G G
my friend told me to go here as food would be delicious . she was well right .
As soon we arrived the owner gived us the welcome. He Explaining us how the make the homemade pasta , pizza and all of the concept behind . I found it really interesting . we end up having seafood ,antipasti ,pasta and dessert.
I read a few of bad reviews in here that I don't really agree with it .some people saying pasta was not cook enough, far away from "Al dente ". Well the " al dente fresh homemade pasta " will always be a bit harder then the cheap one u get from supermarket but doesn't mean pasta not cook.
Well the food was delicious , resturant clean and nice ,the staff really polite and friendly 5 stars indeed .
Vanessa Sau
A proper Italian Restaurant in London. Top quality, cozy atmosphere and lovely staff. Everything I tried was very tasty and fresh. A true Italian experience. Highly recommended!
J oe
Pizza was banging! The wholemeal-like dough was a welcome surprise and the toppings have that perfect sloppy but crispy umami goodness.
We ordered takeout through Deliveroo. I’d avoid the chips and tiramisu both were average but who cares when the pizzas that good?
Food 5/5
Value 4/5
Atmosphere - don’t know!
Ingrid
Friendly staff and top notch Italian food. Pasta and seafood was great, and loved the homemade panna cotta. Happy to have found a local Italian place, will be returning.
Stella Ghea
Surely the best pizza I have tried in Battersea so far! The exterior of the restaurant may not be the most attractive, but once you try the food and meet the friendly owner, Gabriele, you'll definitely want to stay. Can't wait to go back and try the other typical Napoleatan dishes!
silkworm
Been to Italy a million times and this is just like being there... Napolitano style, grande pizze at decent price for London and cheaper than flying to Napoli! Recommend the funghi and rucola with truffle oil..
Jonathan
There is a real attention to detail in their food, from choosing the right flour for their bread and pizza dough, to obtaining organic ingredients for taste. We will definitely be coming back. The four cheese pizza was some of the best I've ever had and their pasta is home-made.
Cristiana Campanella
Best restaurant in clapham junction. Staff was really nice and welcomed, expecially Mimmì who order for us an out the the menù pizza fritta with cicoli and ricotta.
Higly recommended!
Giovanna Cc
I came here for dinner with a my friend last week and. They have a new Chef which has recreated the pizza menu LORENZO that tastes like it is straight from Italy! The dough is beautifully crisp and light and every mouthful is a taste sensation. I have worked in a few restaurants before and tasted many a pizza and I can honestly say that this chef knows what he is doing! We also had fantastic customer service from the staff ANTONIO They made sure we were well looked after and very knowledgeable on the menu when we had some questions. I will definitely go back to this restaurant and am looking forward to trying out more of the menu!
Bryony Ashcroft
Visited here for New Year's Eve. Great service, wonderful atmosphere. The arancini starter was yummy and the pizzas are delicious. Would definitely go back.
Julia Khobova
Neither food was good nor service, ended up calling the police. Ordered 5 pasta dishes and a risotto that's what the Italian restaurant specializes in. Sent it back because pasta and rice was undercooked, hard in the middle, almost raw. They said Italian food is supposed to be like that. Everyone is aware of the fact that the best Italian pasta should be a bit hard but not uncooked. Obviously, they knew it was wrong, apologized for a busy time and many customers, cooked a bit more. Second time it was still hard, impossible to eat. We couldn't finish our food. They offered a bottle of prosecco for that and a shot of limoncello. As we found out later they added a bottle of prosecco extra to the bill, cheeky! When we pointed that out, the manager started shouting at us saying "you took an advantage of us, pay the bill and get the f*** out of this place". Then tried to punch my friend (a girl) because she pointed out at their mistake. We had to call the police. The owner threw a plate at me because I was standing on the way by accident. Such a disaster!!! Not good food (pasta £15), rude and insulting staff. The worst were the manager and the owner :/
Ankita Bulsara
The best food served is Pizza and Garlic bread. Was really does a pointed with prawns and lobster ravioli. <br/>The bruchetta starters are worth trying. The service is good. The place is very congested, it would have been great if there was more space around tables. <br/>Please make your bookings before hand. The place is usually crowded during weekends.
