L'Anima Cafe in Hackney

Have been here often for lunch. There is quite a range of food, from focaccia, to pasta, to salads. It can be a bit pricey but you pay for quality I guess!

We enjoyed the food, and the staff were very responsiveness when we pointed out we were in a hurry but we didn’t think we needed to, we only realised we had an issue after we waited 30 mins for our starters.... maybe we shouldn’t have ordered starters, but we thought that being in the heart of the business district there would be an understanding that folks didn’t have all day to dawdle.... that said, my tuna carpaccio and pizza were really good!

Canteen style ambience here but good airy room with a nice bar if you want a pre lunch drink. Ordered the crab spaghetti which was great but very small - felt like a starter portion which if it was I’d have appreciated being told.

El servicio era bueno y amable, pero mi comida horrible. Pedí el calzone que llegamos quemados en los extremos, pero parece apenas dificultarse en el medio - Queso frío y aguado líquido que irradie. Me quejé y fue eliminado y volver un poco más caliente, pero no caliente. Amigo tuvo que regresar a trabajar, así que no te molestes en enviarlo de vuelta de nuevo. Fue eliminado de la factura y amigo dijo su comida estaba bien, pero realmente no me impresionó. Las 2 estrellas son para el servicio, la comida sin llegar a cero.

I work nearby and tried this place last week. Very good service and the food is lovely - they serve mainly Italian food but unlike other places their dishes don't make you feel super heavy after work.I recommend their ravioli for lunch and tiramisu for desert!

A good place for lunch in the city. The pizzas are really excellent. The bread basket is not very generous though so I would advise skipping. The appetisers are great for sharing, especially the calamari and prosciutto. The cotoletta Milanese is excellent although the size is huge. Service can be a bit slow when busy

Je suis venu plusieurs fois travailler à ce café avec mes collègues. L'endroit est vraiment agréable, aéré, avec de grandes tables permettant de travailler confortablement. Nous avons pris des cafés, des viennoiseries et quelques plats rapides. La nourriture est correcte, même si elle est servie dans des récipients en carton, dommage (dans cette partie du café du moins, il semblerait qu'une autre partie permette de s'installer plus confortablement pour manger). Les serveurs n'étaient pas très agréables, mais ils ne nous ont pas poussé à la consommation et nous ont laissé travailler en paix, ce qui est tout de même appréciable.Un endroit correct donc, adapté et agréable pour travailler, mais pas non plus parfait. Si j'avais pu, j'aurais plutôt mis 3,5 étoiles.

The pizzas are just amazing! The service is swift and efficient. Good place for business lunch: not too noisy and good distance between tables. One weak spot: on cold days to seat at the table near the door..the wind can be a killer.

Potrei utilizzare tutti gli aggettivi inglesi che rendono davvero l'idea del posto, ma l'Anima merita la bellezza della lingua italiana. Pizza ottima, carne succulenta e morbida, prezzi proporzionati alla qualità, aperitivo stupefacente sotto tutti i punti di vista (cucina,musica e servizio) e un'atmosfera magica. Chef stellari e gente solare!Da provare obbligatoriamente!

El servicio es siempre rápido y eficiente, pizzas finas y crujientes, son cocinados en el horno de pizza que está en mostrar al entrar, y los precios son razonables.¿Por qué la cola de pescado y patatas fritas en Spitalfields Market cuando puedes tener un almuerzo en la cafetería L'Anima por el mismo precio?Sin duda, un lugar que seguirá viniendo.

How have I only just stumbled across this great spot?! We popped in for dinner last Thursday, only to be greeted with quite the show.. We soon found out that every Thursday they play host to an Italian tradition of Aperitivo!

I am surprised about the reviews below. Each time I go, the service is great, cocktails are superb, Italian snacks are tasty. Nice ambience and and so much nicier than a local pub. In the city it is one of my favourites places to hang out. Thanks - I will keep coming.

I had a couple of team night outs in L'Anima recentely and cannot wait for the next one! They make delicious Aperol Spritz and great food. The pizzas and little Italian antipasti are moreish and full of flavour, all fresh/straight from the oven. The staff and the bartenders in particular were very hospitable, they definitely added mirth to our evening and assisted with all my requests, even though some of it was not on the menu.

