Osteria Tufo - Islington

Came for our New Year’s Eve meal. I started with the aubergine starter which was layered with cheese and in a rich tomato sauce, it was lovely and authentic. I had the lobster ravioli as my main, which was pricey at £29 but delicious. It was rich and creamy whilst also somehow managing to be delicate. My partner had the lamb ragu tagliatelle which was utterly gorgeous. The portion sizes were more than generous and filled us up. We both had the panettone tiramisu to finish but unfortunately it didn’t work. Despite adoring both parts separately, their pairing made for something stodgy and frankly unenjoyable. That was a shame following the oh so delicious ravioli. Unfortunately Tufo was let down by the service, which was far less than average a shame given that every customer was there for a special occasion. It felt like we weren’t wanted. Perhaps they had had long days. It was New Year and they didn’t want to be working (I understand that! , so I will try again. I live nearby and the food was gorgeous, but I hate to feel not wanted at a neighbourhood favourite so just one more shot!

We have been coming for many years, each time the food is spectacular, with a wonderful greeting from Paola and her brilliant team. When you come to the restaurant do not think normal Italian. be ready to be taken on a culinary trip of a life time. Caponata is fantastic, then Seafood Ravioli and finally Tiramsui. Paola's favourite red wine helps the whole evening go with a swing.

Absolutely delicious and authentic pasta dishes. Relaxed ambiance and unpressured service. Space to eat and chat. Just lovely.

First of all a big pollice alto for the caring, respectful, kind and friendly staff! the atmosphere is very warm, the space is not too big, not too small and we loved the bright big windows. The waiting time was just perfect and the food was good for reasonable prices. After our delicious caponata and polpette on a freshly tasty tomato sauce, we had Orecchiette alle cime di rapa (excellent for taste and pasta texture) and Tortiglioni al ragu ' di Manzo ..wait! here we would have added just a pinch of extra salt on the pasta boiling water and served them more just a bit more al dente . Cannoli siciliani 's ricotta was ok, fresh with the right amount of dark chocolate flakes. And we were amazed to find a very good selection of wines!

5.45pm pre Park Theatre dinner. Three Tufo virgins and me. Shared a bruschetta and an aubergine mezzo. Three pastas, one veggie, one crab, one slow cooked beef I had the purpose in warm hummus. A bottle of Pinot rose and a glass of red. All divine very fresh. Service, staff, restaurant, singing ! , warmth, atmosphere... all sublime. Sorry, no photos ... too busy eating talking !!!! And a very reasonable bill. If I lived within walking distance, Tufo would be my neighbourhood restaurant!