Caffe Caldesi in City of London, Westminster

We were looking for somewhere warm and friendly, chances a walk-in. Staff were warm and friendly, and had a really lovely meal. Extensive wine list with lots of really good options by the glass and without getting into silly money plenty on offer by the bottle with a few very special ones on offer. Couldn’t fault the place and from the warmth of the service, I wouldn’t want to! Perfect place for a really enjoyable Italian meal with traditional Italian hospitality.

The food was very good. The pricing was in line with London pricing. The ambience was very nice. The dessert was so yummy.

Caldesi is a gem of an Italian restaurant. The food is immaculate—every dish feels like a warm hug, prepared with exceptional care and flavor. The staff are perfect; they’re kind, welcoming, and truly enhance the dining experience. The drinks are equally amazing, complementing the fantastic menu. This place is now a weekly favourite for my family, thanks to its delightful atmosphere and consistent excellence. Highly recommend!!!

Nice ambience, friendly staff and more importantly very good food which felt very authentic. First time here and will definitely return.

This is a fabulous restaurant .. Excellent food and the staff are outstanding.. helpful and friendly.. Highly recommend..

Had a lovly meal here , staff all very helpful and friendly , such a lovly restraunt, lovly menu to choose from , food we got was amazing

The hottest day of the year and we found the hottest restaurant in town I reckon. A mother and daughter outing after a hospital appointment and treating ourselves to a nice girlie lunch. We’d come up from the country. We sat outside watching the world go by, we had a delicious glass of rosé and we had the Linguine Caldesi which was just so delicious. I didn’t realise until afterwards that the owner is the author of the excellent The Diabetes Weight-loss Cookbook, my absolute to go recipe book. I am thrilled that I have now tried his live cooking and what a pleasant experience it was. A true treat on a day when summer returned to London!

A busy restaurant, the food was well executed and the service efficient. A nice choice of wines by the glass. Had the fixed price menu which was good value.

We had the worst experience of dining out in London in years. We booked a table for six people and were given a table next to the toilet! We ordered two bottles of water which were put on the table but were not opened and poured. We ordered a mixed fried seafood plate to share. The dish has two small pieces of white fish, two prawns and few rings of calamari in addition to big bundle of deep fried zucchini. The taste was masked by overused frying oil. The other starter weren’t any better, the pizza margarita had very little cheese, the parmigiana dish had a horrible sour taste (the chef says it was possibly the tomato)! For the mains my father ordered a well done steak which was burnt. We asked the waiter to take it back and ordered pasta instead. At the end of this awful dining experience, we were shocked to be charged for the steak which we didn’t eat! When I enquired about this, the waiter said that there was nothing wrong with it and argued that we ordered it well done. Overall this was a very unpleasant dining experience and I wouldn’t recommend dining here!

Arrived without a reservation on a very busy Friday evening. Manager sorted us out within 10 minutes. Lovely table, delicious menu, warm inviting ambiance and excellent service from delightful Ella (a whirlwind of energy and joy). Accessible wine list with gorgeous wines by the glass or carafe. Bottle price sensibly divided across glass, carafe etc with none of the usual penalty for just wanting a glass! Italian hospitality, as only the Italians can do, at it’s best.

Always a great experience - excellent menu. Beef carpaccio, pastas, grilled chicken, tiramisu - all excellent. Service is great.

Went in with my daughter without a reservation. Initially showed to a nice table but then moved somewhat into the corner which was ok. Next to a Canadian couple which had had a few too many wines. Added to the fun. We both just fancied carbonara. Both agreed was one of the best we’ve ever had. Also had some bread and olives and a couple of glasses of wine. Sadly we had no time for dessert. Not cheap, but very authentic and good service. We will be back.

Been there for a Qiuck bite after meeting and must say that place is little hidden gem! Antonio took his time to explain the dishes and give great suggestions. Best carbonara I ever had ! As well they had lovely vine selection

Pre Covid, Caldesi downstairs was an informal bustling cafe with good value typical italian dishes and a posh restaurant upstairs , well run, where we were proud to take our friends for a special occasion. Now, downstairs has also been upgraded poshly, not to advantage and with prices to match. Management and service were cheerful and effective but our visits have found that the food - the heart of it after all - does not measure up to where it should be or to the much vaunted Caldesi cookbooks. For example: The highlighted shared special fritto misto (£29) was recently an especial disappointment with a very mean selection of fish resting on a great pile of unwanted and unannounced fried courgette; someone needs a weekend in venice to find how really to do it. Must try harder if old loyalties are not to be lost.