L'Anima Café is a fantastic all-day and evening spot for business or pleasure - with a deli, restaurant and bar...

Having a quick read through the previous reviews, I wanted to make sure I wasn't being overly-critical of the venue as it seemed to receive "rave reviews". It was when I stumbled across one titled "Best Thursday Evenings" that I felt compelled to bust the lid on this conspiracy and bring to the table a Grade A truth game lest weary travellers and locals alike fall foul of the lies...I knew the night was going to be a good one when we rocked up and was met with a club reminiscent of a trendy beach front cafe in Barcelona. A theme somewhat continued when I entered and was blinding by colour changing lights and an island style bar not out of place in Tommy Vercetti's gaff from the classic Grand Theft Auto - Vice City game.The DJ, Spinning* some 90's and 00's dance floor classics was also a nice surprise. "OK" I thought to myself, "I can do this" as our small party walked to the back of the room to meet with some colleagues for their leaving drinks. (*I use the term "spinning to sound cool.... actually... we didn't see the DJ mix any songs and when we thought we saw his hand move to mix in a new track from across the room, were disappointed to see that actually, he had just picked up some food.)That should have been the first sign.... well, actually, the fact the DJ was wearing sunglasses inside... at night should have been the first sign, but I put that down the fact the poor guy was probably just suffering from the blinding lights the same way I was so I let that one slide. However, leaving the DJ aside, the next sign should have been when a gentleman expressed shock at the price of a drink. I am not sure what he ordered but I remember it being £16 and the barman's response being "Yeah, its one of the most expensive drinks". I am not sure how this statement of fact was supposed to make the situation for the gentleman any easier as I am also sure, given his shock, that he had probably already anticipated this fact, but it seemed to work as the gentleman paid for his round and walked off.I later found out the drink was the highly sought after and extremely exclusive mix of "Gin and Tonic".It was a further 15 minutes before I was served which, I won’t moan about. There were people in front of me and the girls that returned to the bar for a second round of service before me were easily 7/10 so I can understand the barmen completely ignoring me.I ordered my drinks and at £8 a pint, served in one of those trendy "fishbowl" gin type glasses didn't feel too bad. At least I could order two drinks for the price of the other chaps one!I was handed the receipt and promptly paid... then I noticed at the bottom of the bill, the "discretionary service charge" that had been added without my knowledge. I chuckled to myself at the irony but then got a bit angry. Had I known this was part of the deal I would have quite happily poured the pints myself? Bear in mind people, this is service AT THE BAR! When you think about it, I had to walk further than him to make this transaction happen, I also had to do more work when it came to paying as all he had to do was offer me a card reader so in fact, I think it should have been me that charged service… anyway.The highlight of the night was the celebrity guest appearance. I hadn’t recognised him at first and perhaps it was the sunglasses but the DJ was actually none other that Poochy the Dog from The Simpsons!OK, it wasn’t. But complete with saxophone, jeans, sunglasses and backwards cap you can forgive me thinking it was…and yes, that’s right, I said saxophone.You see, the DJ I fear, felt his talent at pressing play on his 90’s dance classics Spotify playlist didn’t best demonstrate his talents and the only way he could do this was to, at random points in each song, belt out a few notes to “accompany” each track. This of course ruined every song that was played and eventually became the focus of discussion among many of the people within my earshot.I did like the fact he jumped up on the tables and bar though and the mix of super cool saxophone player/DJ superstar and wall hanging onions and Italian meats behind him was a nice touch.Then, when I thought it couldn’t get any better, on ordering another drink at the bar, was told that they were no longer taking cash or card payments at this side of the bar. I looked round, fearing I had ordered a drink in the “No Service Here” section but no. I asked for confirmation and was told that this half of the bar (yes, an entire half of an island bar) would not be taking payment and that if I wanted a drink, I had to go round to the other side, open a tab and receive a (presumably magical) piece of paper which I could then in turn, hand to a barman on the original side of the bar to receive my drinks order. On hearing this, we almost followed the group of people next to us out of the bar, muttering loudly at what a strange concept this was but we didn’t for we, had a trick up our sleeve… an American!Our American friend, not one to be deterred by this foreign concept, donned his “Ring of Power” and +3 “Cloak of Negotiation” and walked just a little bit to the left of where we were originally stood.Needless to say, he returned victorious and all it took him was the promise of a greater tip to the barman in cash… I think people normally call these “bribes”.The final highlight was on leaving; I took a wrong turn and ended up in a private car park being told by a rude security guard I was in the wrong place. I informed him I had been in the wrong place all night and that a private car park was the least of my worries. He didn’t seem to understand (or more likely care) so I walked off to find my own way home.L’Anima: 3/10Carpark: 4/10 (Would visit again)

