La Porchetta Pollo Bar

Amazing Italian restaurant in Old Compton Street. Guys cut your portion sizes in half as our starters & main courses were just to big and we couldn't eat everything which was such a shame. Staff were helpful & friendly & the menu was so cheap considering the restaurant location. It has a basement for when it gets busy & we will come back here to eat every time we visit London. Thankyou so much.

I've been coming here for very many years and usually pleased hence my return. Today wasn't very good Extremely noisy and a dog was let in too. Today's waitresses must be the most miserable in London giving a very stressy feel to the place. However, the young male waiters were very easy on the eye ( especially muscular fella with two ring arm tattoo) and smiled now and again when they appeared upstairs immediately improving the atmosphere. They'd do well to maximise the young male waiters with deployment upstairs! The food was fine. Nicely done and tasty . However, much too much . The pasta would be better a third less price and a third less quantity. But the chef to be commended . So too the handsome pizza maker for excellent pizza . Toilets ok . An accessible one on entry level if required, though tricky to use when table in front is occupied I didn't enjoy my visit today as the restaurant felt very stressy and frenetic with lots of noise, but will return as here has been a long time go-to place that I've liked .

Enormous serves of delicious Italian food, super friendly and fast service. A great lively atmosphere, greeted and welcomed by the friendly old Italian manager:/owner. The pizzas are huge and could easily be shared by 2 people.

Amazing to get such good food for such reasonable prices this central in London, nice house wine too. Quick and friendly servic. Great atmosphere with very friendly staff. Lasagna was 💋

Theatre trip with a friend, found this place online, was not disappointed. We went for lunch, amazing atmosphere, lovely staff - including the chef who made us some special pizzas! Honestly made the whole day even more enjoyable, will absolutely be going back if in the area again!

Authentic, unpretentious and cosy Italian atmosphere, complete with no-nonsense staff and shouting chefs. But when it comes to the food, how can it be called authentic if the carbonara is made with cream and bacon? Still, I enjoyed what I had.

An outstanding little Italian restaurant bang in the middle of soho. The menu hasn't changed much in my twenty years of eating here. The pizzas are incredible and they offer a range of starters and pasta dishes with something for everyone. You won't wait long for service and the food arrives in a matter of minutes. The prices are more than reasonable for such quality in Central London. Looking at £10-£15 for a main.

We went there on our vacation in London There was 6 of us but the waiters served us right away We went there because of the great reviews and they didn’t disappoint. We ordered lasagna, pizza and pasta The lasagna was okay, nothing special to be honest. But that’s the only thing that wasn’t perfect about this restaurant. The pizza was amazing and the size of it was unbelievable, it serves two people without a problem. And the pastas were even better! We had the spaghetti bolognese and the carbonara. If you go there and you enjoy carbonara, ask without a second thought! Soft and fresh pasta and the sauce was delicious! And they didn’t use any cream, it was just eggs and cheese, just like it should be! Also, the portions of the pasta were amazing, some of us couldn’t finish the whole thing, and the waiters asked if we wanted a box to take the leftovers. Cannot compliment the staff enough, they were all so nice and friendly. The owner (we think it was the owner, a lovely older man at the entrance, spoke to us a bit in our language and it was incredibly friendly) One of the best restaurants we’ve ever been that serves Italian food This place it’s totally worth the hype and we definitely want to come back on a next visit to London

Food was tasty and it was cheap!! We were looking for a late night spot after watching a show and stumbled on this random Italian spot. Food came out fast!

Excellent! It's little place but soooo good. I left the Harry Potter show with a goal for pizza and I'm so glad I found this. Excellent hand made dough. The espresso martini was superb. Plus the team was delightful, welcoming and kind.

Amazing pasta and wine!!! Walking around Covent Garden and Zane across this amazing place. The calzone and pizzas look great too

Great late-night meal. Ou group had pastas snd pizza. Good drink selection too. Feels less touristy than the rest of the area.

Had I had more days we would've gone back for seconds... we should have over ordered, and tried the pizza! Everything was delicious and make sure you get the aperitif Spritzer! Authentic and delicious!

I was just wanting a tasty pizza.... And boy did I get it!! I sat down at the first table just inside the door and the older gentleman that was making the pizzas was just a joy!!! He was smiling and connecting and seemed to really enjoy his job! The waiter was also great, incredibly friendly and helpful. Service was quick and the ambience of the restaurant was nice.... very Italian! But the pizza was just delicious. It seemed very authentic, the crust was perfect, the sauce, the toppings, excellent! I would come here again in an instant! I wish I would have gotten the name of the waiter, he was great! Thanks La Porchetta!