Sunday afternoon perfection!!! What an afternoon. As we rambled back to our hotel after a busy morning at Londons finest sights we came across this fabulous establishment by chance. The menu looked like it would be very comforting after a busy morning so we went in. The staff were attentive and the food was excellent . We started with calmari and it went uphill from there. Pizza and Pollo Sense were excellent and the wine list ticked all the boxes. The lovely waitress minded us all afternoon and it was the perfect finish to a lovely weekend break in London and Marylebone!

My first visit to this restaurant this evening and it was wonderful. Staff very accommodating, delicious food, nice ambiance. I will definitely visit again

Having dined at Caldesi many, many times over the past decade (but not since the pandemic) this was a disappointing experience. Firstly the positives, the food is still very good and the menu has plenty of choice. There was also a good atmosphere in the restaurant. However the service was poor. To say it felt like ‘amateur night’ would be generous. We had to ask for menus, drinks went to the wrong people, it was impossible to catch anyone’s eye to make a request and overall it felt like really hard work. Also there wasn’t an Italian waiter or waitress to be seen all night which sadly meant that a lot of the authenticity of the restaurant had been lost.

Another fantastic meal, love the food, the drinks and the very friendly and attentive staff. Had the Vitello Tonnato which is my absolute favourite and is delicious here followed by the Caldesi Linguine with king prawns. Can’t wait to go through the whole menu. Definitely booking again.

Booked last minute at first they had no tables but kept my number in case of a cancellation and they called back. Service was excellent and so was the food. lots of different tastes all very good and will return.

The three of us (out for a business dinner) were stuck down the back next to the loo so it didn’t start well and just got worse. What used to be a classic, traditional Italian restaurant is now staffed by mostly (if not 100%) non-Italians who either weren’t trained, or didn’t care, or both. The Fritto Misto to share was a deep fried mess that had clearly not been long out of the freezer. Our pasta main courses were all delicious but the desserts were dreadful and the Tiramisu the worst I have ever tasted. They even got the drinks wrong - not knowing their way around their own wine list, or the difference between ginger ale and ginger beer. This being a business/expense account dinner it just didn’t feel worth complaining. Shame. Avoid.

The choice of food and cooking was excellent. We come here for our Christmas meal out with 10 friends every year and it and it never disappoints. Service first taste. Drinks a bit pricey. We paid £80PP but we had a lot to drink with quality wines and grappa. Try out for a special occasion!

On my own but wanting proper food, in crowded area I went into CALDESI which I have visited in the past. Lovely plate of beef ragu, pleasant service. I then ordered an English breakfast tea and lo and behold it came precariously set down, pot, milk jug and cup and saucer, by young waitress. I waited for the leaves to brew or so I thought but when I opened the lid of the pot to mush up the tea leaves i found a tea bag! A tea bag in the space of the tea leaf container within the pot. When the bill came I found they charged £5 for this tea bag. This level of restaurant should serve proper tea leaves. Otherwise nice place, well located.

Lovely early supper in this Italian restaurant. Friendly staff, good wines and honest Italian food. Good atmosphere. Will return soon!

Being totally transparent, we did not attend for a meal. I booked and then tried to cancel the appointment. I was unable to cancel online. I was told that I had to call a number to cancel the booking. It diverted to voicemail. No one replied following my voice message. I sent an email to advise my cancellation. No one replied. Dreadful customer service. Antiquated reservation system. Will not bother trying again if this is their approach to customer reservations.

We have eaten here a couple of times and love the surrounding area. On arrival we were pointed to our seat (not taken) passed the menus and then asked what we would like to drink. Drinks arrived promptly and our lunch food order was taken. Not once did we receive a smile...The starter was disappointing ..main meal was good..never asked, was everything ok??Can we get you something else...we had to call the waitress over to get the bill.She didn't ask if we can't a desert (loss money) she really didn't want to work yesterday..I felt really unwelcome and would really think about returning or recommending this restaurant.

