Ave Mario
Italian restaurant · Covent Garden
15 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8QG, United Kingdom
Highlights
Italian trattoria with OTT decor, truffle pasta, pizza, & cake
Italian trattoria with OTT decor, truffle pasta, pizza, & cake
"Stripy, humbug walls and bright red seats—Ave Mario in Covent Garden teeters over into eyesore territory. And it’s not even a fun eyesore—like the kind that gets you a day off work. It doesn’t have the romantic overload of plants that some of the other spots have, and the two-person armchairs on the ground floor level can feel a little squished. Plus, we once ate a courgette cream pizza here that made us feel sad in a way that no cheesy carb should. Things do get much better on the middle floor (before taking a steep decline in the poor man’s Studio 54 basement). So beg, steal, or barter for one of the rattan seats in the Amalfi Coast-like room." - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna
"Ave Mario is big. Big space, big booths, big old stracciatella gelato cake that gets wheeled around the Dolce & Gabbana meets Italian church ground floor. Ave Mario is a restaurant that understands big voices. On Henrietta Street in Covent Garden, it’s just as likely to induce smiles as it is a glorious limoncello-sponsored hangover. Whether your mates are after 24-hour leavened pizza or truffle-packed pasta, the menu has got you covered. Get a slice of that giant cake and shout for extra caramel, obviously." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing
"Yes, this is from the same people behind Circolo Popolare and Gloria. What can we say? They’re good at going Big with a capital B. And so too will the amount of DMs you get after posting the 60cm stracciatella cake with a gif that says something like ‘gO HArD oR gO hOme!!!’. Very subtle. This hot spot—yes, we just said hot—has three floors, each individually themed and all of which will successfully trick you into thinking you’re somewhere far far away from Covent Garden. Stick with the classic mafaldine al tartufo and burrata, as well as getting one of the 24-hour leavened pizzas. Oh, and don’t forget dessert." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing
"Stepping into Ave Mario feels like stepping onto a movie set. Red booths, neon lights, and mirrors all over the walls. This is a restaurant of escapism, just like Big Mamma restaurant group’s other spots Gloria and Circolo Popolare. There’s outdoor seating at the front and in the back, plus all the usual pizza and pasta suspects. In case that isn’t enough, there’s also stracciatella ice cream cake. Molto bene." - team infatuation
"This Italian trattoria in Covent Garden is from the same people behind Gloria and Circolo Popolare. It’s bigger, even more extravagant, and has a 60cm stracciatella cake." - jake missing, rianne shlebak