The food was good, and great portions too, highly recommend the pizza. The service we had wasn't the best, our main waitress and the owner were rude to us and our waitress ignored us but they did have other servers who were helpful.

Was not expecting a great food experience in a tourist trap area. First hint it could be good. A gregarious owner at the door. Second hint: Staff and diners speaking Italian To dispense with the bad: decor! If you're thinking first date restaurant, think again. Not even during the first 6 months of dating. Enuff said. The food: If you're familiar with Italy and pizzas in Milan, this is a spot on analogy. A glass of house Prosecco, anchovies and an excellent ham and mushroom pizza. Bellissimo. The quality of the ham, the sauce, the fresh English countryside mushrooms and THE CRUST! Perfect.

We came here because it was the closest restaurant that served pizza to the bus stop. We had spent the day in Cambridge and we were hungry. My fiancee wanted pizza, so we looked this place up on GoogleMaps and saw it was relatively close. We all felt like we were fading from hunger. The place is interesting. There are pig portraits on the wall intermixed with some pictures of Italian people. I'm also pretty sure the staff is Italian. It was also pretty crowded when we were there, which tells us that it's a popular restaurant. We ordered one Hawaiian pie (yes, I'm one of those people; don't judge me) and one pepperoni pie. My fiancee's sister and I shared the Hawaiian pie (b/c she's also one of those people) and my fiancee ate the pepperoni pie by himself (something he is proud of). I have to say they were amazing. It could also be because we were really hungry, but I really liked the food anyway. If we were staying in London longer, I would have gotten a pasta dish.

What a great little Italian restaurant that was very reasonable and the food was amazing. We shared antipasto appetizer, Margarita pizza, spaghetti bolognese and lasagna. So much for for the 3 of us.

Unreal! In a word. Don't expect a fancy place but it is awesome. From the minute u are greeted by the owner to the pizza chef right at the entrance this place is legit. Get the fucccia bread and a salad to start with a peroni. My son had a fresh pizza, daughter had bolonase which was great and I had the putanesca. Wife had some other pasta that was also good. They were all super good. Price was also right. 48 pounds. Included tip.

This is a small no muss no fuss Italian restaurant with everything you would expect to see on the menu at a standard pizza pasta restaurant. This isn't a high end Italian restaurant, you're not gonna get lobster, calves liver and burrata on the menu but what it does do is pretty tasty, generously portioned and very very cheap especially given the location. Most pasta and pizza dishes fall between £6-9. Side salads which were a good sharing size were under a fiver and decent. I had the rocket salad and aubergine, tomato and chilli pasta which was very nice and tried some Pizza which was pretty good too. If you're after a low key 'cheap eats' Italian dinner with some friends before drinks in soho, this is it.

Atleast for me it was hard to find a restaurant not littered with fake 5 star reviews. But this place is awesome. Not a tourist trap what so ever,authentic Italian restaurant, great prices, great environment, friendly and warm owner, pretty friendly staff, and most importantly amazing food. 100% recommend.

Amazing quaint restaurant. They were closing in 15 minutes and a gentleman welcomed is in with open arms. Not quite what I was expecting. So great. There Pizza was great. The calamari was great.

Small restaurant next to Martin's theater. It is low key and has basic decor. The waitress was friendly and I enjoyed the margarita pizza

One action drastically changed this establishment's score all the way down to a one. Food was good. My wife and her sister weren't able to finish their pastas so they had asked for a box. I guess the restaurant packs it up for you because the waitress took their plates to put everything in a take away box. Unfortunately, as the waitress walked away the from table, I noticed one the forks falls from the plate to the ground. Some guy with a man bun behind the register picks it up and puts it back on the plate. I see the waitress mouth something to him and he makes a face and they both laugh at one another. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt, to own up on the situation, but nope, the waitress came back with the take away boxes. No "sorry we had a mishap and can't give you the take away box" ...nothing. Let's just pack contaminated food and give it back to the customer. Could've been a one time thing but who knows??? If that's how they handle those types of situations, then maybe they're relaxed on how they handle their food to begin with. Major turnoff!

Some may wonder why i give this place the full five star treatment. Well, whilst it might not look as fancy as some glorified pizza places that plague our city, this tiny, friendly place serves some of the best pizza and pasta in Soho. Now I usually refuse to order pasta anywhere as you can always make it at home for next to nothing, but the 3 cheese pasta here is really tasty. Do what i do on my fat days and order a portion as a sharing dish alongside one of the many great pizza's. The really great thing is that the prices here are so good it's still cheaper and better than any of the commercial places nearby. Good for small groups as well!

