Bolton's in City of London, Westminster

Bolton’s: A Trip Back in Time, and the Veal Ragu’s Not Half Bad Either Bolton’s is one of those little gems that proves just how far London will go to stay exactly the same. You know that bit in Goodnight Sweetheart where Gary Sparrow ducks down an alleyway and suddenly, it’s 1940? Well, at Bolton’s, you shuffle down a flight of stairs off Cullum Street and it might as well be 1979. Maybe even ’69, though who’s counting? The walls are blank, save for the odd, indifferent frame, and there’s a stiffness to the white tablecloths that feels like it’s been preserved by the ghost of Italian restauranteurs past. But here’s the thing—it’s glorious. Because what Bolton’s does, it does very well. There’s no nonsense here: no drizzles, no foams, no plates resembling the mind of a mad artist. Just honest, robust Italian food served by waiters who glide about with the kind of seamless charm that makes you feel like a long-lost cousin of the family. Now, to the meal. I started with a plump bundle of asparagus, artfully draped in something rich and buttery, and it was everything you’d want. Then came the veal ragu over pasta, a dish with so much gusto it could’ve walked straight out of Nonna’s kitchen in Naples. It’s simple, bold, and nearly as satisfying as a first love—or maybe a third, by which point you’ve learned to appreciate reliability over flash. Is it groundbreaking? Absolutely not. But that’s what makes it perfect. Bolton’s has no interest in change, and for that, it deserves a proper cheer.

Haven’t been here for a while and service has always been traditionally slow but this visit was was far beyond the norm! Food was very nice when it turned up though!!

A business lunch with a valued set of partners so we wanted something with a broad enough menu to keep five people happy. Everyone was pleased with their food, the service was friendly and efficient and even though we were pretty much a ‘dry’ crowd we were attended as considerately as any higher spending group. Will definitely come again.

Same as it was 30+ years ago. High standards and great memories

Food good. Atmosphere good. Busy and service a bit slow.

Very expensive for lack lustre small portions. Not how I remember Boltons

Great location and great food for a lunch meeting and of course staff are always welcoming

It was lovely 😍 that I cannot even explain it properly the dishes were able amazing 😋 my baby cousin was completely out of control she was running around so much that I got a headache and than we had to the go to our wedding boys house to congrats them and we stayed a night 🌙 there too.

Very enjoyable as always. A big thank you to the staff and chef for a lovely meal. Kind regards, Tom

Waiting services were absolutely perfetto but the place needs a touch of paint and chairs could do with an upholserting

Solid and dependable venue with great service. Good for a business meeting.

I’ve been to Bolton’s numerous times for breakfast and lunch. I’m done and have advised my London based colleague that the company will no longer cover expenses related to this establishment. I’ve put up with the shouting across the restaurant, the noise from the kitchen, etc but I won’t tolerate the waiter/host/maitre d speaking poorly about me to my colleagues and clients. I don’t care if he likes me, but why would we continue to spend money and entertain clients at an establishment that speaks poorly of its customers? When you stop respecting your customers it’s over.

London's little Italy. The selfish part of me was reluctant to post this review over concerns that if the popularity of this establishment grows I wont be able to get a table. However I must give credit where credit is due. The coffee and food is excellent. The ambience is authentic and the manager Roberto is larger than life.

Very nice food although crab pasta was a tad light in the crab for the price.

Well... actually a joke. Overpriced and not good quality. Burrata was OK. Avocado salad drowned in cocktail sauce. Farfalle salmone is loveless, spaghetti vongole is more of a risk. Some fresh but mostly canned. Extra cover charge of £4.50 and 12.5% ​​service... Good luck.

Visited for a business meal at lunchtime and I was pleasantly surprised. I tried the Mushroom starter, lamb cutlets and vegetables for main and cheesecake for dessert and it was all amazing. The only disappointment for me was there was no lasagne on the menu which I found odd for an Italian restaurant. Lovely atmosphere, staff were really welcoming and it is sure somewhere I would go back to.

Old school restaurant - quite loud and busy at lunch.

