Il Guscio Highbury in Islington

This is my favorite pizza and the perfect place to relax, enjoy great food, and spend quality time with friends or family!

Carlos is the best host ever, great food and service

The best restaurant, great food, excellent service and the best vibe. We have a wonderful time 🥰

Awful experience. Starting with tacky decor - think Range sales shelves,below mediocre food - my non seasoned fish was covered in warmed up passata from the tin with few cold olives thrown in, and my green salad was just supermarket iceberg from the bag without any dressing - yummy. But by far the worst of all was allowing some tone deaf guests to use karaoke on highest volume without even asking if it would bother the rest of us. When we booked the table no one mentioned that there is a karaoke machine too. I would have never booked if I knew we were going to be exposed to that braying. Our evening was ruined and we left as soon as we could. Needless to say, we won’t be coming back.

Brilliant little family run place in Highbury with lip smacking Italian food. Everything we ordered was super fresh and prepared with great attention to detail and served piping hot. Our server Carlos went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable. Would highly recommend this place to anyone in the area!

Perfecta noche de comida de calidad en un ambiente relajado familiar. Carlos es un anfitrión magnífico y su equipo está excepcionalmente ocupado en los días de partido del Arsenal. Mejor reservar a mitad de semana y después de un partido para la experiencia más gratificante. Mis amigos (Mimi y Jim) que viven en el lugar tratan este lugar como su ‘local’ y siempre tienen garantizado un ambiente cálido, Sonrisa de bienvenida. Anoche, la extensa familia colombiana de Carlo se unió y creó un ambiente aún mejor de lo habitual. La calidad de la comida es excelente, así como la relación calidad-precio. Si estás en la zona de Highbury y buscas una experiencia de restaurante para recordar... te recomendaría encarecidamente 👍👍👍

Fantastic experience here. Lovely staff, high quality food and nice family environment

The Best in London enjoy for Italian food a great evening hot dinner there tonight the food was excellent the service one of the best the people there are like family to me and I'm sure they treat everybody the same don't miss out you must get head down there and check it out

Went there after a game, on a Wednesday night. It was still open, they were very welcoming and the food was very good. £15 for lasagna and £7 for a tiramisu. I will definitely come back here

Experience 10/10 The food is very delicious, the truffle pizza is my favorite, this time I went with my family and they are delighted with the food and the excellent attention of Carlos, he is very friendly and helpful, the atmosphere of the restaurant is very cozy. Super recommended

Food was below average. Pizza was stone cold and not even cut? The profiteroles were also disgusting. Very disappointing and won’t be ordering again.

I was with my family to have a lunch and we enjoyed a lot . The food was very delicious . Highly recommended!

Great food and really great service 😊 cheers to the kind Romanian waiter - we’ll be back :)

Amazingly authentic Italian pizza! So satisfying, thank you!

Garlic bread - poor; Pasta Ok but lacks salt.

We are regulars here and gathered at Il Guscio with family from across the country to celebrate a number of birthdays. My uncle declared the restaurant 5* plus. "We felt like family, not customers". Thanks to Carlos and his team for being so welcoming and making everyone feel special - as well as providing delicious food and drink.

This used to be a very good pizzeria, our go to, unfortunately it has gone down hill. It's become tacky and lacks atmosphere, the foods isn't great anymore, I would only get a pizza there now if I was forced too!

It’s been too long since our last visit and we definitely won’t leave it as long next time . Superb as always, great food and service

Very good service and delicious food. Reasonable prices. Highly recommended

10/10 food!!!!! The pizza was very tasty, came here with my dad and we will definitely be returning. The staff are so friendly. excellent customer service. There is also a nice patio area, perfect for these upcoming summer evenings. even made room for pudding!!!! YUMM

Excellent Italian cuisine! Hidden gem in Highbury

Most average pizza in north London

Very good pizza. Highly recommended

The food was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend. The atmosphere is very much family oriented. The owner is extremely friendly and chats with all his customers. I’d definitely be back again.