Holy crap, how does this place exist?! I wanted a cheap dinner in London and found way more than I was looking for. The restaurant looks like that place you went to when you were in middle school or high school and wanted to hang out with your friends when school got out, but it's full of Londoners, foreigners, older people, and younger. The menu is great- they have about 30 pasta dishes and almost all of them are under £8. I've only had the penne amatriciana and the spaghetti bolognese but both we're delicious and for once I was glad that the portions were HUGE! I ate half at the restaurant then took half to the hotel. La Porchetta is a safe bet when you want something good, cheap, and filling, especially in Soho/Covent Garden. I'm *almost* ashamed to admit that in my four days in London, I came here twice.

What a great restaurant. Nothing fancy but packed with people. The food was AMAZING and the portions were HUGE. My son had a calzone that was literally the size of his head. The rest of us had pasta dishes that were not only freshly made and piping hot but were basically what a regular restaurant would consider a double portion. Six of us were dining and the bill including a couple beers, a couple sodas and a ginormous tiramisu dessert was £88. By FAR our least expensive meal in London. This place is GREAT. Do yourself a favor and if you're in the area check them out.

Great food and really good and fast service. Doesn't look like much from the outside but it's worth it to give it a try. We'll be back!

I lived in Rome for 3 years and have trouble enjoying pasta or pizza from many places, maybe I am over critical or expect more than I should from places. The penne arrabbiata here is just like it is in Rome, seriously... the best pasta I have had outside Italy. I was shocked! We also tried the pizza, which was good, but not excellent & the caprese salad wasn't terribly authentic but the penne overshadowed everything and now I am a huge fan of this place. The location and interior of the cafe does not do the food justice. It reminds me of an American Italian diner that serves overcooked mushy pasta. Needless to say I'm glad this wasn't the case. The price is also spot on and the service was quick and friendly. I highly suggest checking it out!

Great food at a great price! We came here after straying from the over crowded Leicester Square - and we were not disappointed. We ate not he main floor but were told there was additional seating downstairs. We sat near the pizza oven where diners can watch as they make your pizza. We ordered a pizza and lasagna and the portions were huge. Great value with great flavor.

Really great bolognese. Probably the best I've ever had. Not too meaty. The pizzas are big enough for two to share. Great prices. About 9 pounds per person. Very kid friendly. Great Italian food in the heart of it all. Food just as good on the second visit.

This experience was a bit of a disaster for us. We went here because we were in the area, craving Italian food, and it was pretty well-rated. When we arrived, it looked like a cute, homey restaurant. However, we were quickly ushered downstairs, which didn't have any of the charm of upstairs. It looked like a windowless cafe, very plain. The menu was huge, with all the staples you would expect from an Italian restaurant. It took us a long time to get the waitress's attention, and she was surly with us. Our food took at least an hour to arrive. During that time, we saw a table of about twelve young men get their pizzas every ten minutes or so. Some of them had finished eating before others had received their food. We also saw two women with a young girl tell the waitress that they had been waiting for their food for a long time, and that they had theater tickets to get to. A couple came in after us (and after the women with theater tickets), and received their food first, at which point the women gave up, told the waitress that the wait had been ridiculous, and left. At this, the waitresses rolled their eyes and chatted/gossiped with each other. The food left a lot to be desired. My pasta was alright, but my boyfriend's pizza was undercooked and raw in the middle. Overall, do yourself a favor and go to any of the other amazing restaurants London has to offer.

Can I just say? This place is authentic. A friend and I happened upon this joint entirely by chance! We tried asking the waitresses for help in choosing off of the menu -- they had a hard time with English but that's okay. Language barriers seem to indicate bomb food -- and this was no different. I had the penne alla amatriciana (or something like that) which was about £7 including the service charge. The portions were huuuuge for London, definitely worth two meals as I had to pack half for takeaway!! The pasta was quite flavorful and cooked to perfection, and the pizza my friend had looked amazing. Will definitely be back for great quality and great value!

To me they have the best pizza in Soho. Staff are friendly and the service is pretty quick.