London-Unattached
I have such wonderful memories of summers spent in the Bay of Naples in my teen years. The photo above is me, my mum and aunt in Pompeii with Vesuvius behind us, taken in 1975. The next year we made friends with an Italian young woman called Tina and her cousin Etta, who invited us to stay at their summer apartment which was built on the rocks above the sea between Minori and Amalfi. Steep steps down the cliff lead directly into the sea where their friend the Marquis picked us up in his yacht and took us to Capri; a taste of the high-life indeed. Our friends (the rather handsome Enzo and Antonio) on holiday from Naples were not so wealthy, and arrived in a row boat, together with the large octopus they had just caught. The octopus later re-appeared on top of a large mound of spaghetti cooked by their mother – a dish I shall never forget as it was served whole and appeared to be looking at us! The walk from Minori to Ravello through the lemon groves was amazing, and everywhere we went the people friendly and welcoming, one of the lemon farmers invited us in for drinks I remember. Now famous for the Amalfi lemons, at the time they couldn’t be given away as the thick skins weren’t thought marketable by the supermarkets, and I think spurred on the invention/production of limoncello.
Parisa Kelly
Excellent food the pizza and the pasta both cooked to perfection and truly authentic. One of my good friends is Italian and a chef so visited by his recommendation and what a joy it was. Everything tastes so fresh and a lot of love has gone into the cooking. Will definitely be eating there again.
Barbara
Had dinner here last night. <br/>Service is not the best. Never was and never will be; but the food is good. Pizzas are flavourful and well cooked. Try some of the other dishes as well. The pork belly with aubergine was tasty but a bit fatty.
Susy.2020
Miss. Is a fantastic place and i invite any one that wont to eat authentic Italian bravi ragazzi continuate cosi
Romeopeppe
Peppe. The best pizza and the best fresh king prawns spaghetti l ever had in my life! l' m from Sicily and l know about good food !! Runs by originals neapoleteans owners ! You can't miss this place if you live or visit london!! Honest!!!
Leila
Without fail, Donna Margherita is my go-to Italian restaurant in London. A friendly and welcoming place, I return to regularly to be reminded of what real and authentic Italian should be. High quality food, attentive service and incredibly good vibes keeps be coming back. Best in class, for sure.
Mmmnice
Authentic Neapolitan food and amazing pizza. I've visited Italy many times spending a large amount of my time in the Campania region, of which Naples, the home of pizza is the capital. I can honestly say that this is quite simply the best pizza that I've had in the UK and I thought came very close to the quality that you can get in Italy itself. If you love pizza I would strongly recommend a visit to this place, although if you plan on doing so book in advance especially at weekends. The restaurant isn't solely a pizzeria though, they have a selection of other Neapolitan specialties on the menu too. We did try the polpettini (mini meatballs) and were suitably impressed.
Faruk
Really friendly owner and helpful staff. Fantastically flavourful food. Didn't have the pizza but based on the garlic bread its just as good as Franco Manca
Diego Morra-Greco
The Best Neapolitan Restaurant in London. When it come to Italians in search for the authentic Italian restaurant there could be names a couple over London, but when it come to Neapolitan Cuisine, there is only one to be considered and thus why Donna Margherita is my favourite over 5 years plus now, without any disappointments.<br/><br/>I must say that Donna Margherita is an authentic Neapolitan restaurant, and a strong influence of southern cuisine is applied in there, therefore if you never been to Napoli or south of Italy an tasted the typical Italian home made food, that the place you want to be.<br/><br/>I have been there in many occasions, with family, friends, colleagues, large parties a romantic dinner for two and i always found the right atmosphere and service impeccable. The staff is friendly though, and if you will have time to chitty chat with them about the menu, they will give you a lots of tips about the right choice of food and wine without and i have never been disappointed with any choice made on my behalf.<br/><br/>It really make me smile to read about the review of Zippy amongst all the others. It is pretty understandable for an English not to understand how the real pizza should look like. I hope next time he will travel to Napoli he is going to make sure to ask for his pizza with double or triple cheese on the top, because that is the way in my city we used to cook the pizza. <br/><br/>Is so funny to see people pretending to be food critics counting the number of beans on a plate, and not having time to goggle how the real Neapolitan pizza looks like. Wow, that's observing ahahahahah. Not to talk about the difference of the Carpaccio, not recognizing the difference from the fillet, mistakenly for a roast beef. Thanks God he did not asked for horseradish sauce :-)<br/><br/>Overall my point of review is to let anybody know that I am extremely satisfied with this restaurant, and being customer for such a long time, i really do not think that worth reviews of people that would rather spend their money in the fast food, that makes me understand what kind of low level of knowledge for food they could have.<br/><br/>When i think of this restaurant i think of my Mamma cooking for me, the flavour and the taste of the dishes they come exactly as she does. I will never get tired to recommend it to all my acquaintances.<br/><br/>Love Napoli......Love Donna Margherita<br/><br/>Diego