Deserted when we were there. Great service and spent way too long at our table catching up but we were not hurried out. Dinner was great. Good choice and very tasty.

had a dinner at 6pm, came 20 mins early - were asked to leave and come back on time because there's no staff - which is not ideal, but acceptable. Only us and 1 more table at the restaurant. 1 main waiter and one helped bring food: seamed short staffed (even for 2 tables) - service quite abrupt, weird - waiter took drinks order from 1 out of 3 guests. When asked what about other orders - made a joke and still didn't take drinks order. It was a client dinner/whilst we were not fussed and overall had an ok dinner - felt slightly embarrassed about bringing them there. Bread offered - clearly not fresh

As always very reliable and delicious, great friendly service. It was a quiet Monday so not the usual City buzz but thoroughly enjoyable lunch nonetheless

Pasta was amazing; the appetizer, an avocado salad was good but just ok. Restaurant has a great atmosphere, but located below ground level and no windows if that matters to you.

Pazzesco! Great food and authentic feel. Coming from a a half Italian (wouldn’t say from the name I know). Can’t wait to go back! E stato un vero piacere.

Great food, was very busy being Christmas week in the City but they manage expectations well. Wine could have been colder but was still drinkable. Good portion sizes. Bit of a faff on entry with hardly any room to take coats off and right in front of the ladies toilets so can be bit crowded in that area when busy.

Bolton’s is always a delight with excellent food and traditional quality service. We were a little late for our booking, but the staff could not have been more welcoming and helpful. Definitely a restaurant to be recommended.

The restaurant has a very dated feel which often results in delicious, traditional food. This however was not the case at Boltons. While the portions were generous, the quality of the food was very low. We were off to a bad start as the bread was out on our table. While the butter was delicious, the bread tastes stale around the edges. The scallops were odd looking and compressed, lacking in flavour. The main course - sea bream from the specials menu, while plentiful was over cooked and tasted off. Service was lacklustre at best. I am unsure how a place like this survives in such a competitive area with some of the best restaurants in our capital and country. Quite simply, avoid.

Super quiet place with an extensive menu and great specials. Great service and excellent food.

We are delighted, it’s a very pleasant establishment!

Worst customer service ever. They’re Asian hate, they speak bad things in Italian as they assume I don’t understand Italian!

A great restaurant. Sadly the overall cost means I can't go there as often as my budget allows, but I am always pleased when I can make it

Das Restaurant liegt im Keller, trotzdem hat es ein gewisses Ambiente, der Kellner war super nett, schnell und zuvorkommend. Es war allerdings sehr wenig Gäste da. Was auffällig war das viele Essen über Lieferdienste abgeholt wurde. Wir hatten uns im Vorfeld für das 3 Gang Menü zu 45 Pfund entschieden. Ich denke Preis/ Leistung absolut zu empfehlen.

Great meal for business over lunch. Staff super friendly and relaxed, always a good time here.

Food really good, but we booked a table for 7.30pm and were told when we got there 'we close at 9pm'. The waiter was hovering all the time and could not wait for us to leave. Don't go in the evening if you want a relaxing meal

Fantasist traditional Italian Food was 10/10 and service such a laugh not cheap but it was perfect and the staff were great

this was the first time I have dined at Boltons in the evening it wasn't very busy so lacked atmosphere . I was disappointed with the food as not up to what one would expect from Boltons

Excellent business lunch, great food (as always) and outstanding service.

Good value, we were in a hurry and they ensured we received efficient service but in a relaxed and controlled way

One of those super old school, way overpriced traditional City eateries I thought had died out years ago. The type where if you order a meat dish, the meat comes absolutely on its own so you then have to order a bunch of sides as well. And the calamari starter is just some frozen battered rings but for some reason costs £15. I know these places survive on expense accounts and old world “charm”, per other reviews, but seriously?….

Bolton's is a favourite venue used by Roger for business lunches. Good food. ambience and service.

Classic old Italian in the heart of the city… excellent pasta / meat and fish dishes. Service is always great and friendly. Highly recommend.

I went to this restaurant last night with my friends and it was a really enjoyable evening as there were so many options on the menu to choose from and the food was absolutely delicious. The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere and the service was excellent (really friendly and helpful.) I will definitely be returning

Business lunch. Food and service excellent.

Great service from all of the staff & really good food

Staff were prompt and professional - nothing was too much.

I have been going to Boltons since it first opened. The quality of food and service has always been fabulous.

Can’t complain, great food and good portion size.

Had the Spaghetti Vongole and it was well made. Portion size was decent as well. The waitress was very friendly and efficient. Very nice and affordable restaurant in the city.

Food was to salty and dumped in the plate. Needs a refurbishment. Good for Deliveroo only.

Standard Italian restaurant in the heat of historical London. The decoration, the waiters, and the foods of course: everything there remind you a famiglia trattoria you could enter in the middle of Italy.

