Guido's

"Somewhere between TikTokers screaming about this being the best pasta in London and the thought of eating carbonara out of a cardboard box, we'd already decided Guido's was going to be a letdown. After visiting the fast food-style pasta spot in Holborn a few times, we don’t think it’s the best pasta in London. But we concede that, if you order right, it’s a good-quality, well-cooked, quick lunch or early dinner—at a reasonable price. The touch-screen ordering system, with the option to customise pasta shapes and toppings, is convenient and food flies out in under 10 minutes. There are some rules to follow to have a decent meal here, though. The carbonara gets claggy if you're travelling and the 'nduja is an almost inedible firestorm. Ignore the bread too. Instead get the cacio e pepe and amatriciana (they don’t scrimp on the guanciale). Food Rundown Nduja This ‘nduja sauce is hotter than the sun. And not in a smoky, balanced way. In a sheer wall of painful heat, kind of way. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Cacio E Pepe Traditional and straightforward, like a beloved grandparent. The right amount of pecorino and pepper come together with pasta water to make this glossy sauce. It’s not going to blow anyone away, but this is one of our go-tos for a quick, filling lunch. Amatriciana They don’t try to fob you off with bacon, this is properly salty, fatty guanciale. We like it best with the rigatoni so that little nubs of pork work their way into the odd surprise bite. Like all the pasta here, it's cooked nicely too." - Sinéad Cranna