A spectacular find. One of our best and most authentic dining experiences in London during our recent week-long stay. Delicious Italian food. Margareta pizza with garlic, the best veal schnitzel and calamari were faultless. Lemoncello spritiz was refreshing and finally, the tiramasu was the perfect...

Phenomenal Italian best veal I've had outside of Italy Margarita and calamari amazing Veal was amazing So was the seabass ravioli Such a lovely owner who came around to meet and greet and clear plates

I went with a friend last night for her birthday and we both absolutely loved it. Super friendly staff and delicious food. The vitello tonnato and sea bass ravioli were divine. Would definitely book again and hopefully soon! Thank you so much to the staff...

Found it a bit expensive, food was acceptable, but not exceptional, waiter was a bit pushy, trying to up-sale to more expensive wines, there wasn’t any wine under £40.

Last went two years ago. The food was excellent and good value. Today the portions were small and the prices pricey for an italian. I was disappointed. The service, however, was excellent. I had orata at £27 which came with the tiniest sprig of broccoli...

Wanted to go to Caldesi for years - it's in a great location on trendy/classy Marylebone High Street. Menu is appealing for "old fashioned" Italian classics - and the establishment's cooking school is just behind the restaurant. It's a family-run business, very much evident as...

Excellent food and truly gentle service The quality of the products and the sense for proper italien receipes serve a perfect experience for those who seek for genuine italian tastes

A nice cozy place, service is great. My kids & husband has the ragu pasta & excellent. I had the truffle pasta which was overcooked. The pizza is excellent though.

I’ve wanted to try this place for years but never happened to be in the area during its opening times. Today I happened to be there just as it opened for lunch and so I decided to eat there. So glad I did! Even though...

Excellent pasta. Nice wine. Excellent service. Friendly, authentic atmosphere. Plenty to choose on the menu. Have been here many times and it never disappoints.

We were six people and were taken in without a reservation, for which we were really grateful. Ordered a bottle of wine and the waitress poured 5 glasses only on purpose which left us having to order an extra glass of wine. We ordered another...

Een schitterende plek in een verborgen parel binnen het Londense stadscentrum. We hebben er heerlijk gedineerd, tegen eerlijke prijzen en...

Portions (for an Italian restaurant) and in view of the the price charged, were too small - quality was good but when you get to a restaurant, you generally don’t want to eat a kid-sized portion meal when you are an adult I felt ripped...

The food was delicious. I wish there had been an option for a larger portion of the aubergine Parmesan, which was delicious but only available as a starter. All of us enjoyed our meal and the attentive service. And the desserts — superb.

Nous avions été tellement charmés par l’endroit que nous y sommes revenus le lendemain. Et c’était toujours excellent. Une cuisine...

Excellent restaurant, very friendly staff. Superb food and very casual atmosphere. Our Sunday lunch there was a perfect end to a weekend in London

Had a really excellent celebration meal at Caldesi - great decor and ambiance, superb food, excellent service with a charming Maître d' (who suggested a magnificent Chianti) and not unreasonable prices. We'll be back!

We returned to Caldesi, having previously enjoyed a delicious lunch there with my daughter. The food was good (although the linguini sauce had a bit more of a kick to it than we remembered) but the shocker came when we received the bill and found...

Decided to try this restaurant after seeing the huge queue at the steak place opposite. We were welcomed inside and in general service was good. The food overall was average. Had the spaghetti carbonara which is my standard go to when judging an Italian restaurant....

I am a big fan of Katie Caldesi's cookery books and I have been to their cookery school. There I was served excellent pasta at the end of the morning for lunch. My husband and I had the opportunity to visit this restaurant next door...

After being disappointed at another place round the corner, we stumbled across Caldesi and it was amazing! Arancini & garlic bread to start, followed by the carbonara and a pannacotta. All the dishes we had were so tasty, service and staff were super friendly and...

The food here is amazing! The staff are very friendly, however the management appear a little cold :( Somewhat expensive, but it is a classy place, so the cost is no more than I would have expected. We were here as a large group of...

