Cafe Murano - Covent Garden in City of London, Westminster

Good location, conveniently placed restaurant, however I don't feel like there was a "wow" factor for me. In an area with a wide gamut of high-quality restaurants, I feel like café Murano does not stand out. Perhaps this was a function of what I ordered, so take my assessment with a grain of salt. The food was generally good - the minestrone appetiser was homey and well-flavoured. While seasoned well, the pork shoulder was very salty. I enjoy my salt and found it almost too much - I don't know how someone with a blander palate would react. Portions were quite large. Awareness about gluten intolerance was very good: almost everything on the menu could be done gluten-free, which was nice.

It’s just Zizzi but 2.5x the price. Kind of feels like you’ve gone back to 2010 but not the good parts? I don’t know why google reviews are so good and tripadvisor so bad recently but unfortunately got to agree with tripadvisor. Food was ok at best - nowhere near price tag. Service mostly pretty good but wine cooler came with sauce all over it and some things were a bit slapdash. Heard good things before so maybe just a rut and things will improve.

An Italian wannabe that didn't hit the mark. As an Italian from northern Italy I can say it has little authenticity and the only ok thing was the wine. The minestrone starter was a broth with insane amount of overcooked vegetables and the pork shoulder with polenta was extremely oily and difficult to digest. The experience was overall ok and service mediocre, with very questionable choice of music. Not impressed at all

Best Arancini and Tiramisu we’ve ever had! Staff are always so friendly and attentive and food and drinks come out quick! Would always recommend to any visiting the area.

Excellent lunch at this Cafe Murano. Had the set lunch menu - good value - and a couple of nice glasses of wine. Top meal.

Whenever we are in London, Cafe Murano , Covent Garden, is an oasis. Lovely food and ambience.

Great food and service from our hostess, Valeria. She was particularly helpful with her suggestions for starters which were delicious and we had a lovely, unrushed evening.

Lovely food with high quality choices. Very busy spot just before theatre hours. Friendly staff. Food was quite quick. Just the tiramisu lacked some flavour.

Incredible pasta, waitress was lovely and gave us all the veggie options and let us share three! Would 100% return

Set at la carte menu pre lion king theatre experience with 7year old boy along for the ride. They accommodated us all so welcomingly with greetings from all staff from door to table. The food was well presented and the standards have stayed high even with a guaranteed footfall. Well done to all and we would recommend pre theatre or for a date night to try the other great dishes on the menu

A destination I have had on my list for some time snd can say it was well worth the wait! From moment I stepped inside the door to a very friendly greeting to leaving well fed and happy. Nice menu , good variety ! The minestrone soup was the only option for me on a cold Jan day and it certainly ticked all the boxes . Simple cod on a bean sauce followed and it too did not disappoint. Perfectly cooked and presented . The frangipani was a very generous portion, not the small ones we have come to expect and it rounded the meal off nicely . Could not find any fault and look forward to my return visit . All staff were exceptionally friendly and accommodating .

The set lunch had a good choice and the dishes were very tasty and generous. A lovely atmosphere too. Valeria was an exceptional hostess who really looked after us and made the birthday lunch all the more enjoyable. Will return.

Delicious food, we did the pre fixe menu before theatre. Incredibly friendly service, our waitress was great ~ knowledgeable, friendly and fun, definitely makes me want to go back. Thank you. No food pics taken this time but you can see the restaurant which I'd describe as a modern classic style.

Understated but classy restaurant, casual dining with great tasting food. Started with a dry martini which was perfect we went straight into mains, my wife had the osso buco whilst I had the scalopa Milanese which we thoroughly enjoyed…. we will be returning.

I booked an early table, post theatre, to celebrate our anniversary. I was excited to go as I’m a big fan of Angela Hartnett and Italian food. We had very friendly service, couldn’t fault it and enjoyed our starters and mains but I’m afraid I had the worst tiramisu I’ve ever had. It didn’t hold its shape, it was runny, flavourless cream and perhaps mascarpone with dry non soaked sponge - no hint of coffee. I barely touched it and figured if the kitchen is happy to send it out like that they won’t care if I complain and send it back. Had so much better in local restaurants. Give them a lesson Angela.