Zippy
Dont go there.... We picked up a groupon and ventured to Donna Margherita with enthusiasm.<br/><br/>When we arrived they couldnt find our booking and we had to wait standing in a nearly empty restaurant for over 5 minutes whilst a couple finished their meal so we could take their table. Probably not the best start to an evening meal.<br/><br/>We decided to get a couple of starters. I chose the carpaccio and the wife a borlotti bean affair.<br/><br/>The carpaccio was literally a thin slice of roast beef, medium cooked. Cooked, yes. The parmesan tasted cheap and the rocket and balsamic reduce was as expected. Unimpressed. Had i been served roast beef ? Hmmm.<br/><br/>The wifes beans were very tastey but goodness the portion was small. 20 beans and some sauce perhaps. I was nearly astonished at the cheek of the portion. <br/><br/>The pizzas arrived and were a good size, tomatoe sauce was well seasoned and tastey. A tad watery in the middle but. My biggest complaint was the topping. Please, please, please... if you are going to be so meagre - consider charging 50p extra and putting some topping on the pizza!!!<br/><br/>I took a photo after having started to eat the pizza, in part because I was still dumbstruck by the cheek of the meagre amount of cheese. I have never seen such a poor serving of cheese. Ever. (and i love pizzas!) See the photo i posted to see if im exaggerating - this was representative of the whole pizza. Pathetic. <br/><br/>Overall the experience was poor. The service was adequate, impersonal and anonymous. They added 12.5% to the bill as a matter of course - thanks for that Donna Margherita - another reason not to return, I'd rather spend my money in a fast food joint than reward your coffers for a poor experience. Sorry but i feel compelled to be honest.<br/><br/>Oh, and they turned on a huge wall mounted TV with italian football. For god sake, if I go to a restaurant with the mrs and a nice meal I dont expect football to be in my face.... If i wanted that I'd go to a pub! So anyone hoping for an ideal place to take a partner - take note...<br/><br/>By 8pm the place was quite full. Presumably with local aspiring middle classers with more money than taste and not a lot of taste. To all the reviews below that rave about the place, puuulease, LMFAO, get real !<br/><br/>Fair play, perhaps one day they will discover somewhere that has good service, great food and atmosphere.<br/><br/>For me it was unfortunately very poor - if you like pizza, give this place a miss and visit Al Forno in wimbledon or Sette Bello in tooting - they are both in a different class.
Wendy
I visited Donna Margherita for a lunch with friends and felt compelled to descrivbe what a truly authentic Italian experience I had. The food was absolutely exquisite from the pizza which surpasses anything which I have ever tried before to the delicious pasta with mussels. The food is as fresh as it gets, cooked with expertise and served in a simple and rustic setting, you forget that this is Lavender Hill. No trip to Clapham is complete without a lunch here, I will be returning very soon to try dinner!!
Marco
Overpriced!!!. We went last saturday and we were quite disappointed.<br/>The quality is fine but portion are small and over priced (5 pounds for child size potatoes saute is a joke...and no comment about risotto). Same for pizza. Good Napoli style but try the one at Al Forno (richer, more topping) where you do not leave the place still hungry(well if you do not spend 40quid).<br/>Plus the waiter was anything but happy to see us.<br/><br/>I suggest to try Mascalzone and Al Forno in Putney and leave Donna Margarita to middle class happy to spend 40 pounds to avoid getting back home still hungry.
Jason Graham
Friendly service, average food. If you look beyond the friendly waiters the food is nothing special. We had a pizza and mussels. Pizza was as you would expect from an italian restaurant, but a million miles away from being the best I've had, or even the best in London. The mussels really ruined the evening, they may have been just old (I cant imagine too many people go for them off the starters menu), but for want of a better descriptive term, they smelt like a toilet. We went due to the reviews given on this site and have had many beautiful meals due to recommendations on here, but the mussels were just enough to actually make me register and give a review of this restaurant. Will not be returning.
Gino
8/10 but not a bargain.... Donna Margherita is a step above the ordinary Italian restaurants (well, maybe two). Not simply one of the best pizzas in town (bear in mind Neapolitan pizza isn't crispy) but also a wide choice of authentic Neapolitan cusine. Being Italian myself, I would normally eat pasta at home only but Donna Margherita is an exception (amazing sauces)! Lastly, it must be said that Donna Margherita isn't cheap but I guess its worth a ride to the Clapham area when in a need of a good treat.
