Sale e Pepe

When we visit London on business or pleasure, we ALWAYS make time to dine at Sale e Pepe. We've been enjoying the atmosphere and the food for more than 20 years. This is truly one of our favorite restaurants.
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r meckler
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, September 26, 2011

I have been eating at this restaurant regularly for about 30 years. It is just brilliant. The food is consistently good – not historic – but consistently good Italian. The service is always very friendly and as quick as a jammed full restaurant will allow.

Whenever I have been it is always full...that tells you all you need to know. People love the fun, the buzz, the excitement, the fabulously happy atmosphere. It’s noisy, it’s close together and it’s an exceptional place to eat.

If you want haute cuisine served with silent reverence, then go somewhere else.

Presided over by Tony with his two great assistants, Tomaso and Mario the place rocks! If you want a great time and a lively eating experience then become a regular at Sale e Pepe.
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Rodger Slape - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

I´m from Germany, but I consider myself to have an Italian gene, as I love to eat italian food. At least two or three times every year I travel to Italy and enjoy the great food there. So ist was logical, that I was looking for an italian restaurant, when in visited Londen 5 years ago the first time; and I found the sale e pepe.

I was amazed getting served fantastic typical italian food by very friendly waiters in a very good atmosphere. This place is not a copy of an italian restaurant but it is genuine italian. I really didn´t expect such a place in London.

After the first stay in London five years ago I´ve been there 4 times. Of course I visited the sale e pepe every time and was not disappointed. The same fine food, the same good service and the same great atmosphere as always.This year I invited my wife again to a trip to London in December and I´m looking forward having again a very nice evening in this wonderful restaurant.

If you want to eat real good italian food out of italy, you should visit the sale e pepe.
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Robert Chasklowicz
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, November 11, 2010

Outstanding food and service, a real gem. The atmosphere is buzzy, the staff are professional and friendly, would highly recommend this fantastic restaurant.
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Luigina Ruvera
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, June 30, 2010

This is the fifth time that we have been to Sale e Pepe and have always been very pleased with the service and excellent food.

We were very confident in adding 2 more people (who are well travelled foodies) to our group of 6.

Firstly we chose our wine, which was not available as it had not arrived this week - we mentioned it to the next waiter who said that it had been unavailable for 6 months! At mentioning the fact that the wine should not still be on the menu, the gentleman reeled at the fact we were suggesting it!

We were now ready to order our food. Out of 8 diners, 2 of us ordered kidneys and 2 liver only to have a report back from the kitchen that they had run out of both.

We were told that they could not help if they run out of food as it gets later on into the evening. I guess this is acceptable to a degree, but when there are early and late sittings surely one would allow for this, especially as we had booked weeks in advance. It would have been easier to accept if we had been told before we spent time choosing our courses.

My husband asked the manager if he could do anything to soften the unsatisfactory start that we had had to our evening. He said 'No what can I do and I will not have you bullying me' We were very taken aback at this response.

I imagine that he must have thought that we were no great loss as Sale e Pepe are such a busy, well thought of establishment.

Obviously Sale e Pepe are off our list now and we are disappointed with their lack of respect for us - but I will still say that the food was very good.

Please do not get too big for your boots, as it is the likes of us that pay your wages.
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Shirley Broadbridge
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, March 09, 2010

It is, what it is. An old fashioned Italian restaurant, that's probably been serving the same food for 20 years, I was a little put off by some of the negative reviews, but I think that perhaps the bad reviewers expected River Cafe style "new Italian" cuisine in the wrong restaurant?

It's very bustling, the tables are very close to each other, and there were a few too many birthday cakes coming out, but the food was exactly as it should have been- exactly what it says on the box- Veal Milanese ? it;s old school but they do it perfectly. The sea food salad was fresh, varied and good.

Coming from NW London, we normally head to the West End for dinner, and spend ages trying to park, - being able to park in the same street as a restaurant was in itself a revelation. I'm not sure I'd rush back, but it's up there with Scallini's and Langans as a place to celebrate family occasions with the kids.
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Wayno
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 6
Sunday, February 28, 2010

i read all these good reviews so i booked a table for 3.when we arrived they gave us menus to decide for our food (how amateur) while we were waiting to the bar as the table wasn't ready.After 25 minutes of waiting the table was ready. The service was fast but the food wasn't in any case what we expected.There was also a very weird smell which made me want to go out for oxygen.The atmosphere was in general like in a cave.And the final hit..50 pounds per person..with wine.DONT GO THERE!!!
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Pit the greek
5 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Sunday, February 21, 2010

My favourite restaurant in London. Have been coming to Sale e Pepe for almost 20 years and it's simply the best in overall terms.

The table are packed tight, the buzz is constant, and yet it's one of the most intimate places you can go. Perhaps because you have to lean in to speak to one another, but even as someone who doesn't like loud noise, for some reason at Sale e Pepe it elevates you and is part of the charm.

The senior waiting staff and manager are a large part of what makes Sale e Pepe tick. The service is phenomenal, fun and friendly - the best I've ever experienced.

The food is excellent. Don't be fooled by "posher" alternatives and don't be swayed by typical snobbery. The fillet steak dishes are first class, and the lobster pasta is irresistible. I've been to the so-called "classier" Italian restaurants andSale e Pepe beats them on every count.
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GKC
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, January 16, 2010

My favourite restuarant in London, I have been with my boyfriends, my husband, my girlfriends, my children and it is the best. The waiters greet you and welcome you like long lost friends, the food is superb, the best dover sole in England, the atmosphere is fun - probably only criticism is the tables are too close together but I reckon that is because so many people want to eat there they pack them in as tight as they can. Whenever we are deciding where to eat we go through loads of restuarants and end up at sal e pepe. I love going to this restuarant it is a real treat!
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Jillie
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, September 25, 2009

I love this restaurant!

I was introduced to it by my dad a few years ago, and everytime i go to London from Norwich i visit Sale e Pepe. In a lovely location and easily found!

The food is lovely and i haven't had a bad meal to date. I have dined in some lovely and highly rated London restaurants and others around the world and i would consider this a happy and fun place to dine.

I agree not somewhere you should go if you are looking for a quiet and peaceful dinning experience but again i suppose the noise level is down to personal experience and taste. I personally think noise makes atmosphere and the staff/ management are friendly... what is wrong with that?

I am slightly concerned with the number of miserable people creating bad reviews of this restaurant, obviously they live in a bubble of silence!

In fact i like it so much i plan to visit it again for my 21st birthday!

Please people cheer up and if you can't then please understand that most people enjoy a lively place and if you don't, then doesn't it make logical sense not to go there?????!

A 10/10 experience, please don't change a thing Sale e Pepe!
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Danielle
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, August 11, 2009