Perfect customer service!! Very welcoming and nice service. Food was affordable and very good for the price :)

This place offers great food for the price. It isn't fancy nor does it provide amazing service but this is easily one of the cheapest and most filling meals I had in London. My whole meal consisting of a big bowl of pasta and soda was below 10 pounds. The menu is quite long with tons of pasta and pizza choices below 10 pounds. I noticed that most of the people in the restaurant ordered a pizza but I was craving pasta, so I went for that instead. I ordered the penne with amatriciana sauce and it came out perfectly. The sauce was tangy with a meaty flavor, and the pasta was tender but not overcooked. The portion was huge. I came in with quite an appetite and still left at least a quarter of the plate untouched. Service was pretty so-so but I'm sure if I had a problem, it would have been easy to get a server's attention. If you're in the area and craving a hearty, filling Italian meal that won't hit you too hard in the wallet, this is definitely worth checking out.

Managed to persuade my parents to head here yesterday evening and we weren't disappointed. Pasta was great and the "Stinco porco" could've fed all of us for days. Will definitely be going back to try the pizzas....cheap and cheerful and does what its says on the tin!

I went with 5 people to this amazing pizza and pasta place. we have been here before and convinced our friends to eat dinner with us. staff is lovely, huge space downstairs - if you have a chance, try to sit upstairs - to watch the pizza baker :) we ordered 3 pizzas (mushroom, vegetarian and ham/mushroom), spaghetti with meat balls and a mozzarella-tomato salad. the food was very fresh and after only 15min at the table. nobody left the place hungry :) very delicious and unbeatable prices for this area in london.

Going to Porchetta will make you feel you are at home. Try spaghetti bolognese or gnocchi with gorgonzola...what an amazing choice in those cold days! Price is ok and nice and friendly staff. Open until late if you fancy a good dinner after few pints :)

La Porchetta.. La Porchetta... How you have served me well this year. With the traditional homely feel of a family run Italian, La Porchetta never disappoints. Just like a 'Lidl' advert you are surprised by how cheap the bill is in regards to how great the food tasted and you will definitely come back for more!! I love Italian, and on a night out I love to save some pennies. This place hasn't marked all of it's prices up just cause it is in the heart of Soho, London. Neither has it scrimped on it's ingredients. If I am being completely honest I started going here as it was a cheap way to line my stomach before a night out (come on we can all admit we have done that), but now I come here cause the food is just so good. I always lean towards the pizza (Fiorentina.. I know, Egg on a pizza!!) and never get food envy. It's my go to place and my friends never complain. P.S GET THE £5 Aperol Spritz they are amazing!!

Pizza was good, but nothing extraordinary. Definitely good enough to eat, but not something you'll talk about tomorrow. Pasta dish was very good (Carbanara). Very rich and something I will talk about tomorrow. My friends also got lasts and throughly enjoyed. Cheers!

First of all, the food is incredible value, and the menu is big, but considered. Eating at Pollo is just a fantastic experience. Fast, delicious, friendly, great prices. If you are in the Soho area, you simply cannot do better for authentic Italian food.

I have been here a few times. It is a great place to eat. The portions are huge and really inexpensive. Perfect after a long day of sight seeing or a long evening of drinking. Any of the pizzas are really good, though I would pass on the calamari.

Quite good and quite cheap, I was brought here with some friends after an event in Soho and was told it was a legit Italian place (as exampled by the workers shouting not in english and looking angrily at each other, like any normal Italian family might) It was pretty busy at night, but I don't think we had to wait much longer than 15 min or so for a table. They seemed to run like a well-oiled machine, and the pizzas were fresh and fast. Certainly worth a stop, there's a few good choices for cheap eats in this little radius, so give them a shot and re-appreciate soho for something other than 15 pound cocktails.

I won't give this place a second look.. But the massive plate of pasta did. Oh and the pizza dude working his magic on a ball of dough.. Yupp I like a front row seat! Home made fresh pasta. Sold! Big juicy prawns and muscles. Sold! (I had the marinara btw). And who needs pizza express when you can get pizza from this joint. Mama Mia! Portions are big and it's tasty too. It's faff free food and so are the prices. Staff are friendly and very Italiano. Won't be long till I go back there and say Ciao Bella! ( corny but cool!!!)

I was fooled by their name, which is not to be confused with the Porcetta chain that you can find in other areas nearby.. they seem to be a family run business, or at least, an all Italian crew. Not too many frills, but the cook can be seen at the window chucking and spinning the dough into the air, and the service was fast and fairly friendly in that 'whacha wanta?' kind of way. The pizzas here are really good.. clean tasting, crispy thin crust that you can happily hold onto as you snarf it down. For the price, it's hard to do better for pizza in the area. Five stars might be a tad high, considering the slightly downscale decor, but then I was kind to Soho' Joe's, and this pie is better than theirs, and even if it's just slightly lagging behind Rosso Pomodoro, it's also almost half the price.

