Donna Margherita

A look at Donna Margherita's website tells you that around 90% of their ingredients are imported from Southern Italy, and that they were nominated for Time Out Foods' Best London Pizza restaurant' of 2010. And so I went armed with high expectations and my own acid test (the wife is from Naples).

First thing is that it looks like a Neapolitan restaurant should. Walls are adorned with pictures of the usual suspects, Toto', Sophia Loren, Massimo Troisi, Eduardo De Filippo. Noteably absent is Maradona (management prudently opting to keep the salt in the pasta and out of the National wound).

Above the fireplace, real and roaring, is a home made attempt at 'presepe'. Presepe is the traditional neapolitan art of creating nativity scenes. This version being largely constructed of pizza bases frankly looks a mess, but somehow forgiveable given the cozy interior and typically friendly South Italian atmosphere.

Now to the food. I was particularly keen to sample the friarielli, a green vegetable native to Naples. Unfortunately they forgot to deliver it as a starter, meaning I had to beg tidbits from the wife's frittura mista, consisting of fried aubergines and corgettes, and parcels of rice and cheese and potato, which was excellent.

When prompted they did apologetically bring the friarielli with my main course, which was the classic margherita, washed down with a bottle of the delectable birra Moretti. The wife had pasta with aubergines and tomato sauce, vouching for Donna Margheritas claims about the quality and freshness of their ingredients.

For desserts Donna Margherita are offering the small standard fare Italian selection which, apart from the ice cream are home made.

We selected the panna cotta with strawberry sauce and 'vesuvius', which is a dark chocolate ice cream core covered by vanilla ice cream, housed in a white chocolate exterior and topped with dark caramel sauce. As the name might suggest, it certainly goes off in the mouth.

All told, believe the hype, this restaurant offers excellent Neapolitan cuisine at reasonable prices.

Located on Lavender Hill,a walkable distance from Clapham Junction mainline, Donna Margherita passed the acid test and is highly recommendable.
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Robert
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Sunday, February 05, 2012

I don't quite understand the praise this restaurant receives. Having been twice now, I will not be rushing back.

The first time, service was appalling -- I had to get up and walk up to a waiter to get menus, to order, to pay. The starters were microwave-reheated, the pizzas forgettable.

Having just been again, while happy with the service, the pizzas were really very average. The dough was bland and soggy, not crispy, and the toppings of low quality and tasteless.

Much better pizza can be had at Cantuccio's, up St John's Hill, a two stop bus ride away.
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Thomas
6 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Thursday, January 19, 2012

A bit of an evergreen favourite this one, for me and my wife, as we live just around the corner. I love the buratta to start with followed by a Four Seasons pizza, which I always share with my wife as it is rather large! For dessert I usually take the home made tiramisu which is very good. I think the place represents very good value for Lavender Hill, which these days, is saying something! The only negative thought goes to the staff ,it seems that they don't know what customer service is and do not speak the English language which is a shame !! Overall it is a nice place to go to!!
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Clarc
4 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 5
Thursday, January 05, 2012

THE BEST PIZZA THAT I EVER EAT IN MY LIFE! I been there a lot of times and the service, atmosphere and food are always amazing!
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Alice
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, July 11, 2011

The food at Donna Margherita is awesome, a concentration of experience and tradition, the Vitale family is building a bridge between Naples and London full of flavor and beautiful manners!!!
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Salvatore Ferrara
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 03, 2011

All in all a poor experience. Arrived to find our table missing a chair and any place settings. We never did get any napkins.

Starters arrived quite quickly. Aubergine parmigiana was excellent and very flavoursome Gateux di patate was poor. The only taste came from the charred breadcrumb topping.

Main courses took an age to arrive (45 mins+). This, it's fair to say, soured our view from the outset. We were not the only people waiting a long time, be it for pizza or the bill. By this time it was 10pm on Sunday and maybe the staff just wanted to go home. But if something's delayed, at least apologise.

Pizza capriciosa was decent, even if the olives were from a jar and the ham seemed cheap. The quattro formagio was relatively poor, and was too doughy in the base.

Atmosphere in DM was good, and typically Italian. Napoli were winning (on the TV), which livened things up.

The manager seemed keen to converse with his Italian customers / regulars (a good sign), but insisted on shouting extremely loudly. Passionate and friendly = good. Deafening your clients and pushing past people to have a chinwag with certain diners = bad.

They may have been having a poor night. It happens to even the best eateries. But with very slow and rather disinterested service, and food that didn't live up to its billing, we won't be going back to find out.
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A local
4 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5
Monday, March 21, 2011

As Italian chef,I would say the most promising and authentic italian Pizzeria and Restaurant at the present in London.

Hope they don't change the Pizza chef: for the "dough" I have tasted it's the closest in London to the Neapolitan pizza.

Some good improvement could always take place for the service and the menu as well...but for now it's my reference point.
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8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, October 25, 2010

I am Italian and I say: surprisingly authentic!

All cooks in UK that claim to be able to cook a real Italian pizza should go to this restaurant and learn!

I took my girlfriend to Donna Margherita yesterday for her birthday and we simply had an authentic Italian style pizza. This is everything an Italian living abroad asks for when he has not the chance of going home for some time. I will definitely go back to Donna Margherita. It is worth to mention that the restaurant is run by Italians: the cook, waiters, everyone is Italian! Well done!

Ragazzi se vivete a Londra o dintorni e vi manca la pizza italiana e non riuscite a trovarne una decente, provate questo ristorante. Io ci sono andato basandomi sulle review che ho trovato online dopo molte ricerche e devo dire che ne sono rimasto piacevolmente colpito. Tra l’altro e’ gestito da Italiani: camerieri, cuochi, pizzaiolo (!!!)… tutti Italiani. BRAVI!!! E hanno il forno a legna!!
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Davide
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

OMG! Went to Donna Margherita today and it was the best Italian food I have eaten outside of Italy. We had pizza and pasta and was the best. I swear I took a bite of my pizza and closed my eyes and I honestly felt like I was in Naples. Brilliant little restaurant will def be going there very very soon!
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Nik
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, July 10, 2010

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!

I recommend Donna Margherita to everybody that want to try the autentic southern italian cousine!
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Federica
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, April 25, 2010