Susy
Miss. The best pizza i had in london the margherita was the the real think only in naples i have tested something similar i had the scialatielli with sea food and it was to die for!<br/>so if i was you i would go there and taste the those 2 dishes !
Shuna
Best. Restaurant. EVER!. I am in love with Donna Margherita! I love it love it love it.<br/>Amazing. Want to live here.
Federica
The Best. I am Federica and I am from Naples and I really thanks to God that Donna Margherita exists because when I eat the pizza and I close my eyes I feel at home!<br/><br/>I recommend Donna Margherita to everybody that want to try the autentic southern italian cousine!
Luca
The Best Pizza in UK. I would say that Donna Margherita Restaurant Pizzeria, is the best Pizza Maker in UK, I have been around this country for 12 years and I cannot deny the fact that I love pizza in any form and size, but since I have been in D.Margherita I become addicted to their Pizza, I believe that is the best Neapolitan Pizza in the UK, because the owner Mr Gabriele respect the original recepies for Neapolitan Pizza and also cause the ingredient are so genuine that when you have the first bite it make me feel on the Italian costs.<br/>There is no sincere love than the love of food and Donna Margherita made food with love and experience.<br/>Thank you
Hungrydave
Good Pizza. Went shortly after being reviewed by Jay Rayner, hence place was packed and they couldn't cope. Pizza is grand though, I will go back.
Luke
I really enjoy eating at Donna Margherita. I have been too Italy over ten times so I know a little about Italian food. Sometimes I choose a woodfire oven pizza if I am in a rush or sit with friends for a couple of hours and eat a few courses. The owner is clearly passionate about Italian food and culture and sat down with me for a few minutes to chat about my meal ( typically Italian! ) and explain the idea's behind what I had ordered. Fantastico!
Rob Dagnell
First impressions can be deceiving.. I found this little restaurant on the Urbanspoon app on my iphone and as it was just down the road decided to pop down. At first when I saw Donna Margherita from the outside I was not sure about it. It had been a miserable day so the outside awning had been closed down but as I walked in my opinion changed straight away. Inside Donna Margherita is a cozy, warm place and we were instantly greeted by the friendly staff. They were very helpful advising us on the menu and gave us plenty of time to make up our mind. Service was quick and very reasonably priced. The food was delicious, well prepared and cooked and the presentation was very nice. I was very hungry before I went so I was impressed at the size of the portions and left with a full belly and very happy!
7days7foiegras
Top few. Not the best, but close to it. IMO Donna Margherita makes one of the best pizza bases in London. The toppings don't quite follow though (especially the ham) so for me it cannot quite take the top spot. Certainly worth a try if you're in the area though, as there is nothing nearby that comes close.
Freesprite
The Best Italian Restaurant in London. When we arrived at Donna Margherita we found straightway a great ambience, the service was fast ,and all the staff sympathetic and friendly with us .The food at Donna Margherita is <br/>lovely and tasty at the sometime , and it's served in huge portions then the pizzas are fantastic with generous toppings and nice thin bases. It` is great value for money Would definitely go back again
Su
The proper pizza. I Been to donna margherita with my husbond and my kids and we had a great time my kids they love the pizza we all had very good time is a family resturant and we will go back very soon
ARMANDO
ARMANDO. I really enjoyed the all experience the staff was very friendly and the food was<br/><br/>very Italian what i mean is that pasta was very aldente and the pizza was very light<br/><br/>which it means that the preparation is like in Italy!!<br/><br/>if you are looking to taste the real Italian food then you should go to Donna Margherita and you will be delivered the real authentic Italian food.
VegeTARAian Sydney
Having recently returned from my trip to Italy, I was well impressed with the quality of pizza here. The staff were also very helpful – I didn’t realise how much I missed the dreamy Italian accent!
The London Pizza Blog
Donna Margherita sources around 90% of its ingredients from southern Italy and this really shows in the toppings, where we were spoilt for choice. While we were keen to sample the restaurant’s take on the eponymous Margherita, we were hesitant about missing out on some of the other combinations. Luckily our dilemma was solved by the unconventionally-named Pizza Gay.
LondonLara
Easy-going and charming, with all the character you would expect from a Mediterranean-styled restaurant.