The food was fast and delicious. The waiters is nice and the cost is ok. Thanks.

I could not rate this place highly enough!! We turned up last minute on a Saturday evening and needed some where for a large group for a surprise birthday party that was happening in 30 mins time!! The staff sorted everything for us and gave a fantastic table by the window and were so friendly. They all sang happy birthday to my friend and got the whole restaurant going! They brought out limoncello for everyone and a pudding for the birthday girl. The wine was lovely and food was absolutely delicious (loved the mushroom truffle pappardelle!!) and reasonably priced Thank you so much for a special evening - we will be back!!!!

Delicious pizzas. As a special bonus, there were free-roaming foxes on the roof.

Service below par. First time we went it was ok, second time, awful. Asked for cheese for my pasta and the waiter heaped 3 spoons on top and then chucked the bowl on the table. Ruined the already very average meal. The whole experience made us feel very unwelcome. Disappointing, wouldn’t go back.

Always delicious food. One of our local favourite’s.

Delicious — hit the spot and in the neighbourhood. Thanks!

My experience at Il Guscio was one of the best birthday's I've ever had!! Carlos was so accommodating to me and my friends needs, including dietary requirements and was very communicative beforehand which put my mind at ease and allowed me to enjoy the night with all my loved ones. The food was fantastic and very reasonably priced. I couldn't recommend this restaurant enough, they make you feel part of the family! Thank you Carlos!

Just the kind of restaurant I love - amazing food, cute decor and lovely atmosphere. We had a warm welcome and great service throughout :)

Relaxed Italian restaurant, very friendly staff and the food is comforting and tasty.

The pizzas were good. We shared the house pizza il Guscio between 2 while our grandson had his usual margarita. The 5 stars are for the atmosphere created by the owner and staff. Friday night is pizza night for many families and you could be anywhere in Italy!

Excellent service, and the best Italian food I've had in London so far! And even the house red is quite ok for England! Update 2023: food seemed somewhat less delicious than I remembered, and what cost them a star in the update is that they now add an additional 12.5% service charge to the bill without declaring. I gladly pay a tip if food and service are good, But I think it's a sign of very bad business practice to effectively raise prices without transparently declaring it. Big shame Il Guscio is going into that direction.

Un bel locale accogliente.Il cibo ottimo e il personale eccezionale.Ogni volta e un piacere tornare in questo locale quando arrivo a Londra.Lo consiglio vivamente

Our ride or die Italian restaurant in North London! We love it here. Always fantastic friendly service and amazing food. Never let us down

The pizza is very good!! The owner is very friendly and caring for hi customers!

I have been going to this restaurant for many years and it never fails to deliver. From birthdays to pre or post football match meals the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, the staff are better than good and the food is incredible. This place is an absolute gem and I would highly recommend a visit if you get the opportunity.

been in the area for about 6 months, didn't know of this place before. this takes me back to Italy 🇮🇹 . I love the rear garden, nice decoration and you can smell the delicious pizzas 🍕 😋

New to neighborhood. Loved our first choice of restaurant.

The fish was quite small and not very tasty. A bit plain. Not really seasoned at all. The broccoli and the beans on the side were cold. Not a great value for £20

The Staff are so kind and the service it's great and the food it's really tasty

Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! Amazing food, great service, highly recommend!

Amazing meal last night in this local Italian restaurant. My wife really enjoyed her Pappardelle fungi with truffle oil. The special Gabriel Jesus pizza was just what I needed. Highly recommended...

Great meal last night. Thanks:)

I'm reading the reviews and wondering whether we ate at the same restaurant. The food was below average at best and the prices were unrealistic for the quality of food you get. The takeaway leftovers went straight to the bin - never happened to me before in my life. We left feeling disappointed. Will not return.

