Bancone Covent Garden
London
Visit Bancone Covent Garden for a relaxed dinner before catching a show at nearby West End theaters.
Bancone Covent Garden, located at 39 William IV Street in the vibrant area of Covent Garden, London, offers diners a casual yet energetic dining experience. This Italian-inspired restaurant takes pride in crafting fresh pasta by hand each day, delivering a genuine taste of Italy infused with influences from London and beyond.
The atmosphere at Bancone is lively and informal, making it an ideal choice for those seeking an approachable culinary experience. This setting is perfect for both couples looking for a relaxed dining spot and groups of friends in pursuit of a convivial evening out. The interior showcases a modern aesthetic with hints of warmth, embodying a spirit that easily resonates with the hustle and bustle of its lively Covent Garden surroundings.
The menu at Bancone features a thoughtfully curated selection of pasta dishes, each highlighting the skilled craftsmanship and quality ingredients that define the restaurant's offerings. Paired with a selection of carefully chosen beverages, diners are encouraged to indulge in a dining experience that celebrates the simplicity and sophistication of authentic Italian cuisine.
Bancone's location in Covent Garden makes it a convenient spot for both locals and tourists exploring this dynamic part of London. Whether stopping by for a leisurely lunch, an early dinner, or an evening meal before or after a show, Bancone promises a consistently engaging and satisfying culinary encounter.
Reviews
Bancone Covent Garden is one of those places that keeps delivering. The food, service, and location are all excellent. My only criticism is the seating. I’m not a fan of the fixed high stools, and many of the tables are shared with other parties. Most of the time that’s not an issue, but occasionally you end up next to people who are quite loud, which can affect the experience. Thankfully, the staff were very accommodating and happily found us a lower, regular table when we asked. We started with the olives, fried artichokes, sourdough bread, and endives, our Bancone favourites, and they were all as good as ever. For the mains, everyone ordered a different pasta dish, and every single one was outstanding. The cocktails were excellent, and the wine list offered plenty of great choices. Despite the seating, it’s a restaurant we always enjoy coming back to.
Delicious food and a nice atmosphere. Between the 4 of us, we shared a few antipasti and had a main each. The anchovy cream dish and silk handkerchiefs were incredible, alongside one of their signature negronis. Great dinner spot! Enjoy.
Bancone delivered one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had, including what may be the best pasta dish of my life. The handkerchief pasta was nothing short of extraordinary—rich, creamy, buttery, and so aromatic that you could smell it the moment it arrived at the table. Every bite was perfectly balanced and showcased just how incredible a simple dish can be when executed flawlessly. The rest of the menu was equally impressive, with fresh pasta, outstanding ingredients, and warm, attentive service. Bancone strikes the perfect balance between comfort and refinement. The restaurant itself is quite small and understandably very popular, so I highly recommend making a reservation in advance. If you’re in London and love pasta, this is a restaurant you simply cannot miss.
I visited on Sunday evening and booked in advance. It had been highly recommended on social media and in the reviews, so I was excited to try it. Our waiter, Anika, was absolutely amazing and very friendly. She explained the menu to me and my friend, shared her favourites, and we went with her recommendations. We ordered the silk handkerchief carbonara and the walnut butter with truffle, and both were incredible. We also loved being able to watch the food being made. The only part of the visit I wasn’t happy with was the host. She showed us to our seats and then walked off without offering to take our coats, even though we were on stools with nowhere to put them. We also noticed she took coats for other guests, which didn’t feel great and didn’t give us a warm welcome. The rest of the staff were amazing. A lovely gentleman noticed us holding our coats and kindly took them for us, and he later came back to offer dessert and returned our coats before we left and we really appreciated that. Overall, the staff were wonderful and the experience was great, but the host could have been friendlier and less standoffish. I’ve still given 5 stars because of Anika and the lovely gentleman who helped us — I didn’t catch his name, but he really made up for the poor welcome.
Popular restaurant serving fusion-italian food in a modern chic environment. We arrived on a Friday night at 8pm with no reservation and they kindly accommodated us at the "bancone" where we had ample space to dine. For starters we had a tuna tartare that missed a bit of sparkle, and a flavoursome fried artichoke with red pesto. For the main, we had the popular handkerchief walnut pasta. If you're feeling adventurous, I'd recommend the salty fior di latte ice-cream with olive oil as a dessert - what an amazing blast of flavours! Staff were super attentive and kind, however I felt they were a bit stretched as we had to wait ~20min between the starter and the main - acknowledging the restaurant was full and it was Friday evening!
