Depends on the Cook. There is a bit of an issue with this chain because the delicious pasta dish I had at this location tasted absolutely horrible at another Carluccios (tasteless, shriveled and unopened clams) that I only finished a quarter of the meal and was not charged. At least the time I was at this location, the service was absolutely friendly and the chef seem to know what he was doing.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Steady. Carluccio's in Smithfield is like a back-up, a reasonable alternative for me when I pop into nearby Smith of Smithfield or Comptoir Gascon and they are full for a weekend breakfast/brunch. This is quite a common predicament as SoS & CG slide higher up the scale and are more desirable by the trendy & more affluent crowds that frequent this part of the city. But we shouldn't think any less of this local Carluccio's. It has been turning out Italian cafe food of a steady quality. Yes, the deli items in front of the shop are over-priced but there is a focus on regional specialties, and it's a convenient stop for mozzarella, ricotta, Parma ham, dried porcini, risotto rice, squid ink and saffron when you can't find it elsewhere.
The interior of this branch is light and airy, with high ceilings and a very relaxed feel, which makes it ideal for a long brunch with friends and some weekend papers. Coffee and pastries are decent, the full breakfast not bad for £8.50, which includes coffee & juice, plus you get grilled pancetta instead of greasy bacon. Nice! It's also one of the rare places in London that does bicerin.
There are no pizzas here but the pasta is again decent. I like the ricotta & spinach ravioli served simply in sage butter. Pasta here is generally correctly cooked to al dente. I also like their thick, peasant-like pasta e fagioli (pasta & bean soup) but not so keen on their meek & watery mushroom soup. The menu changes with the season and there are daily specials, which for a chain, is nice to see.
It’s no secret that I have a grandpa crush on Antonio Carluccio so you can imagine I was more than happy to join my pals for their first meal at Carluccio’s. We ordered a tasting trio of pasta to share which was a great choice – penne giardiniera (enormous penne with zucchini, chilli and fried spinach balls), gnocchi al gorgonzola (potato gnocchi with gorgonzola and spinach) and pasta con funghi (papardalle with shiitake, oyster, porcini and button mushrooms). Delizioso!
Hannah Caramelized Banana
+3.5
Hmmm. I was kind of expecting the coffee to be a bit better than what I got, but my cappuccino was still nice enough.
Ambiance: 3.5
A huge outdoor patio space with umbrellas and lots of room to sit and enjoy the many people on their way to the market. When you step inside you are immediately met with walls of condiments, cookies, and other Italian treats. That being said there was a bit of an odd smell in the air, maybe anchovy paste. I'm not a huge anchovy person, so obviously that was a bit of a turn off for me. The seating area inside is even larger than the patio, so lots and lots of room for a big group. The white and blue is nice, and, of course, classically Carluccio.
Service: 4.0
We stepped inside and were immediately greeted by a friendly young woman at the front cash. She advised us on their products, answered any questions and offered to get me my cappuccino since they were quite busy and the waitresses were running about serving tables. She was friendly and informative.
Food: 3.0
Sadly the worst part of the experience was the coffee itself. Now, I do think this was better than say, Pod or Eat or Cafe Nero, I guess I just had higher expectations. Actually, aspects of the cappuccino were pretty nice, especially the chocolate shavings on top! Sadly, there was far too much milk and it was basically lukewarm.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
It's pretty hard to miss the blue and white awning of Carluccio's if you are somewhere near Spital Square and and I dare say that Antonio Carluccio is as much a household name in the U,K, as is Jamie Oliver. With spring in the air, it's not too hard to imagine that the outdoor seating area of the restaurant will be packed to the full with people wanting to enjoy a nice outdoorsy yet reasonably priced Italian menu. Having already had dinner one evening, I headed here to see what the caffe had to offer. Oh yeah, I didn't mention that did I? The place is split into a small caffe/deli where you'll find Carluccio branded produce and delicatessen and a larger restaurant for serving the Italian menu. With a range of pastas, sauces and desserts at the caffe, they've made sure that you pick something up from there on your way out after a meal. Choose their brownie or cakes and your sweet tooth will be pretty pleased with the result. If you'd rather go with a drink, I'd recommend a shot of their 'Cioccolata Fiorentina', rich and chocolatey but maybe a little too thick for some people's liking.
If I do sample their restaurant menu sometime soon, the rating opinion could change.
First time visit, didn't have to book a table service and staff brilliant. Good selection on the menu including vegetarian and vegan. Food was really tasty and well presented on the plate. Decent selection of wines. Reasonable prices a good night will go back.
Excellent tasting food and great atmosphere. Service was good but our waitress could have been friendlier.
Boris Sousa (QueenBRani)
+5
The staff are super friendly, chatty and warm. Even when it was very busy and understaffed we were seated quickly & got a regular service. Food was wonderful and tasty.
Had a late breakfast here and I have to say it was extremely tasty and the ingredients were fresh. Will definitely go back.
Friendly service, great food, and a good selection of non alcoholic drinks, just right for a light lunch to catch up with friends, especially as the tables are well spaced apart
Fabulous Italian Restaurant. Their lunchtime menus are suburb. Outside dinning, if the weather permits. The service is quick. The staff are polite and happy. So much better than your food from a local street vendor/caravan.
New favourite spot for breakfast. Hadn’t thought of going to Carluccio’s for breakfast but great choices on sit in menu. Takeaway bar to left of entrance has porridge with different toppings or egg pots. Favourite is the porridge and fig jam. Coffee is fairly decent too. A little bit of a wait but much better value for quality compared to the other usual takeaway spots nearby.
Excellent food and very helpful and friendly staff. Located in the Old Spitalfields Market area, so quieter and away from the bustle of Bishopsgate/Liverpool Street. Plenty of outdoor seating as well as inside. We had a really nice evening. Would highly recommend.
Always a quick fix for Carbonara craving. Theirs is a no miss - generous bacon and cheese.
A friend and I went for lunch today and we both had a really tight window to eat. It was lunch rush and we didn't consider how long it would take to have our orders given to us, so we subsequently had to ask for takeaway bags. We were a bit flustered for fear of missing our meetings but the waitress was incredibly apologetic, even though the blame really did fall on us. She insisted we take our meals free of charge. I regret not getting her name as she was incredibly kind and understanding.
Our office is based just next door, so of course we will come again. Amazing customer service.
Even though Carluccio's is a chain, their restaurants seem to have a little more than the usual Italian chains out there and this one is one of my favourites, I am not sure if the others have it, but this one has a little Italian shop in it to get some of your favourite "authentic" foods in here which I like as a nice thing.
The place is quite open and light, not exactly the romantic setting of a usual Italian by candlelight and wine, more like just a restaurant that is also Italian, not sure if they are going for that feel.
The food is always good, nothing out of this world but also not had a bad bit of food, last time we went in, there seemed to be not enough staff and certain tables were getting forgotten about it seemed.
They have a collection of desserts but we came in expecting lots of different types as we just wanted a sweet course before heading home, it wasn't exactly good for that, so it is nice but I feel that all ones in the chain will have the same feel.
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