Metrogusto (Islington)

We found this good and bad. The monk fish carpaccio starter was excellent, but the sea bass in wine and beetroot sauce very bland. The 3 course pre-movie menu (6pm-9pm) which my colleague had, was good value. Big tick for the vegetables - which were good - being included in the price of the mains. Wine prices are a deterrent. Bottles start at £19.50 (they need to update the wine list prices on their website) and the list is expensive for what it is., especially when you add on the service charge. Eerily empty for a Thursday evening - probably more a reflection of the current economic climate than diners switching their allegiance. Fun decor and pleasant attentive staff - but with more staff than customers for the first half of the evening, unsurprising.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 5
Friday, April 18, 2008

I've eaten plenty of times at Metrogusto, both just with my wife and also with friends. The food has alwys been wonderful - both original and varied. I've never had any complaints, nor has anyone with me. On the contrary, we've always appreciated both the food and the courtesy of the staff. The fact that it is almost always crowded speaks for itself.

Jerry Palmer
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Jerry Palmer
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Metrogusto.............it is all about a wonderful experience.....I was reccomended by a close friend and supplier of the Metrogusto and have really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Thought it was on a busy Saturday, service has been fantastic and a careful and knowledged wine list was explained by the manager. Pasta was great and both my husband and myself have truly enjoyed the evening and definetely will be going back.....
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Johanna Servier
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, April 08, 2008

I dined at Metrogusto last night and found that it continues to be one of the best restaurants in Islington and probably one of the best Italians in London. Its has two main rivals near Upper Street, the Almeida and Fredricks. The Almeida may have slightly lost its edge since Conran sold, and Fredricks, can be very hit and miss on availability of dishes in its menu and time taken to serve them.

Metrogusto's regional Italian menu is inventive with good quality produce and imaginative presentation such as the stuffed squid and sea bass with beetroot sauce. I find that the Italian wine list stretches far beyond the usual 'Chianto Classico'.

The service is attentive without being intrusive and, while the restaurant is busy, there is none of the usual limited table times or hovering of staff to clear table fror the next diners.

The owner, who is usually in the restaurant front of house, clearly cares about the food, the service and his customers.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, March 09, 2008

This is probably the worst Italian restaurant in Islington. The service is terrible as is the quality of the food. Even my Italian husband was disappointed by the awful attitude shown to us by the staff!
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Ursula
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Metrogusto has become a very special place for us over the last five years - so much so that I try not to tell people about it. It's not modern - there's no "branding", you're never rushed, the lights are never put up to push you to leave and the art is powerful, dark and interesting. instead, it is a place to enjoy new wine - one of the most interesting Italian lists in London, and certainly the most fairly priced - to try fresh pasta or the meat of the day [a wonderul stuffed veal last Friday] and enjoy 3 or 4 hours with Ambro and his team. As an experience - and we go every three months or so - it has never let me down, and I can only think of one time when a dish disappointed [a risotto a few years ago]. If you're looking for a familiar menu, and a quick eat, with wine you know, it may not be for you. Otherwise, book a table at the front, take in the art, let Ambro pick the wine [he moved me down £20 on Friday and when does that happen often in London?] and guide you through the menu, and enjoy.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Sunday, February 03, 2008

I had lunch with my family at Metrogusto yesterday and it was really quite bad. I have been many times over the years and this is only the second bad experience I have had. The regular front of house chap, a charming greying Italian, is a wonderful host and very engaging plus the food is usually reliable and inventive but yesterday it was embarrassing (and he wasn't there). We were given the wrong starters and when our mussel soup arrived it was at best lukewarm and the broth was totally lacking in flavour. In fact in the absence of the mussels I would not have known what type of soup it was. The mussels were tasty but of course this had nothing to do with the chef and everything to do with the mussels. The pasta main course was 100% without seasoning and we all needed to apply a generous amount of salt in order for it to taste acceptable. I can only imagine the chef did not adequately salt the water before cooking the pasta. We forgave all of this and decided to have some tiramisu for dessert thinking nothing could go wrong here. WRONG! The sponge bisucits that form the basis of every tiramisu were rock hard. I could not get my spoon through them. They had clearly not been soaked and thus the unctuous delicious soggy-ness of a good tiramisu was totally absent. It was a messy blob of very alcoholic cream cheese balanced on a hard dry biscuit. Shame on you Metrogusto, how can you get tiramisu wrong? I wasnt going to write this review as I can always forgive a bad day or two however, when I told the waiter the tiramisu was hard he just looked at me, nodded and smiled whilst continuing to take payment for our lunch. The front of house chap obviously sensed we had not had a good lunch and so hovvered nervously making awkward small talk as we left ignoring the virtually untouched tiramisu under his nose...
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Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Monday, January 21, 2008

definately the best place I have ever eaten, in islington or anywhere else in the UK. I would recommend to anyoe who enjoys great service, a warm welcome and some of the most interesting and tasty dishes I have ever had.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, January 01, 2008

We discovered Metrogusto a few months ago, and now go back regularly. It is in our opinion the best restaurant in Islington, better than Frederick's and better and friendlier than the Almeida. The food is consistently good, the wine choice great, and the ambience is v relaxing. But what really gives it the prize is the service. Ambro is a wonderful host and has recruited a really great team. Long may they flourish!

J. Filochowski
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, December 28, 2007

Metrogusto is one of my favourite places in London.

The food and the atmosphere is just brilliant.

In fact it is very rare to find a restaurant in London, which is run with so much passion than this place!
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Gerda
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 17, 2007