Had a table booked for 12 people and they accommodated us very well, with regular contact on attendee numbers and any pre orders we could provide, this was difficult more on our side just because we were 12 different businesses. The service and food was brilliant, great atmosphere and perfect place to have a relaxing meal.

Excellent cuisine, great wine list, friendly and professional service.

Lively place with amazing tasting food. Definitely that home cooked Italian feeling as my partner is Italian and love it

A big thank you to all at Bolton’s for making our evening a very enjoyable experience. The restaurant was very quiet but that did not take anything away from the evening..we were throughly looked after and the food was excellent..would highly recommend and will look up again when in the city

Lovely traditional Italian restaurant, private and quiet atmosphere.

A highly recommended restaurant Roberto and the team make you feel very welcome. David

A friendly welcome was followed by helpful and attentive service and an excellent meal. The food was fresh and well cooked and complemented by good wines. The restaurant was very quiet the evening we were there, but that did not detract from the experience. A restaurant to be thoroughly recommended.

Wonderful traditional Italian food and a city institution that strives and succeeds in providing a high quality business lunch. The staff are wonderful and the food exceptional. Support them post pandemic!

Went there for dinner with two mates on Thursday 10/6. It was quiet but we could not fault the place. The food and service was brilliant and we will return.

Pasta had no flavour and was incredibly over cooked. Even Zizzi’s tastes better at half the price. Service a bit sloppy. Lovely setting though.

As usual the whole experience was superb again. Faultless and very funny staff!

Outstanding service food and hospitality

Excellent as always. Awesome Italian in a relaxed business lunch environment.

Lovely family Italian. Four of us dined and all are different dishes, none of which could be faulted. A great find tucked away in the City

Bolton’s is like stepping back in time. The decor is very tired and the carpet in particular is very worn and sticky looking. It was pretty much empty when we went, which meant the service was very attentive and the waiter was lovely. I had mushrooms to start, which was a plate of fried mushrooms which were pretty tasteless and oily on a bed of discoloured lettuce. The main course was salmon which was fatty and some carrots and broccoli. There was a “cover charge” of almost £5 on top of the bill and service. We had the two courses for £20 deal but with the charge, service and a small glass of Prosecco it was £37 each. Wouldn’t go again

The Bolton’s team never fail to impress!

Great food, good selection and friendly staff whom you can practise your Italian with! Thanks for a nice evening experience!

Two persons having steak and veal. A fantastic experience! 5/5 in food and service. The best food we ever had in London!

Call me sentimental but I have been going to this restaurant for over 25 years and still love it! I feel I have grown up with all the personnel as all the same faces are still there and very friendly. It has a wide and delicious menu choice and I have never had even an average meal there. I also like the way the restaurant is tucked away like you have discovered a secret speakeasy joint! On a personal note, I wish more restaurants would employ/retain more people of a ‘certain age’, it’s very endearing and ageism has always been rife, especially in the City.

Great food and service at Bolton's. I'll be returning.

Am also a bit baffled by the 5* reviews. We went on a Tuesday night and there were only 2 other people in the whole restaurant so clearly catering more to the lunch trade. Main negatives were the unfair cover charge (plus service charge) which isn't disclosed, OpenTable also at fault here. Minus another point for no bathroom towel and the waiter vaping at the bar. Food was ok but not for the price and zero atmosphere, don't think I'll be returning.

Beautiful little hidden gem. Overly generous portions. Great tasting food. ‘Better-than’ value for money. EXCELLENT EXCELLENT SERVICE! Love this place,

Food and service always great. My favorite Italian restaurant in the City. Coming from New York, the self proclaimed leader of Italian food outside Italy, Bolton’s doesn’t take a back seat to any of that.

First time to Bolton’s.... Lovely little restaurant, tucked away in the City. Totally rammed at lunchtime today with Bankers enjoying their Christmas lunches. The waiting staff (mostly ageing Italian men) struck a chord with me personally and I found their manner and attentiveness not dissimilar to scenes from both the Godfather and The Goodfellas!! The food was delicious and so a big recommend from me. I did find the the place pricey (as other Trip-advisors have done - two bowls of pasta, one sea bass, two halves of beer and a singular glass of red - £95). But given the time of year, the quality of the food, the location and authenticity this place has to offer - I will be back.

Brilliant, personal service with waiting and reception. Lots of charisma. Food was good and central London situation made it good value at 32 for 3 courses.

A1 as always - fantastic food & welcoming staff. Very attentive.

Good upmarket Italian food and beautiful fish in pleasant and friendly surroundings.

