Osteria Vibrato

This dinner will remain in my memory for a long time. The atmosphere is electric with low lighting, a simple décor, and a bar at the back of the restaurant buzzing with people. The service is exceptional: friendly without being overbearing and, whenever a mistake is made (small ones at that), they are great at making things up and removing the item from the bill. They are genuinely nice people who want you to have a good time. And then there is the food: every single item we got served was excellent, starting with the tongue-shaped flatbread (Lingue di Suocera), olives, bread and olive oil. As starters, the items that truly stood out were: the Aged Ricotta, Olive Oil and Sarawak Black Pepper; Seafood Fritto Misto; and Gratinated Mussels. As mains: the White risotto with 30-month Parmigiano Reggiano was exceptional. I haven’t had such a well-made risotto in years. Second best was the Veal alla Castellana with Fontina and Prosciutto. Desserts were very good with Ice creams, a kind of Crème Caramel, and a kind of flat Biscuit whose name I cannot remember (see last pic). The wine list has lots of interesting bottles, and the champagne by the glass (Franck Pascal, Reliance Brut Nature) was excellent. Overall, a wonderful experience.

Amazing atmosphere, one of the best of anywhere I’ve been in London. The food was overall ok - for the price of the meal, nothing was particularly memorable. I appreciated the simplicity of the dishes, but I wasn’t in love with anything we ate. However, given the menu changes, would definitely be willing to give another shot.

Stopped in here for dinner not really knowing what to expect since it’s relatively new. I was genuinely impressed. London is packed with "posh" Italian places that choose style over substance, but the food here felt very grounded. We started with the fried fennel and sage alongside the crostini with bagna cauda. The bagna cauda had a proper savoury kick to it exactly what you want and fried fennel was surprisingly addictive. For mains, the tagliatelle with white ragu was the standout. It was rich without being heavy, and you can tell the pasta is made in-house. Special mention for the wine list, which is excellent. There are some really interesting Italian bottles on there, so we asked for a recommendations. Their suggestion was superb. It gets a little buzzy around 8 PM, but it adds to the atmosphere. Service was attentive without hovering.

Phenomenal food and gorgeous vibe - relaxed and yet ‘special’ in a way that’s very hard to nail (the design also doesn’t feel too ‘interior design’ed). I was given free bread, oil, olives and crisp bread. The ribollita was hearty but subtle, whilst the combination of biscotti (sugar-fennel cracker bread, apricot ‘jammy dodgers,’ and traditional Italian biscotti) were so, so delicious. The wine was also fantastic! But, most of all, I wanted to thank the staff - especially Cam - for contacting me when I left an essential bag at OV and then, when Cam heard I would struggle to collect it before leaving town due to a variety of complex plans, *cycling it to me* at the theatre. Incredibly generous and thoughtful! I can’t thank you enough.

I booked Osteria Vibrato based on a review by an English food writer that I admire. Visiting from Australia, I was looking for something special to enjoy in London and this is a very special dining experience indeed - quite possibly the best Italian food I have ever had. My husband, who has claimed in the past to ‘not like Italian food much’ (?!) absolutely loved it, so that sums it up. The service was impeccable - effortlessly finding the sweet spot between formal and intimate. Every interaction felt personal and expert, with the staff demonstrating their knowledge and passion for the food and drinks they were serving. Every dish was impeccably put together, with a deceptive simplicity. If I lived in London I would be here as often as possible.