The most amazing food that I have been honoured to taste in the UK.

Great vibe, service with a short menu of great dishes

A disappointing experience there this evening, on 23rd December. This was supposed to be a birthday dinner. Our first choice restaurants were fully booked and, having dined many times at Cafe Murano St James and Murano in Mayfair (although both some years ago), I suggested here. There were 3 of us and we decided upon the "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" to share as a main course. We obviously chose our antipasti and wine based on this. On ordering, we were told by the waiter that the bistecca wasn't available. This is a restaurant with only 5 "secondi" items on the menu, so surely we could have been informed of this when the menus were given? I said this to the manager, who simply shrugged his shoulders and said "we close tomorrow for Christmas and not everything is still in the kitchen"! I have a lot of respect for Angela Hartnett and enjoy her simple style of Northern Italian dishes, but overall this felt like a restaurant that was now just trading on a name and was no longer trying. The food was average at best, the service mediocre, the atmosphere lacking, and the prices way too high (with service, almost £40 for a small 'secondi' dish of under-seasoned lamb, over-cooked artichoke, and a blob of goat's curd). There is far better than this to be had in central London.

Our party of five enjoyed a leisurely and relaxed family lunch when three generations had a good experience. Prices are very reasonable, particularly considering the location. Truffle mayonnaise? Yes please.

Loved it, always good food and service. Our son Lucas used to be a chef here, so it's always a favourite.

Our first visit and it was as good as we had hoped. Delightful service, amazing food with lots of flavours and complexity without being fussy. Thank you to everyone involved in providing the food and service this evening! 10/10

The Minestrone Soup was delicious. .

I love this place usually but, whilst the food was as good as ever, I have to say the service was not to the usual standard. We sat upstairs which I didn’t even know existed and the female server who seemed in charge of service up there was surly and rude. We decided to order from the Plat du Giorno menu simply because we fancied the dishes on there but this did not go down well. When a male server gave us complimentary focaccia, it was quickly whisked away by the female server and I observed her reprimand the guy who had done this. We spent around £200 so it wasn’t a low cost meal but we just weren’t made to feel great this time round and it did impact the overall experience.

Cafe Murano is a great experience which ever one you go to. Angela Hartnett has got it right. I’m giving 4 and not 5 as I’ve had better experiences (food wise) at other times. Saying that the pumpkin tortelli and pear and Gorgonzola salad was delicious. Great service (the Maitre D was exceptional and memorable so thank you to him). All the staff are polite. I will always recommend Murano’s if you like Italian food. It’s mid-range for London. We paid £90 each between 6 for dinner )sharing about 12 dishes and a couple of sides. 2 bottles of wine and some cocktails. Highly recommend and we will be back 😁

We have come here before earlier this year and it was wonderful. We were so disappointed with cold food and pasta that tasted like it was out of a microwave. The lamb was extremely overpriced for what it was and the accompaniments were cold and covered in oil. The side dish was cold too. The starter of arancini tasted nice but the sauce was cold and the meat platter was okay. It was all very poor. The waiter was a really nice person but we didn’t receive any check back during the meal. Incredibly disappointing and an expensive bill for what was honestly not a very good meal. We considered dessert but didn’t want to risk another underwhelming course. It is a great shame as such a beautiful meal earlier on in the year and I’m not sure what has happened but we won’t be returning and can see from the reviews that we aren’t the only ones!

Excellent friendly service and good choice of food. The restaurant kindly gave us lovely extra treats for having had to change our booking. Good ambience and we were left to take our time with our meal. Would recommend

This was such a disappointment. My wife and I enjoy Italian food and had a number of dishes from the main menu but unfortunately, they were all flavourless and under spiced and served at a tepid temperature. These included seafood risotto, arancini, hispi cabbage and trout, whilst the focaccia bread appeared old and dry. We were also sat at what seemed like an additional table, next to the toilet and clothes cupboard with staff constantly going past, sometimes carrying waste bins. Staff were largely positive and helpful although it was interesting that two of them had recently given in their notice. We would not return here and will be passing on our thoughts to friends who might have come in future.

I took my partner there for his birthday, we had a lovely meal, the staff were lovely and attentive. I appreciate the extra touch for his birthday, it was a nice surprise. Thank you!

