etc. Quaint and novel. Now it’s more functional.
Highly recommend you try for the food.
Been here for pizza and it wasn’t great. The dough was similar to some supermarket frozen pizzas. A lot of mozzarella and a lot of water from the vegetables pulling in the middle. The campari spritz were good. Do book in advance otherwise you will never find a table.
Dinners here remind me of holidays in Italy. Dishes are authentic and delightful!
For me, this is the best Italian restaurant in London. My favourite dishes are the seafood pasta, seafood risotto and mushroom ravioli.
Booking-wise, do it early or you won’t get any on short notice, especially weekends. I’m recommending at least 2 weeks before.
I went there with my boyfriend, as soon as we entered we got a warm greeting from Italian waiters, they give you advice if you ask for the recommended dish.
The service is fast!
The food is amazing, it melts in your mouth! You can taste that the quality of the ingredients are very high, it reminds me of my Italian home.
I would come here again!
Very enjoyable dinner on a Sunday evening; food incredible as always and great atmosphere for a birthday meal. Service a tad slower than usual but restaurant was very busy. Always a pleasure eating here.
Feels like I've been transported to an authentic family-run restaurant in Italy 🇮🇹Great vibes, service, and FOOD🤌 Big menu with generous portion sizes too! Highly recommend the seafood pastas, would go back to try more 😋 However, do avoid the creme caramel dessert - tasted odd.
nice cosy friendly restaurant. very good value for money as the portions are huge.
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