La Locanda

On a girls shopping trip to London we chanced across La Locanda and what a find it turned out to be.

Where in central London can you find a 3 course meal for under £15? The Ritz it certainly isn't but the menu is extensive and there was plenty of choice even for my friend who is vegetarian.

The food was well cooked and the portions generous. Although it was the height of the lunchtime rush we were served quickly by staff who were polite and friendly.

Great coffee by the way.

Will certainly come back again when next in London.
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Lyn Haynes
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, March 04, 2012

On my many visits to London I always manage to find time to visit La Locanda in Heddon st,,this is a very busy bistro and the food is wonderful, the staff are all very friendly and the owner Mr Franco Boni is always attentive and accomadating, I love the atmosphere of this bistro, it almost feels like I am back in Italy
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Eunice
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, January 29, 2012

Visited this Restaurant before, so decided to eat there again after spending the day in Regents street. Lovely welcome off a staff member. Very busy place. Wonderfull atmosphere. The Wine was nice and the food even Nicer and being off Regent street the Price was the nicest.[ lower than you would expect to pay at such a central location.] Good Food, Polite staff, Great Location. What a Gem of a Restaurant. WILL Certainly go back there. A very pleasant couple of hours. Many Thanks. La Locanda.
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Welsh John.
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Spoiled my girlfriend's birthday!!!

We came to London for spending our special holidays and after looking at its beautiful exteriors went for this disgusting restaurant.

Service: The most pathetic, unapologetic service. The manager/waiter took the order and snatched the menu card from my hand before I could even finish what I was saying. One of the waitress in her rush brushed her elbow against my head, while I was eating, and just casually apologized.

Food: Soup - Heinz; Pizza - Iceland; Ketchup - Iceland (label). Amazed! If you don't believe, please try it once. After just one or two spoons of soup and two bites of pizza we thought of not ruining our night further and asked for the bill. We made our minds to not pay the tip. But know what, 12.5% service tax was included in the bill. What a mockery of our special night.

What a dirty blot on such a wonderful city.
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KD - View all reviews by this user
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I have to say that this is possibly one of London's little treasures!

Being a frequent visitor to London I am often on the lookout for cheap places to eat, which offer friendly service, great food and a lovely atmosphere - and let me tell you that this place has it in bucket loads!

From the wonderful owner, to all his friendly staff, this place is a welcome rest bite from the hustle and bustle of Regent Street round the corner. Offering a three course meal for under £20 it is a complete bargain and offers a varied and extremely tasty menu which caters for all tastes.

Other reviewers on here seem to have come to this place expecting expensive food but this place certainly delivers flavour in all its dishes and certainly leaves you feeling rather full (which is more than can be said for some of London's overpriced restaurants).

Whether you are on a budget, or just looking for a great little eatery in the heart of Central London, then I urge you all to head to La Locanda! Truly a wonderful place!
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Ryan Smith
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, August 03, 2011

7 of us ate there on a trip to London this week. My sister recommended it as she and her husband have dined there for a number of years. The food was very good, the service was fine and all in all it was extremely good value.
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david
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Sunday, May 29, 2011

You may be fooled into thinking you are going into an old fashioned family run trattoria - you could not be more wrong!

Service was perfunctory though the red house wine was really good.

I had the Linguine alle vongole (pasta with clams). The pasta was slimy, overcooked and poorly seasoned. However, my experience was just the same as a previous reviewer in that my dish contained four clam shells (empty) although the sauce contained many little bits of tasteless 'flesh' which could only have been frozen or tinned clams. Maybe they recycle those shells for effect!

Beats me how anyone would think this place is even passable. Steer well clear.
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patrm14 - View all reviews by this user
2 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 2
Saturday, April 30, 2011

I love this restaurant and have been visiting for over 10 years. The staff are lovely and welcoming and the atmosphere is traditional so unlike so many of the chains in London. Ok so as the review before says, the toilets are just off the main room in the restaurant but it's a small restaurant in the West end of london.

I can highly recommend the seafood platter and the pasta for me is always a must. It's a good cheap restaurant and I still go there and recommend it to friends.
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Janey
9 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The staff were friendly and helpful, especially when I rang to change our reservation time by an hour and a half, due to a late afternoon cream tea. Finally having enjoyed a lengthy stroll, working up an appetite for traditional Italian fare, we arrived somewhat early. This was no problem and we were seated quickly at a good table.

The wine list was excellent and reasonably priced, however when presented with the menu for the Bronze Hospitality Vouchers things took a dramatic turn for the worse. The table d'hote menu consisted of three starters, three main courses and three desserts; none of which were particularly appealing.

The cannelloni starter was the best part of the meal. Sadly this was followed by a dish consisting of lamb fillets cooked in a rosemary and red wine sauce, accompanied with overcooked cauliflower, broccoli, carrots,peppers and grey sautéed potatoes. The lamb was remarkably tender; with a consistency and flavour strangely reminiscent of liver...

The dessert menu consisted of fresh fruit salad, Tiramisu and my favourite Crème Caramel. The fruit salad was a few pieces of fresh apple - red & green, orange and canned fruit salad complete with the obligatory grape! The Creme Caramel was mediocre, the crème custard was tired and the caramel had been replaced with flavourless, coloured syrup.

The Espresso coffee was excellent.

All in all this was a disastrous choice of restaurant, an experience never to be repeated!
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Pauline Price
4 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Sunday, February 13, 2011

ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!!! Thats all I can say about this place. on Saturday 18th December 2010 we stopped at this restaurant (had not been there before) as the weather was awful and we did not want spend time looking further. The tables were very small with no elbow room. We were handed dirty menus. I asked for vegetable lasagne which is an italian dish and the waitress said the they did not do this and it was not on the menu. I then choose a vegetable pasta from the menu which was of a quality that a five year old could do. It was very obviously dried pasta which they used and it was hard and not cooked properly with cold vegetables and a watery sauce. This was £7.95 and probablly cost 75p to make. My friends salmon pasta and pizzas weren't much better and we did not even bother with a dessert. Then I went to the one ladies toilet which was located on the ground floor with people eating just alongside the entrance door. This toilet was dirty and left a lot to be desired with not even a working hand dryer. Our male friends found three mens toilets upstairs. If an italian went to this restaurant???? they would die of shame. TRULY ONE OF THE WORST RESTAURANTS I HAVE BEEN TO.
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1 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Sunday, December 19, 2010