Absolutely gorgeous food in a lovely restaurant. The staff were amazing and the chefs have obviously listened and learned from Angela and delivered perfection.

Shared a meal with friends here last night. Warmly greeted and seated at nice round table. Simple one page menu full of good Italian food. I chose burrata with artichoke and walnut followed by Hake. Really good food. Everyone ate well. Very friendly waitresses and good service. Quite plain and simple decor but a good busy atmosphere. Wine very good. Good deserts so a happy group. Everything required to enjoy time with special friends 😁🇮🇹

The food was horrible, the place and the atmosphere worse. They charged us over £100 for 4 chicken breasts which weren't even good. The place is very sad.

Nov 2024 popped in here after event with friends Pleasant unfussy restaurant with great selection of fish and pasta. Staff were on the ball with advice and recommendations . I had the Rigatoni, all carefully cooked and served on table. Waiting staff great attitude and fun 😊 good ambience and selection of wines . Desserts were imaginative and open to additions . Looks wheelchair friendly as all on one floor , spotless loo, highly recommended . 🤗

I went twice in one week. Once with. Group and then came back with my wife. The food was good both times and the staff was friendly both times. The only dish I had both times was the Tiramisu. I would definitely return and try other dishes on the menu.

I’ve waited a long time to come to Cafe Murano and it did not disappoint! We had to wait for our table which unfortunately meant we didn’t have time for desserts (which looked and sounded delicious) but the friendly staff more than made up for it. We told them we only had an hour before our theatre and we were paid up with enough time to make it. The food was delicious and the service was exceptional. I would definitely come back again to fully experience the restaurant when we do not have a time pressure!

Grumpy staff despite no one else in restaurant. Very poor service Sunday lunch time - will stick to Murano. We wanted a light lunch before singing at a rehearsal nearby - waitress wasn’t interested and couldnt be bothered. I had to get up to tell her we were ready to order! Paying the bill also took forever! Such a pity as the good was excellent.

Beautiful food! Amazing service! Brilliant atmosphere! Superb for a family lunch

Had a fantastic meal here - one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Great, warm service as well in a lovely setting. Will be back !

Very bad service waiter food came cold, and manager George was very unprofessional

Nice restaurant in West end close to theatre, with very friendly staff. Food was great but expected it to be.

I went for dinner with a friend We received a warm welcome at the entrance and the host showed us out table The restaurant was almost full and was full by the time we left for the theater The service was great and the waitress was really kind and helpful The food was great one of the best meals I have ever had in London Everything cooked to perfection We really enjoyed our dinner and the service and everything was quick and on point I highly recommend it when you are around Covent Garden

Beautiful place to dine. We met up with some friends and stumbled across this restaurant, and we are so glad we did. The food is delicious, we can't fault it at all. The staff were very friendly and efficient and the atmosphere here was great.

Great food, just lacking a bit in atmosphere, service acceptable but not acceptable.

Great italian food and perfect for pre theatre too.

in London to celebrate u our 4oth wedding anniversary we chose Cafe Murano as the venue for a special occasion. Having been here previously we knew the service would be good and it was excellent, warm, friendly but not overly intrusive. The food was excellent we shred Mozzarella & pecorino arancini and focaccio bread for starters and both were very good with the arancini being superb. For our main courses we opted for pasta and had the Lake district beef crudo, horseradish and crispy shallots which was equally good. Accompanied by Prosecco and house red the meal was excellent and fitting fr a special occasion.

We have eaten at both Murano and Limewood multiple times and have always have faultless food so were excited to try Cafe Murano. On the positive side, it’s in a great location with a lovely ambience and the service was great. Unfortunately, the food was quite poor and hugely overpriced. We had the gnocchi (which is exceptional at Limewood) and it was just overcooked blobs on a side plate. Very underwhelming for £17 for a starter portion, which I barely ate because it really was unappetising. We then had the sausage pasta ragu, which was nice, and the seafood risotto which again was very average. Again it was sort of slopped on a plate and the seafood had been taken out of the shells and was just some little overcooked muscles and clams that looked like they’d been torn out of the shell with no attention. I would expect more for £28. We did however have a lovely tiramisu and the waiter brought out a meringue for my husbands birthday. Unfortunately, we will not be back - I hope the other Hartnett restaurants have not gone the same way!