I've tried quite a few of the Italian restaurants along Old Compton Street. I haven't had a bad experience yet, however, this particular restaurant seems to offer the same menu, the same level of good service except at an astonishingly good price. I had a pasta dish and my wife had a pizza. Both were excellent. My two young children shared a meal as they are quite large portions. The nest time I'm in the area I'll defiantly eat here again.

This place is great for the value - you get a very generous portion for the price you pay. However, I thought the food was just mediocre. I ordered the "paglia e fieno ai broccoli" and when it first came out it looked/smelled super good. Unfortunately, the taste didn't quite match my expectations. The noodles were harder than I would've preferred and the broccoli seemed a bit overcooked. I'm also not sure how I felt about the chili...when I ordered I thought it was going to be a lot more subtle than it actually turned out to be (pretty spicy, in my opinion). Will I be back? Most likely not - even though the price was great, the food was a tad subpar.

OH MY GOD! I had the gnocchi a la gorgonzala, added some bacon and mushrooms... that was the bomb.com. It's sooooooo much food and such a great price. I'm just thankful i found a great, economic Italian place in London.

Great pizza and pasta place in Soho. A hidden gem. Prices are reasonable, portions are huge, and service is good. My Napolitano pizza was superb, just the right quantity of olives and anchovies. We will definitely be coming back!

This was exactly what we were looking for! Portions were a good size and everything was delicious. Another review mentioned slow service, but considering the fact that everything was fresh I thought the food was prepared in a good amount of time! We could literally see the pizzas being tossed and the pasta was steaming when it arrived. Overall great experience!

A favourite that we keep coming back to, delicious pasta and pizza at a great price and the service is always good. A epic range of dishes but the gnocchi sorrentino keeps calling, and the tiramsu is worth the trip itself. This is great comfort food at a bargain price, and while it may not blow you away, you will leave very happy with change in your pocket.

Cheap and tasty pizzas are cooked in the open kitchen at the front of the restaurant. Nice to watch it being made for you :) Base: 6/10. Not chewy, but not nearly thin nor crispy enough Flavour: 7/10. Quattro Formaggi. A little heavy on the blue, but otherwise good. Portion: 10/10. Lots of cheese. Nice big 10 or 12 inch base. Price: 9/10. £6! Service: 8/10. Quick, to the point.

It does the trick for a quick bite to eat before going to a play. But our pastas were under seasoned and they were very heavy handed with the blue cheese in my pasta. Don't think I will be rushing back there anytime soon.

Incredible food for surprisingly reasonable price! With an abundance of deliciously simply destined options, my friend and I finally settled on pizza (as it looked and smelled too good to pass up) and red table wine (as the bottle price- just under 15 pounds- was too good to pass up!). While we waited for our pizza, we sipped our wine (nothing spectacular, but very satisfying and comfortable) while enjoying the busy, familial atmosphere of the restaurant. Though distracted and hard-worked, the staff was very polite and brought water quickly when we managed to get their attention between running plates of pasta and pizza to their happy, hungry clientele. When our pies were brought out, they did not disappoint; I myself happily tucked into a broccoli and sausage pizza, which managed to balance the toppings, sauce, and cheese impeccably. My friend thoroughly enjoyed her mushroom pizza. The crust, a crunchy woodfired style, was a sturdy and delicious vehicle for fresh ingredients. A friendly, well-run, fairly-priced, and (most importantly!) tasty establishment, I highly recommend :)

Initially taken here by an old work colleague (old as in no longer working together, not aged - although have taken the parentals here too and they loved it) as he knew the owner. Turns out he only knew the owner as he had been a regular there for years. Must be good, I thought and BOY.. couldn't have been more right! I love this place. The food is literally made in front of your eyes in an open kitchen by the chef who mumbles to himself / sings to himself. Real italian food cooked in the big fire ovens, served by crazy Italian family at a superb price of around £7 for a main. And HUGE. As in the titanic of pizzas. And smothered in a real home made fresh Italian tomato sauce. Also offer amazing chilli oil to spice it all up a bit too. AND if you're lucky, and the owner is in a particularly friendly mood... free limoncello at the end of the meal! The outside seating / window tables also offer the best view of the London Street Television and the classic mixture of Soho characters. Could the London Italian life get any better?

I am not sure what everyone sees in this place. The food was decent, but nothing memorable. The best thing about this place was the prices. Pretty much all dishes are under £10. My girlfriend and I split a pizza (hawaiian) and a pasta dish (spaghetti bolognese). We also ordered a half bottle of wine. Our total bill came to around £30. Do a bit more research and I am sure you will come across better Italian.