Visiting this Italien restaurant We ordered starters and filet of beef. The impression was an ok location, friendly staff but good below average. Not taste, flooded with sauce and wrongly cut filet. The final impression was overpriced an outdated lov quality.

Food good and very friendly service. Admittedly they did seem a bit busy and we had to ask to place our order. Quite noisy in the restaurant/bustling etc. Not helped by the fact our dining guest was very softly spoken.

Fantastic as always. Food is always gorgeous here without fail.

Lunch with friends. The menu is really extensive and makes it difficult to choose dishes as a result. Service was attentive with out being pushy. It has been a long time since I visited this restaurant which I curse- it is superb !

Best service I have had in a long time. We enjoyed classic italian food.

Great traditional Italian. Lots of people meeting for business lunches and food good quality with decent sized menu and alll the favourites. Warm welcome on arrival.

Proper old skool Italian. Loved it. Perfect place for business lunch

Great service, delicious food and great ambiance.

Quality from the time we arrived and greeted. Plenty of space between tables, well priced wine and excellent range of food. service was delivered at the speed we wanted and never had to wait for anything. Food was exceptional and we shared a Chateaubriand (Medium rare). Would recommend going during the evening as quieter and more relaxed.

I was here for a Business lunch and was not disappointed ! Wonderful food, excellent service and a very handy location in the City. Portions are on the generous side -so come hungry !

Meeting an old friend required somewhere close to his office with good food, easy access, plus an environment where we could talk and hear each other. Bolton’s ticked every box and the service was attentive without becoming invasive. Will definitely be back !!

Not too busy when we visited in the evening but the staff and food were excellent would highly recommend if you enjoy authentic Italian food a large menu choice

First time visit to this restaurant meeting with friends the staff were very welcoming and friendly and the food we ordered was excellent no complaints i will go back it would be rude not to.

Excellent service and food as usual. A tad pricey but not out of step with the area

Found this restaurant on bookatable but couldn’t get a table for time I wanted so I called the restaurant direct who were happy to accommodate. The food was amazing and the staff excellent. We went for the 2 course meal for £20 and were not disappointed. I had prawns to start then spaghetti with chicken my husband had deep fried Camembert and sea bass Would definitely recommend. The wine is a bit pricey but it is London

Always a favorite when visiting London. Love the ambiance and food.

Definitivamente el Servicio de lo mejor!!!

¡No podría recomendar Bolton's más! El servicio fue más allá de 5 estrellas! ¡Mi papá y yo llegamos después de una cata de champán en el Banco y este fue el hallazgo más afortunado! Auténtica cocina italiana al mejor nivel, excelente servicio con atención al detalle. ¡Literalmente no tengo críticas! No es moderno ni tiene la marca que muchos restaurantes tienen hoy en día, ¡pero no tiene por qué serlo! Es una decoración tradicional con el esfuerzo en la comida y el servicio, ¡exactamente lo que importa! ¡Volveremos y sin duda traeremos amigos y familiares! Gracias de nuevo por una noche tan agradable! Primera visita de muchos!

Excellent meal and great service.

The lobster pasta was one of the best I've ever had. Made even better by the welcoming and kind staff. Would highly recommend, a real hidden gem.

Buen resturante italiano, cocina tradicional, muy buena relación calidad precio.

we had the cHRISTMAS MENU AND the food was just great;prawns to start, fish pasta then amaretto pud washed down with wine and a glass of limoncello. Service superb too

I travel often for business and find that Italians restaurants are always a sure bet. Although I love the ability of international cuisine in and about London, I was craving me some pasta. This place was a great find in its location. Easy to get to and really (read that really) great Italian food. The place is old school decor -- loved it -- and informal -- didn't feel like I had to be on my best uncomfortable behavior. Courses were brought out timely and each dish was delightful - no complaints. Try it! It's definitely worth a visit if you are craving Italian in London

Desde la entrada no te gustaría; Supongo que este iba a ser un restaurante que sirve comida italiana auténtica y de buena calidad. El servicio es tan cálido como se puede encontrar en la ciudad y la comida es fresca y bien presentada. Una buena elección, aunque un poco más caro que algunos restaurantes italianos. Ocupado en el almuerzo, sirviendo a clientes corporativos, tranquilo por las noches.

A friend booked this as close to Sky Garden. Was a really pleasant surprise. A bit pricy for the size of portions but the food is great. The staff are friendly . The interior is really old school and charming. Will be gong back again.