It seems to be one of those busy restaurants in Central London. The food and service was amazing though. Though the restaurant was busy, the service was sharp, the menu interesting and the food was delicious. Good selection of wines and the ambience was great

- Things I liked: The service and staff team The price - more than reasonable in the area The layout of the restaurant and general vibe Could book a table in December Location Menu is reasonably extensive to suit all tastes. - Things that took...

Arriving in Marylebone on a warm November evening to start a weekend of birthday celebrations, we stumbled upon this little corner of Italy. Although we didn’t have reservations and the restaurant was busy, we were warmly welcomed and a table was found. I couldn’t resist...

Encouraged by previous reviews, my wife and I visited for lunch recently. My veal alla milanese could not have been more dry and tasteless. My wife's suckling pig was only marginally better. These, together with three glasses of mid-priced wine and mozzarella and calamari starters,...

Visited for lunch for a long overdue catch up with a friend. Excellent service, superb food. Just a lovely experience.

Arrived there for lunch at 12-45pm. It was quite busy and filled up very quickly. Later arrivals were offered a table on the first floor. Our waiter was pleasant very helpful and wife and I opted for the Carbonara which I would highly recommend. Beforehand...

Awful food - rude and inefficient service and bad atmosphere- there have to be better Italian restaurants in town. My Milanese was luke warm and served with a horrible pasta. My mistake and won’t go again

Brilliant meal all round (downstairs). My partner and another guest had the calves liver (both done different ways) and they pronounced the dishes (with vegetables) excellent and unsurpassed. Me, not being a meat eater, was delighted by the linguine with prawns - an astounding dish...

Got a very u friendly and stuck up vibe at this place. The food was bad- no taste even for simple linguine pasta. The floor manager that night was talking rudely to his staff with a stiff upper lip. One of the customers must have...

We have eaten here a few times and it has quickly become a family favourite. We love the truffle pasta and the linguine caldesi, the calamari and aubergine parmesan are also favourites.

Caldesi has been a destination favourite for some years on our London trips and once again we had top class food from the cafe downstairs. However, as others seems to have found, the rivets were really bursting with staff - still charming and skilled and...

We were celebrating our wedding anniversary (early due to train strikes the following week) and were greeted by the front of house and taken to our table upstairs. The service was quick and the waiter was very polite explaining every course that we had. The...

Located in a quaint Marylebone quarter of London, the restaurant, owner/chef, staff, food and ambiance delivered an intimate and wonderful dining experience. We will go back often!

Disappointing, after reading reviews expected better service. We had to keep getting up to go to the bar to get served for drinks, and again for ice. Waiting staff not as attentive as they could be…

We used to regularly eat at Caffe Caldesi but sadly will no longer be returning. The restaurant is really suffering from staff shortages and it shows in both the stressed service and poor food. The prices are still high but the portions have shrunk and...

This used to one of our favourite restaurants when we were only a couple but we still enjoy going as a family. We were here on the Thursday before Good Friday. They were very accommodating with my fussy daughter and the gluten free options were...

We were the first to arrive at 6 pm for an evening meal yet were shown to probably the worst table in a dark corner and by some stairs . Service was ok as was the food but the place looks tired and in need...

excellent service had the sunday sharing menu no complaints from the four of us came without reservations found us a table straight away felt relaxed had a lively laid back Sunday lunch even had Southern Comfort well done enjoyed the experience will be back

Very small portions, mediocre food and high prices. Place is a bit rundown. While the service is okay its definitely not great. Unlikely we would go here again.

Everything we ate was excellent. The ingredients were of good quality which made a great difference. Lovely staff. On this occasion we ate from their excellent lunchtime special menu which has a great choice and is amazing value

Thank you SO much. Everything we ordered, food and drink-wise, was simply excellent! It made our special day out truly satisfying. Caldesi, are consistently brilliant. With nice, evolving menus too. Have taken friends before and have many happy memories of dining there. Yes, dining, not...

On spur of moment passing by got a table for two. Poor selection of main courseson offer. Had the calves liver which although well cooked gets 3 out of 10 for presentation also as simply cooked in butter is not a sauce as suggested by...

Birthday celebration here. First visit to this restaurant (been to Caldesi in Bray). Our reservation was amended due to a large booking over running and we had to sit downstairs. We were phoned to advise the change and felt this was well handled. Downstairs is,...

