Porchetta, La Clerkenwell - Islington

Of course Mr and Mrs Eductor should not have been surprised by two disappointing facts: First a handful of days before Xmas all our favourite restaurants in Exmouth market area were rammed with office parties of loud young people interspersed with a handful of older colleagues not sure if they should be looking at Tina from accounts right now. Second, we shouldn 't have been surprised that a restaurant not similarly packed would be...err... 'average '. Its not that La Porchetta is bad exactly its just that it misses most of the basic expectations of modern Italian restaurants. Yes the chairs are uncomfortable -but not in a trendy way. Yes you can see the pizza oven -but somehow you wish you couldn 't. All the traditional pizza/pasta stuff is there but that pizza you had out of Sainsbury 's last week was just as good. On the plus side the waiting staff were charming and helpful, the service prompt and the bill relatively modest by local standards (again so unlike most modern Italians). But I am glad my office party wasn 't there. And not many people 's will be.

Will never visit here again! Staff/owner constantly walking into us and our table over and over without apologising! Also overheard the owner say “stupid English can’t even order quickly”, unacceptable service and the food was so bland and not overly warm. Honestly you’d be better off going to ASK or prezzo...

A quick dinner with the family before going to watch the ballet at Saddlers Wells.A large restaurant with a number of empty tables did not fill me with joy it was my son who made the booking) but the food was fine not great but OK pizza. The red wine due to the weather was sent to the fridge for a little while the espresso was excellent and the service a little haphazard .But an easy place for a quick meal only a few minutes walk up the hill to the theatre.

I have been doing La Porchetta since their first branch opened in Finsbury for the past (almost) 20 years these guys can certainly do pizza and it is proper pizza not that disgusting thing that is normally dished up in the UK called pizza these are proper pizza breads baked with proper toppings and generally they are not stingy with the toppings. If there is anything that drives me mad its a pizza with stingy toppings La Porchetta serve you a sloppy well stocked tasty Italian pizza at a reasonable price and you will walk out of the restaurant smiling (and probably carrying half your pizza in a box). My only criticism of the Rosebery Ave branch is that it is FREEZING cold inside come on guys turn up the heat please! Its big and spacious and almost empty at lunch time and early evenings and it simply does not have a warm and welcoming atmosphere it is actually very off putting its the design of the place that makes it like that too many windows and not enough heating and a warm atmosphere apart from that the food is great La Porchetta desserts have always been a let down as they just serve the frozen stock stuff that they get from suppliers so I would avoid that unless you like a sugar shot of fake flavourings but the pizza and drinks menu are superb the starters too are for teh most part very good (albeit a bit simple)

I went to porchetta with my family was strange to see the restaurant very quiet I know I kind of understand why The guy in charge was trying to push the specials as soon as we arrived and he went on so much about it my mum had the sea bass it was very disappointing hard sauté potatoes undercooked and sea bass needs a lovely light sauce but it was swimming in an acidic over garlic tasting sauce which ruined it and has had my Mum up all night being sick I have been to Italy many times and they would not do fish like this it should be just plain and dimple or with a light butter sauce it was not very good ..... other parts of the meal were not great either the pizza was good light n crispy but was special occasion and leaves you feeling very disappointed when it lets you down a great shame