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Gustoso Ristorante & Enoteca: An Authentic Italian Escape in London

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So good! Traditional Italian food and the staff was amazing! Having no reservations, they found a great spot for we casual Americans just off the plane. The food was delish! And the ambiance perfect. Thank you all at Gustoso!

Ps calamari--AMAZING.

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Edible but not authentic. I really wanted to love Gustoso, but sadly, the lack of flavor let me down. 

Started with burata. Pretty good, but not as authentic as italy. It was more akin to a mozzarella dressed with rocket and parma.

Extensive wine selections in multiple sizes of carafes offer great wine tasting options. 

I opted for the risotto of fresh veg. Very disappointed. My first thought after one bite was "frozen vegetables ?" Zero flavor, zero satisfaction. There wasn't any creaminess that comes from a well executed arborio rice either. 

My wife had the orecchietti  with shrimp. She was very underwhelmed . Flavors were off and the shrimp was clearly frozen. 
 To Gustoso's credit, the staff was friendly and attentive. They asked for honest feedback and I gave it. They took the riso off the bill. 

I would say this place is OK if you're not expecting the level of expectations that the yelp reviews would have you believe. They are good, but have room for improvement.  
 They made mistakes, but made it right in the end.

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We came for the pre theater dinner package with Wicked. It turned out to be an amazing dinner. We were the only table at 6pm and I was a little apprehensive about the emptiness of the restaurant. Oh, boy! I was totally worried for nothing! The prefix 2 course meal was outstanding! Doesn't matter which choice we chose was all amazing! Not to mention it was less than 10 min walk to Apollo Victoria Theater. Highly recommended!

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Mediocre Italian - nothing terribly authentic - the absolute worst table-service I've ever had in all of London! 

We arrived with a small group of ~ 8 on a weeknight. It was nice seeing the restaurant was fairly busy - good choice we hoped? Not quite...

Despite our reservation, the hostess seemed a bit overwhelmed when we arrived. We were seated in a fairly short amount of time at the very back of the extremely hot restaurant. Hot / trendy...? NO. Hot = the devil warms his coffee here. Now keep in mind I'm not a terribly large person, I'm fairly "cold-blooded" at 5'7" and under 130#,  but this venue was so stuffy and devoid of any air movement, sweat literally ran down my face. It wasn't quite conducive to the look I was hoping for, especially considering this was a first-time meeting for some of us in the dining party.

We waited nearly 20 minutes to be greeted, of which we never were. We finally resorted to flagging a member of the wait staff and nearly begging for water. Drink orders were taken but not served for another 20-25 minutes. 45 minutes without hydration in a restaurant this uncomfortable was nearly a health hazard. 

I was never sure which member of the wait staff was assigned to our table - as all of them avoided us like the plague. At one point, we finally summoned the manager to nearly beg for our orders to be taken. We all simply ordered a salad and entrée.

Bread service took nearly an hour to make it to the table. After taking our orders, we didn't see a salad for another 30-45 minutes... even then, they weren't served together... part of the table received theirs, the others waited even longer. The "salads" were done quite well, despite the wait. I had the mozzarella and tomato - it was lovely, however, the portion of mozzarella to the tomato was a bit off... very cheesy. The other party members enjoyed their salads but none had raving reviews.

By the time the entrees made it to the table, we had been there for well over two hours. I was soaked to the bone in sweat, as were the other party members. We had been out of water for the majority of the meal. Drinks were not replenished... the meal was over-salted and hardly "authentic". We ate out of necessity, paid the bill and left.

Overall, we wouldn't return. Watching at least 4 surround tables arrive after us, be well attended to, served, paid and leave before us... frustrating as ever! This wouldn't be on the "recommended" list. Two stars? Only because the wine was pretty darn good - not to mention the bread was nice with the dipping oil/herbs.

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Gustoso has, for the past few years, been our go-to Italian in the Victoria/Pimlico area. It's rarely too busy to accommodate us, has a wide well-priced menu, and the restaurant itself is cute (it even has a static Vespa in the window). In total, I've probably been about 10 or 15 times, which leaves me well placed to point out its positives and negatives (though they have recently rearranged and trimmed the menu).

When I went to Gustoso last week I started with the deep fried squid and courgette which is a firm favourite, and something that it's always worth having on your table. They used to serve it in little baskets and have recently switched to an open plate (which, I think, means a slightly smaller serving) but it's still all delicious and great for sharing. The burrata there is also good though on a few occasions it hasn't been available and they've recommended mozzarella as a substitute, which isn't really the same. 