Fresh from having lunched at Le Relais bistrot opposite, I was keen to try the Italian cuisine at the Caldesi. While the Relais opened its doors at 12.00 to a queue of diners, the Caldesi had its doors locked. Someone had to tap at a...

The staff kindly squeezed us in even though they were very busy and we had a delicious meal. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Our favourite restaurant in all of London….. everyone is so lovely especially to our children…. My daughter Mia especially loves Caldesi. We have on occasion needed a table last minute and they always make space for us….. We recommend Caldesi to everyone and we can’t...

I had the burrita and it was heaven. Service was excellent. Atmosphere was friendly. Food was delicious.

Went to Caldesi Marylebone last Tuesday. Have been many times before and totally enjoyed it. This time however service was appalling. It wasn't busy but felt like they wanted us in and out. One of us had fettuccine and they omitted to give a spoon....

Booked on-line through their website but when we arrived they had no reference of our booking and said they were busy. Showed them the confirmation email and they ‘found’ us a table but said we could only have it for one hour! They then checked...

It’s ok but £11.50 calamari with courgette is mainly courgette . No thanks The posh spag Bol is ok but v small Wine pricey Not sure there is a reason to go back Used to be great

Had a lovely family supper here midweek. Table booked for 6.30 and by 8pm the restaurant (upstairs and downstairs) was full and buzzing. A lovely atmosphere, delicious food and good wines by the bottle or glass. Friendly service and an apology from the manager if...

A family night out , but unfortunately we happened to visit this on a bad day, food was acceptable, service prompt but very rude , staff slamming plates , the guy at the food pass was so noisy and basically angry , very disappointing would...

Fantastic service with excellent food on offer, calamari and garlic bread to die for - left phone on table and Manger put safe for me👍Will definitely be going back

This was my first post lockdown meal in London , sat outside , really nice service, enjoyable meal and wine. Perfect way to get back into the swing of things

The veal was vast, tasteless and mostly inedible. My wife and son could not eat their meal yet the waiter made no offer of recompense when we commented other than to agree with our verdict on size and taste. Sadly an unremarkable evening in an...

Friendly service from all staff on the upper floor. Good starters but for my main meal chose the veal which I was told it was big, but when the dish arrived, I was amazed at the huge size of the veal which covered the whole...

It was ok. Service was not great. No one checked all the time we were there unless we called them over. Ordered fettuccine truffle which was lovely but got super cold 2 minutes after it was served. Staff were very inattentive Would not visit again...

Absolutely wonderful food and service. Warm and friendly environment. We sat upstairs lovely and bright. The food was tasty and the staff could not be more helpful. Can’t wait to return

The food and service was very good as usual. The only disappointment was the calamari and zucchini fritti as a starter. There were only five pieces of calamari which really let the dish down for a restaurant of this calibre.

6pm mid week reservation and they insisted we could only have the table for 90 minutes, not 2 hours. But we made it work as (masked) service was so speedy and attentive. Blankets are provided, much needed, but the terrasse tables are really tiny and the pavement space around the side (not in the square) is unavoidably narrow. Roll on indoor eating again. The £23 special of scallops and chianti risotto was yummy. But really, only ONE rosemary-skewered scallop??? No spoon for serving the veg, no salt and pepper, they are probably a bit rusty, again it's understandable.But everyone is very friendly and we'll go back when the weather is less inclement, we had HAILSTONES half way through our meal!

Went here yesterday and there was adequate outdoor seating with heaters and blankets. When it rained, they made efforts to move us under the cover.The food was all delicious with adequate vegetarian options. The staff are particularly welcoming, warm and polite - from the one who called me to reconfirm my booking, to the one who I called to say we were running late, to the one who directed me to the restrooms to the two staff serving us.The team made eating out in lockdown a very pleasant experience despite a rainy evening!

I went for my birthday lunch, the food was impeccable as always and the staff were very attentive and efficient! Thank you

Despite the wonderful service food and great atmosphere I wouldn't go back again. I'm sorry to say that the one toilet for the whole restaurant for females was woefully dirty. Once there was no toilet roll so I had to go and get some from the gents and when I explain this to a member of staff I was blatantly ignored as when I went for another trip to the loo an hour later it was just as dirty and disgusting toilet paper all over the floor soap dispensers that were broken it was very strange to pay so much money for great food so not disappointed at all on that front but it was so disgusting to have to experience that and embarrassing As I had taken my family for a treat and they were equally as disgusted

Genuine proper Italian restaurant with a wide menu. We were looked after very well and had a very tasty dinner for two. Prices had gone up, probably to cover the infuriating coronavirus conditions, but we're all in this together. Great place for genuine Italian cuisine.