Lardbutty
Located on a busy stretch of Lavender Hill, Donna Margherita may not look much from outside but it's definitely worth eating here. Serving beautifully stone-baked Neopolitan pizzas and a wide selection of traditional Italian dishes, the food here really is as appealing as the food images on Donna Margherita's website. Donna Margherita - Lardbutty restaurant of the week Restaurant info: ~ Lardbutty rating: 4 / 5 ~ Type: Italian ~ Menu: Donna Margherita restaurant menu ~ Address: 183 Lavender Hill, Battersea, London ~ Postcode: SW11 5TE ~ Nearest station: Clapham Junction mainline ~ Website: Donna Margherita website ~ Location: Restaurant map Filed under: Food + drink , Italian , Restaurants - Lardbutty | Tagged: 4/5 , Clapham , Clapham Junction , Donna Margherita , Italian , Italian cuisine , Lardbutty , Lavender Hill , London , restaurant reviews , SW11 | 1 Comment » « Previous Page - Next Page » Calendar January 2011 M T W T F
Andy Hayler
n the elusive search for the “best pizza in London” a couple of names usually pop up in foodie circles: Franco Manca in Brixton Market and Donna Margherita in Battersea. The premises are simple, the walls crowded with framed photos, and an outdoor terrace that was ideal on this hot summer evening. The wine list has moderately priced wines from obscure Italian producers. Starters are £4.50 - £8.25, pizzas are £5.50 - £10.50, main courses £9.50 - £12.95. There is a wood-fired oven (though this is itself guarantees nothing; if you doubt this then eat at Strada), and the owner came up to us and told us the food here is “fabulous”, so it is not a place lacking in self-confidence, though he may have a slight vested interest.
Hungry Female
Whilst the pasta dish was very enjoyable, I felt slightly underwhelmed by the pizzas and the hype it had been given.
HungryinLondon
You really don't have to leave London, in fact you don't even have to leave work, for international cultural and culinary exchange. I learned more than I ever thought I wanted to know about Neapolitan cuisine as, for the past 4 years I have worked in the midst of Little Napoli. I know now how a perfect pizza has to look and taste like (with Naples being the cradle of pizza ) and I have also learned about Friarielli , a green vegetable from the same family as broccoli (only much better in my opinion) which grows on the hills around Naples. So there I was, perfectly equipped to scrutizinze the Neapolitan food at Donna Margherita . This rustic and cosy Italian trattoria is located on Lavender Hill, about 5 minutes walk away from Battersea Junction. What makes it interesting for me is its closeness to the Battersea Arts Centre , one of my favourite theatres in London (if you like quirky and different and a lot of attention to detail you will love it too). According to Donn
Catty
Donna Margherita is not the multi-floored modern PR-packing establishment I expected. Just a quaint little family-owned PR-packing Italian restaurant. Not that there’s anything wrong with PR. I’m a firm believer that the food and service speak for themsel
Tehbus
A couple of weeks ago, the PR machine from Donna Margherita, a popular neighbourhood Italian restaurant sent me an email asking me if I would come and try their food and write about it. I love Italian food and it didn't take me long to accept. "Full discl
Trusted-Gourmet
They had some articles saying they were the best pizzeria in London displayed on their entrance so we were curious about it.
Gourmet Chick
The stereotype of Italians is that they are a passionate people. Naturally, one of the things that Italians are most passionate about is food. In a world of passionate Italians, Gabriele Vitale, the owner of Donna Margherita in Battersea, is a force of na
Helen
When we arrived at the restaurant, few tables were occupied so we had our pick of spots outside in the glorious sunshine. Ten minutes later the place was absolutely rammed. Gabriele bounced over, his usual enthusiastic self and with his (equally enthusias
Ben Maritz
All in all, Nick and I were glad to have visited Donna Margherita, and would definitely come back again for sandwiches and some quality football/soccer watching. Crowds of Italian speaking families also added to the place's quirky charm. For now though, our go-to Neapolitan pizza place remains Exmouth Market's Santore. But, our journey to try all of London's best-reviewed places continues. The lengthy lines so far have prevented us from trying..
Kang L.
The restaurant is richly adorned with all sorts of nostalgia-ware, football jerseys and B&W photographs; so much so, I regretted not taking more pictures of the décor. It screams local eatery and even has that musky smell of a restaurant that’s been there
Cheese And Biscuits
Just in case I wasn't getting smug enough with the two excellent restaurants either end of my road ( The Fox and Hounds and The Food Room ), word on the street (well OK, on the internet) had it that some of the best pizzas to be had in London came out of
Su-Lin
...Porchetta was an innovatively spiral cut bit of tender herbed roast pork belly layered with aubergine puree and served with spinach. I can never turn down a good bit of porchetta and this was indeed a most tender and crispy-edged good bit.
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