Brilliant hidden gem in Covent Garden. Had the plaice which was absolutely delicious, and arrived really hot - something I often find doesn't happen with fish. Staff were very attentive and everything arrived quickly. Will be returning!

An interesting menu. Not the usual Italian stuff. Very accessible from Covent Garden

All aspects of our dining experience were genuinely excellent. In particular, the food was delicious and the service was flawless. I cannot remember the last time I could honestly give such feedback about a London restaurant. By coincidence, my wife and I met your Events Manager just prior to our visit - she did not know we were visiting the restaurant and she was not at work - but was happy to give us tips on places to visit in Covenant Garden. We would love to visit your restaurant again. P.S. Even as a fairly regular recipient of homemade olive oil from the Mediterranean, I can confirm that yours was better (please don’t tell my grandmother).

I took my daughter to this lively place for her birthday. The food was amazing and really welcoming atmosphere. Will definitely go again

Such a great restaurant, lovely meal and fantastic service, we’ll be back again.

My wife and I ate at cafe murano Saturday just gone. We had a wonderful time in what was a busy restaurant. I really enjoyed the gnocchi, best I’ve had if I’m honest. The wine was great as well. Hope to return soon

Great food , inviting dishes , hurried visit that was a last minute walk in. Will certainly be back to experience more of what Murano has to offer

I had a girl’s lunch at Cafe Murano with my friend in from NYC. The space was cozy and welcoming, perfect for a catch up. She is vegetarian and decided upon the set menu starter and main. Her fig and goat curds salad was excellent, which we shared alongside the burrata and hazelnut starter with a side of focaccia, also another winner. Didn’t get a photo of the starters because we wolfed them down. My seafood risotto main was tasty but not mindblowing. The Tiramisu was rich, thick and creamy, I would say a close second to the best I’ve ever had in Rome. I’ve marked down on atmosphere because despite booking a table in advance we were seated side by side at the bar when there were plenty of tables for two available. We asked to move and they seated us at a high table, which was a small improvement but not ideal.

This was a very quaint Italian restaurant that was recommended by our concierge. It was amazing. The herb green salad was yummy the gnocchi were delicious the fish amazing the martinis were amazing. The service and staff were attentive

What a disappointment Recommended we dine here to old friends visiting London and wished had not after a truly disappointing visit. We have dined both here and St.James several times and felt confident coming once again. The staff couldn't be bothered chatting to one another instead of waiting tables.No atmosphere whatsoever. Drinks not up to their usual high standard. Food was bland with little or no flavour. To say that their was an air of complacency would be an understatement. Having previously left good reviews I felt it necessary to make all aware of the drop in standards. Angela liven this establishment up or it will become a casualty of neglect. Certainly will not be rushing back.

Awesome little restaurant in Covent Garden area. We found by chance and were so happy we did! The fried calamari was excellent, lamb superb - and cooked appropriately to requested temperature. The Chicken Milanese was light, tender and flavorful. We are so happy we found this gem!!

Best serves ever, let us stay in the restaurants while we were waiting for an uber <3 SUCH SEXY TATTOOS

The bartenders are so knowledgeable making great recommendations for wine pairings

Cosy place, friendly staff, great italian food

Early supper post exhibition so we arrived during the height of pre-theatre service. Very busy but we were given the option of upstairs or downstairs table which we liked. Carafe of their own Toscana white was delicious, followed by a lovely bottle of Barbera. We both went for the set menu - £30 for three courses (£25 for two courses). Amazing value. For starters - fried squid with aioli and goats cheese/beetroot salad both delicious. For main - lamb cooked perfectly and gluten free pasta with a lovely sweet tomato/veg sauce. So simple but delicious. Poached pear/flaked almonds with salted caramel ice cream (divine) and cheeses (which were packed with flavour). The perfect dinner for us! Set menu only available if ordered pre 7pm. The a la carte choices looked very good and prices reasonable for London. Would definitely return.