I often have the calves' liver at Gustoso which is usually good (though I'd recommend ordering a side of spinach, as it doesn't come with much in the way of veg) but I had been snacking on Pringles before dinner, so went for the baby octopus linguine instead ("octopus again!", you might say) which was nice, though I'd recommend their crag tagliolini more highly. It's spicy and packed with fresh tomatoes, and is a real highlight of the menu. My dining companions had the spinach and ricotta ravioli (offered from the set menu as they don't have a huge number of vegetarian options) and the liver. Both slipped down well, especially with a nice white wine from their fairly extensive menu (it is an enoteca as well as a ristorante after all).

Overall, I'd say that Gustoso is a reliable favourite for people in the area. If you were travelling to London from abroad then I'd suggest that there are slightly flashier (read: more expensive) or livelier (read: more noisy) options. But Gustoso is a great for groups, as there is usually space at short notice and there isn't any egregious background music or overwhelming hubbub. It's also a good place to have a serious conversation - requesting a divorce or disabusing children of the Santa Claus delusion, for example - and grab a tasty bite as well.

So, I'd say that Gustoso is the quintessential Pimlico village Italian.

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I like cured meats. I developed a real taste for them in Italy. 

I don't make it over to West Hempstead often, except when I go to the theatre. 

Once I didn't make my movie and angrily started to take a walk. I found myself here at Gustoso. 

I bought myself some yummy Parma ham here and some olives, which were very nice. Although I do find this store to be rather expensive for drinks. 

As I waited for my ham to be sliced, I saw this soy drink (my partner always asks me to buy soy) for twice as much as it needed to be. I wouldn't buy anything other than speciality products here.

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Some of the best Italian food I've had outside of Italy. Coming from an Italian family and having lived in Italy for a handful of months I am always skeptical of Italian restaurants. The food here was fantastic. Perfectly cooked pasta that tasted authentic and delicious. I definitely recommend Gustoso!

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Very nice food, great staff. The interior is cosy and inviting. However, feeling that the service is rushed, a full score is not achievable. Recommend if you are in a hurry.

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I have to admit, I was a little suspicious of this place when I first looked up restaurants near Victoria Station (was meeting a friend from New York in that area) given that there were very few reviews ANDwWe were able to get reservations at 7:30 PM on a Saturday night an hour in advance, but I decided to go with it anyway.  It is a little hard to find but that wasnt a huge problem given that my trusty Citymapper app guided me on how to get there.

I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised.  The decor felt inviting but still had a touch of trend to it.  We started with a carafe of the Montepulciano, which was smooth with some nice body in it and ordered the special appetizer, my favorite Burrata with rocket and baby tomatoes.  This was good, I did need to add a little bit of salt, but I prefer places where you have the opportunity to add salt and not be stuck with something overly salted.

We then ordered our mains: Lamb ravioli, which was melting in my mouth and not just because they make their own pasta fresh, the lamb tasted like it had been slow-cooked for hours.  The other order was the pan fried chicken over potatoes and a side salad, which was good as well, not dry at all.  

We ended with some coffees-latte and americano, both of which were very tasty and didnt need any sugar (thats my real test) and went on our merry way home.  I would have to say the service was great, the team was incredibly attentive, and if I am ever back in Victoria again, I would not hesitate to go back.  Very reasonably priced as well.  See you soon Gustoso!

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Really quite a nice experience on a quiet street in London. We started off the meal with some prosecco and the flatbread with parmesan, the perfect combination. After a small salad with a delicious lemony dressing, we moved to on to the main course. I had the hake with a pumpkin purée and fantastic creamy tomato sauce. It was cooked perfectly and the purée was delicious. I also had a few bites of the risotto- oh my goodness it was amazing. We were too full for dessert, but the biscuits that came with the check were exactly the sweetness we needed to close out the meal. Excellent dinner.

Gustoso Ristorante & Enoteca: Best Italian Dining Near Victoria Theatre, London

Gustoso Ristorante & Enoteca offers a delightful journey through authentic Italian cuisine, perfect for food lovers and casual diners alike. Explore our diverse menu featuring fresh, flavorful dishes crafted with care, complemented by an extensive selection of wines.

Deep fried calamari and vegetables, crispy and served with a tangy dip

Fresh seafood risotto, creamy and packed with ocean flavors

Homemade pasta with rich, flavorful sauces, cooked to perfection

Traditional tiramisu, rich and indulgent with a coffee kick

Extensive Italian wine list, including reds, whites, and sparkling options

Refreshing prosecco and classic Italian cocktails

Pre-theatre set menu featuring classic Italian dishes, ideal for quick yet satisfying dining

Discover Gustoso Ristorante & Enoteca in London for authentic Italian flavors, cozy ambiance, and handcrafted dishes. Book your table for an unforgettable culinary experience!

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