Exceptional food, great service and reasonable prices. We went for the octopus, fried calamari, aubergine and a chocolate dessert (name escapes me!). All were fabulous. Great job.

We were in marleybone yesterday and decided on lunch at caldesi, very disappointed, our one stater of aubergine was tasteless, burnt on top, in fact table beside us sent her aubergine back, one Gorgonzola and mushroom pizza just Ok, two glasses of wine, total bill £48.03.service very slow, staff with no masks or gloves, the table was wiped really quickly before we sat down, did not wipe chairs, and previous customers had just left table, didn't feel safe. Wish we had dined at brasserie 108 where we have dined several times, different class altogether, all staff covid safe. Would not return

Went there with couple of friends for a dinner which turned out to be great experience. Food was absolutely delicious, fresh and full of flavour, beautiful wine and perfect tiramisu at the end. All this complimented by very friendly and attentive service.Will definitely be back!

Delicious, authentic Italian! The staff was quite accommodating with our little one, although they didn't have a kids menu they were willing to do a small portion of rigatoni with tomato sauce which was great albeit a bit on the expensive side (£10 for a super small portion). I had no idea they did Iced Coffee and waa very pleasantly surprised with how good it was.

At a time when central London lacks it’s usual atmosphere, we were lucky enough to stumble across this lovely restaurant and even luckier to get the last outdoor table. There were three or four busy restaurants next to each other which made for a buzzing vibe on a sweltering Sunday lunchtime.The organisation was spot on with plenty of sanitising etc.The food, although a bit pricey, was delicious. The service was super friendly. When they made a mistake with a main course, they gave it to us to take away and gave us a lovely complimentary cocktail too. We thought that was so kind and over and above what could be expected.I would highly recommend and be very happy to return.

We were in the area and just wanted a coffee and a cake to share. Most places are closed due to COVID so we sat down here and asked if we could get coffee and a cake, they said yes and we sat outside. They said they didn’t have a menu for the desserts/cakes but just listed what they had, one was an almond and chocolate cake. We asked for that plus two oat milk lattes... they came back a while later with the cake but saying they had no oat milk (ok we would have probably gone somewhere else at this point but they had already brought the cake out so it was a bit too late, and we subbed for oat milk instead). The slice of cake was nice, but ultimately when the bill came I was astounded at how it cost £10 for a small slice!! Plus the two lattes at 3.50 each we ended up with a bill of £20 for two coffees and one slice of cake which we shared. Even more annoying is they charged 13% for service charge which is huge seeing as they already earn a killing on a slice of cake. It annoyed us how they were not transparent with their prices, saying they didn’t have a menu..... just to rip people off with prices through the roof. Don’t bother coming here until they bother to print a menu with prices so that people at least know how much it will set them back!

Birthday dinner so ordered a whole bunch of items. Caldesi is now a Marylebone institution. Highlights were the linguine caldesi, the truffle fettuccini, parpadelle Ragu and the Diavolo pizza.We had high hopes for the carbonara but it didn’t work out, lacked punch and was too sticky. Same for the La Pamiginia which needed a lift. Will definitely be back though, service and atmosphere are very enjoyable

Descubrimos Caldesi en Marylebone durante el cierre; eran uno de los pocos restaurantes del vecindario que ofrecían un menú para llevar. Estamos muy contentos de que lo hayan hecho: ¡la pizza Caldesi es la mejor de Londres! Desde que reabrimos el restaurante hemos estado cenando, sentados fuera del restaurante. El servicio, la comida y la seguridad de COVID fueron excepcionales. Definitivamente recomendaría Caldesi si estás en Marylebone.

Fabulous food / staff Popped in for lunch which was amazing Beautiful tasty wow ! A few glasses of house wine . All served by Roberto and Michaela Leaving full and happy We must visit again Thank you. X