Super experience from start to finish

"Exceptional warm welcome on arrival, incredibly attentive service throughout the meal. The food was delicious, as ever. We love it here. Third visit and it just gets better and better. Thank you for another fantastic meal"

Fabulous place, delicious food, lovely staff. A glass of their Toscana Bianca 2023 is a must-try.

Delicious food, chose the pre Theatre menu which was great value! Drinks are unique to the restaurant so this could be hit and miss. Service was very good. There is a 13.5% service charge added to your bill which I think is a little high.

Such lovely food and staff and customer service was superb! Would go back :)

Such a great place to drop into the staff are always friendly and attentive, the food is delicious, great flavours and fresh with a menu that’s all too easy to work through! Probably why I keep going back!

Lovely meal, drinks and wine.. Staff were attentive and engaging which amplified the experience… You can’t go wrong with food under the guidance of Angela Hartnett 👏🏻😋

Took the ferals for lunch prior to the theatre to see Matilda. Wow what an amazing experience for them! They really appreciated the delicious food and the helpful, attentive service. They were really impressed with the toilets! Such amazing value for money. I had the burrata which was delicious. The chocolate brownie was a resounding success. My youngest grand daughter gave you the big thumbs up and said you deserve 2*! Why would you do any fast food restaurant when you can experience such delicious dishes and such great value. Thankyou

Great Italian restaurant with unique dishes and good service, the staff are attentive and they have pretty decent prices which is good, I would recommend if you are in the area

Taking bookings and closed. Fantastically bad.

A perfect spot for a Pistachio Ice Cream latte!

When I lived in London this was the restaurant of choice before any Royal Opera house performance and so I chose it to catch up with friends when I went back on a recent visit. Ambience was great, the staff were very attentive and knowledgeable and the food was as always excellent. So glad a favourite is still going strong in good ol London.

We were both impressed with the 3 course £30 per head set menu. Costs as much up here in the midlands and not as good. Expected the dishes to be relatively small portions but not so. I had tuna carpaccio followed by lamb on harissa aubergine, my husband had buffalo mozzarella followed by grilled mackerel and we both had the plum and almond tart with ice cream. Everything was delicious. Staff were friendly, knowledgable and efficient allowing us plenty of time between courses to enjoy the meal. Will return.

Delightful dinner, tasty pre theatre menu. Great choice of dishes,the lamb leg was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Marie looked after us,she was attentive and gave great food recommendations. Overall exceptional food and service.

A great pre theatre meal (we atw off both the a la carte and pre-theatre menus) with family. Friendly knowledgeable service. Incredible pasta and the Blackcurrant sorbet was delicious. Thoroughly recommend. I will have this place noted for return visits. Thank you!

The food is always fantastic and the service rates this a 5 star

We had the absolute best time! Faultless infact! Our beautiful waitress Louisa (forgive me if I got it wrong, we did have a fair few limoncello's) was nothing short of incredible! Nothing was too much, we coud not have asked for more! What an asset to your team! The food was..... well, nothing short of incredible. The bread, the arrancini, the coppa, the whole plaice ... and of course the tirramisu.... were my standouts! We will be back for a game of 21's / bkackjack soon! Thank you so much!

Excellent value set menu, good portion size, friendly staff, place was busy for a Tuesday lunchtime so good atmosphere but a little noisy, you could probably sit in a quieter area if you needed?

Hosted my wife’s birthday in the private dining room. Service and food were great, and the room was perfect for an intimate dinner with friends.

Amazing food, excellent service. A pure joy of a dining experience.

intimate, great service, very attentive and really friendly, knowledgeable. Food was excellent, wines very carefully chosen and good! will be back!

Been wanting to try here for a long time but maybe the fact we got a booking within a week for a Friday night is part of the clue that it is not as good as it used to be. The pastas were all great (rabbit, pesto and tortellini) but the price of £24 for a large was steep. The focacia was so crunchy we couldn't finish it so would skip this. Service was slow and quite unattentive when the restaurant didn't seem overly busy. Overall, probably won't go back as there are places that do equally good pasta at lower prices in London

We went for a pre theatre dinner and we’re delighted by the offer of a set menu of 3 courses for £30! Downside folks is that this finished at 7pm otherwise I’d be awarding 5 stars. The little green peppers on a red pepper pesto was perfect. My guests had generous starter portions of pasta (the ricotta stuffed tortellini was voted top marks) followed by wonderfully presented whole plaice although these dishes were a la carte. My grilled chicken thigh on new potatoes and broad beans was surprisingly good considering the bargain set menu price. The Gavi di Gavi was also deliciously chilled and correctly priced. Overall - a great dinner without busting the credit card in central London. Go early before they revise the prices!

