Marcella

"There are bowls of pasta that require a napkin tucked into your collar. Then there are pretty plates of pasta that you chew thoughtfully between sips of wine and snatches of conversation. Marcella, an Italian restaurant, makes the latter. Spaghetti cotechino comes with polite specks of sausage and paccheri alla norma gets a light tomato sauce coat rather than a full-on winter jacket. With its white walls and dainty ceramic dishes, Marcella at its buzziest is a grown-up Mediterranean holiday. It’s an ideal date night spot for food that’s bound to be prettier than your partner, and sophisticated meet-ups with discerning friends. " - rianne shlebak, jake missing, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"There are bowls of pasta that you skip starters for, require a napkin tucked into your collar, and contain a sauce that splatters tablecloths and passers-by. Then there are pretty plates of pasta that you chew thoughtfully between sips of wine and snatches of conversation. Marcella, an Italian restaurant in Deptford, does the latter. Spaghetti cotechino comes with polite specks of sausage and paccheri alla norma gets a light tomato sauce coat rather than a full-on winter jacket. With its white walls and dainty ceramic dishes, Marcella at its buzziest is a grown-up Mediterranean holiday. And at its quietest, a lab where genetically perfect pasta is made. It’s an ideal date night spot for food that’s bound to be prettier than your partner, and sophisticated meet-ups with discerning friends." - Sinéad Cranna

"More often than not, neighbourhood restaurants are closed on Mondays. Happily, Marcella isn’t — and for a cheering start-of-the-week dinner south of the river, it’s hard to think of anywhere nicer. It’s modern Italian through and through, from snackable saffron arancini to the fresh pastas — think tagliatelle with chicken sauce, cod cheeks and iberico tomatoes, served in two different portion sizes — and the wine list. Over in Peckham, sister restaurant Artusi is another great Monday-night bet." - Emma Hughes

"There are only a few fresh pastas on the changing menu here but they’re guaranteed to be worth the visit. Marcella is the sister restaurant to Artusi in Peckham (which naturally also offers banging pasta dishes) and has garnered much praise in South East London. From its changing seasonal menu, expect a hazelnut and brown butter tagliatelle, or spaghetti enveloped in wild garlic pesto." - Daisy Meager

"A sprightly neighbourhood restaurant from the team behind Artusi in Peckham, Marcella champions Italian food dictated by seasonality. Naturally, the food is often majestically straightforward, with the constantly changing menu scribbled onto a blackboard, the focal point of the stylish dining room. Dishes may include smoked ox heart skewers with peppers, olives and anchovies, or seared scallop with brown butter, rosemary, and a film of lardo. Fresh pastas are the main reason to visit, however, served in two different portion sizes. The bucatini alla carbonara is an essential when it’s on the menu, or ricciarelli with ‘nduja and cauliflower, both paired with a glass of light red from the exclusively Italian wine list." - Jonathan Hatchman