Utrolig koselig restaurant med veldig hyggelig personale. Carlos har gjort alt for å føle oss velkommen

Good food fresh specialy fish youcan taste the sea in your plate if you don't try at list one time you don't know what you miss friendly management place very welcoming and service100% unforgetable just try and you comeback all tge time

Excellent food , great neighbourhood restaurant .

Fantastic restaurant my dad and I have been many times great food and the service is always so friendly and personal!

Prompt and friendly service. Authentic offerings -- gnocchi is terrific! Generous wine pours and interesting options. Incredibly friendly! Warm, clean environment. Great for casual or celebration. Date night. (Cleanest bathrooms we saw all vacation).

This place is everything you want from a neighbourhood restaurant. Exceptionally friendly and welcoming staff, vibey yet relaxed atmosphere, unpretentious yet consistently satisfying food, and there’s always a drink on the house. It’s impossible not to have a great evening here.

Honestly, lovely staff - friendly and professional, but the food was average. It will fill you up nicely, though that little extra in taste was just missing for us (lasagna & pasta dish).

Below average food. Plentiful, but either bland or over salted

An excellent pre-match lunch with my son. Never fails to deliver with great service and great food. Well done everyone.

Too much oil (box drenched), pizza a bit cold

Fantastic, authentic, Italian pizza!

Food and atmosphere was great. Staff was warm and welcoming!

The food was amazing and the service was 10/10 Brilliant staff, definitely recommend anyone to go have a meal here!!!

I really recommend this place…!! Food is amazing and stuff are very friendly ✋✋

Very enjoyable local Italian with friendly staff and nice food

Missing Calzone Pizza - called the restaurant and I was told to call Just Eat, terrible.

The food was lovely, all freshly cooked with decent portion sizes and priced reasonably, so I would recommend it. The only thing I noticed was that the server appeared a bit off, not very welcoming or warm, and hardly smiled but did a good job taking orders and bringing our food over.

A really nice restaurant which was the perfect destination ahead of a concert at the Emirates. The pizzas were spot on. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. A lovely place.

Very near the stadium , went before a concert. Really nice pizza and pasta. Decent service. Was busy so worth booking rather than turning up.

Absolutely beautiful restaurant. The food was 10/10 thoroughly impressed. The spicy arancini was devine.. The owner Carlos and his son were amazing so nice and friendly , warm and welcoming, made our night ever so special . Can't wait to come back a real gem this place .

Our party of five had pizzas, liver & bacon and a pasta dish. Everyone was very happy with their food. House red was good. Service was helpful and friendly. An excellent, relaxed local Italian restaurant.

I have been coming to Il Guscio regularly since it opened, with my kids and with friends and family. It is the perfect neighbourhood restaurant. Carlos and the team go out of their way to make you feel welcome, the food and wine is always delicious, and you never feel rushed here. Il Guscio is a gem ❤️

It was my first time in London and my friends and I craved Italian. We wanted to go out for dinner but somewhere close to our Airbnb and stumbled upon this place… We hit the jackpot. Our first night we had 3 pizzas and a pasta. Their special, Pizza Picante, was to die for. And their chocolate soufflé??? I’ve never tasted anything so rich, so delicious as that soufflé. We enjoyed the ambiance so much and the staff, that we made a reservation for our last night. Let me just say that Carlos, is the sweetest and most attentive person and made both of our visits feel amazing. I highly recommend this place and the shots of Limoncello and Amaretto? Perfection. Will come again when I’m back!

The parmigiana melanza was far too salty and not moist enough. The garlic pizza bread was hard, almost tough and cool. The calamari and zucchini were ok but a bit soggy. Not sure why there's a question about restaurant service when it was a delivery, and couldn't leave it blank so put a somewhat random score.

One of my favourite Italian restaurants I have visited in London. Amazing food, so much to choose from. What stood out was the service we received from Carlos and Ali for the food and drinks. They made it such a friendly and fun experience, we felt so welcome and definitely can’t wait to go back. Would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone based in London.