Linked to Angela Harnett's restaurant in Mayfair, which has 1 Michelin star. We found in the past that such an "arrangement" doesn't work and the "lower priced" restaurant is nothing like the same quality as the "parent" Michelin establishment. We were very happy to discover this is 100% NOT the case with Cafe Murano. Excellent food, great service and sensible prices. We will be back !!

An amazing hidden gem! Incredible food and all delicious, the place is small but has a great atmosphere, the staff all very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately we ate on a night where the upstairs was closed due to a leak which made the wait a bit longer but the speed of service once we ordered was great as it speedily made its way out of the kitchen. I'd love to come back another night when it's a bit quieter to try some more of the menu

Great food. Good set menu -hard to find on website

Our first time at Cafe Murano and most definitely won’t be our last. A really cosy, intimate interior with warm, welcoming staff and a menu of brilliantly executed Italian fare. Not at all pretentious. Would happily recommend and hope to return soon.

Cozy Italian eatery with excellent desserts. Tiramisu is a must order.

Four friends had a lovely lunch but for two things. We were seated at the back of the restaurant and it was so noisy we could hardly hear ourselves speak. My friends had some lovely foccacia and I was given a cheap bit of white, supermarket gluten free bread burnt in places and not toasted in others. Surely it is not beyond a chef's abilities to make some nice g/f bread or rolls and keep in the freezer. Aside from that my courgette salad and tuna salad was delicious.

We are at Covent Garden branch after a West end show. We were seated upstairs and all the food arrived cold. It is carried up the steep staircase and then left to go cold until the wait staff collect it to bring to your table. The waitress kindly comped our main courses however doubt we will return

We had a terrible experience dining here. London is full of great Italian restaurants, but this is not one of them. My food was so bad (bland, tasteless but also salty?) that I did not eat it at all, and my friend had his dish and then was sick (throwing up) the night after our visit. Never again! The staff was welcoming and nice, can not complain on that part.

Absolutely superb. We were a little nervous about timings as we were visiting between Harry Potter showings but everything was really efficient without feeling rushed. The food was outstanding, service great and we really appreciated the Birthday Cake that was brought out unexpectedly! The theatre menu was great value and the wine was really good as well. We will definitely return!

A wonderful lunch with old friend's, everything was lovely particularly the service which was spot on. Thank you

Amazing we had such a nice lunch and the staff could not do enough

Our first time to this dining outlet, though we'd been to Murano in Mayfair twice before. I took the waitress's food suggestions - she was spot on, and everything was delicious! The drinks menu is vast, and we ended the night chatting with the bartender and very friendly restaurant manager. We'll definitely be back! Viv & Alex (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Went to the private dining room of this restaurant for a retirement event. Really special evening. The setting is like great and food and wine superb. The staff were truly excellent.

Absolutely must have an espresso martini, best I’ve had. Busy and bustling but very tasty.

Never expected to be leaving a negative review for a restaurant that was so looking forward to trying beforehand, but genuinely disappointed with the experience and the quality of the food we tried. The Foccacia was good to begin with and the Beef Crudo was ok to follow, although a little salty was otherwise quite bland, then followed the main of Risotto which was very sludgy in texture, completely overpowered with cheese and the arborio rice was slightly hard and undercooked. The waiting service, although friendly, took the order wrong and bought out only one Primi dish instead of the two we ordered, and took one back to be left on plate warmer while the second dish was cooked which ruined the tempo of the meal before being presented with the extremely poor main dish. The desert of Tiramisu however was absolutely fantastic which was by far the highlight of the culinary offering. We was then overcharged by £18 for the wrong bottle of wine on the final bill, which however was quickly picked up on and spotted by the server. Overall, very disappointed with the experience but would not recommend or return.

There was a funny waitress who gave us her attitude. Pretty sad actually.

Why has my review been taken off this website