Had an amazing time today a lunch time with my son at Il Guscio. Great Pizza Bufalina.

I do not recommend and won’t come back. We came we friends following the good reviews. Food was really not exiting and poorly executed - I remove 7 table spoons of oil from my pasta! I also got sick all night after. Service was good.

Very large portions of delicious Italian cuisine and excellent service, will definitely be back !!

Every single plate and drink we had was wonderful, the service was excellent and atmosphere was great. Thanks Carlos and team - we’ll be back again!

I came here for a birthday meal and it was wonderful. Delicious starter and main (too full for a dessert!) with lovely, fresh and tasty ingredients, plus a good bottle of house red to wash it down. Good value for money, friendly and helpful staff. The restaurant is unpretentious and has a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. I'll definitely be coming back for more!

We were visiting family who stay nearby and they suggested going here. They hadn't been before but had heard good reports. Surprisingly for a Monday evening, there were quite a few other diners. All the food we chose was well prepared and served with a smile. Staff were friendly and efficient and happy to help.

One of the best local spots - lovely staff, always very welcoming. Also great food and atmosphere

Tout est bon dans les assiettes et l'équipe est très sympathique.

I LOVE this place. The atmosphere, the food, the people but most importantly the service, is absolutely brilliant. If you are looking for quality food and excellent service then IL Guscio is the place to visit! You will not be disappointed.

Strongly recommend this restaurant 👌 very professional and helpful staff food is delicious and offers a varied menu

Our regular pre football restaurant. Food excellent and the best host. Wouldn’t go anywhere else

Authentic Italian food, friendly, large portions, good price/quality ratio

We turned up very late thinking there was a slim chance we might be able to get some pizzas. The staff were so kind and friendly to us and let us sit in to enjoy them. I had the GUSCIO which was delicious. The sausage had lots of flavour and the aubergine tasted great too, all on an authentic base. Ultimately it’s a great vibe and based on the excellent service we were kindly offered I’ll be back again.

Superb pizzas. Great staff. Thoroughly recommended.

called the restaurant, driver was not there.Driver said he got the order 7 mins before he arrived at restaurant. you are app showed that driver was assigned 1 hr and 30 mins before the food arrived

This place is outstanding I really loved my meal. It was prepared with love and care and tasted wonderful. I will be definitely coming back.

the carbonara was like oil and bacon no flavour , garlic pizza just had garlic sprinkled on top not good at all. disappointing

This is a fabulous pizza place. Great pizza value for money . Excellent service

Very tasty and sweat food. Good service

Had a lovely meal here. Very cozy restaurant, lovely staff and very nice atmosphere. Food was really tasty.. would highly recommend 👌

Food, service and atmosphere is brilliant in this little independent Italian restaurant. The pizzas are second-to-none (and they do them, and all other dishes, as take away, too)! Prices are reasonable and portion-sizes decent. The wine list is good, but beer/cider has limited choice.

This is my 5th visit to Il Guscio and I honestly can’t fault it! The food is delicious - I had the Quattro Formaggio pizza which was cooked to perfection. Great atmosphere and ambience. The best bit about the restaurant is the brilliant service. Carlos and all his staff are attentive, friendly and make every visit there memorable. I can’t wait to visit again. Recommend it to everyone.

Perfect little restaurant. Delicious pizza and a funny waiter. Love to come back soon.

Lovely, good value food, great service and atmosphere. Will happily come back!

Very tasty meal, great place to take family and friends. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience at Il Guscio. We enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere. We also appreciated the staff and Carlos took great care of us!

Everything was delicious, their chunky chips are definitely what one imagines them to be _ Will definitely order from them again

So I got the cabaronna which was served well, I would of wanted a bit more cheese myself. Its a very nice quaint place. Quiet when it's just myself and my son. But overall a lovely spot to have dinner and the end of s long day.