This was okay but not nearly as good as the main restaurant. I was struggling to choose as a mainly gluten free diner. In the end I had two starters. The fritta mista starter was over battered (heavily) and the mayonnaise that came with it too sweet. I then had a small chicken Caesar. I asked for no bread croutons but they came with it any way. Plus a rather too wet, undercooked poached egg hidden under too big a dollop of sauce. Shame, since I had been looking forward to this.

I was on the way to an appointment and in need of a quality but small lunch.I stumbled on l'anima near Liverpool Street Station. Great food great service excellent front of house! And a great atmosphere! Highly recommend a. Is it I will come back time after time

I have been here many times over the last few months and at various days and times. It can tick any box, restaurant, deli and cafe and well stocked bar. Great for both business and leisure. The Thursday evenings they give free canapes, pizzas and pastas to anyone who is in the bar. Plus they have good music and a sax player who wanders around. Nice friendly crowd, polite and welcoming staff and good food. What is not to like!

Had a nice time with friends very cool bar restaurant,had a couple of drinks and a lot of nice food like canapés. Thanks to Simone to make a lovely stay in this amazing place.L anima café Aperitivo time

I was invited by a client for a light lunch , we left his office and did not want to walk far in the heat , s,o we entered at about 1pm. Place was busy but not full , met by young lady at door - have you booked. No , well then you will have to have drinks at e bar. We said we would go elsewhere so she placed us immediately at a table , saying she needed it back in 1 hour. The food was ok. I asked for Lemon Tea - I got hot water with lemon in it. But I did not complain as it turned out refreshing. When we left , they were cleaning the tables. , no- one was coming I and they clearly had no u for e table - so the We need it back in an hour was a figment f her imagination . The FUNNIEST thing is that the cutlery with the coffee is plastic. - are they scared people will steal their spoons as a response to being sold drinks at he bar while waiting unnecessarily ? Sad really.

Das L'Anima Cafe ist eine praktische Mischung aus schneller italienischer Küche und bietet sowohl take away, als auch eat in an. Das Lokal ist großzügig und sehr schick eingerichtet. Es lädt somit zu einer gemütlichen Mittagspause ein. Hatte Pasta Arrabiata und die waren zur Abwechslung wirklich spicy und nicht nur ne Tomatensoße. Sehr empfehlenswert!

Fantastic location for after work drinks, especially on the night when they do the "Aperitivo "...the deal is you buy your drinks and food is provided during the evening (canapés, focaccia, pizza, pasta, etc). Very smart place with great music.

I went with two friends for a birthday lunch last week. Attention to detail was amazing. We had a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival. Food was excellent. Special touch was seeing 'Happy Birthday' in chocolate on the birthday girl's dessert plate!

What a great place to dine especially on Mondays where you get 50% off including drinks. The prawns were delicious. Enjoy, this place needs to be full on Mondays.

Dark wood tables with very modern decor goes hand in hand with the buzzy city eating at the cafe. Main restaurant on a previous visit was good but real atmosphere lacking. Their takeout deli counter had a constant queue all the time I was there. Glazed pork ribs with mash was a good no frills lunchtime choice. Tasty, portioned adequately and reasonably priced. Service efficient and friendly.

An amazing Italian restaurant in London! We had lunch and tried several dishes and from the starters to the deserts and even the drinks, were excellent.The rossini drink is a must! The presentation alone is an art work Staff are professional and the atmosphere very elegant! I highly recommend it and will definitely come back on my next trip.

I attended a private event sponsored by Italians of London & Italian bookshop at this (quite roomy) cafe' / restaurant, hosting the promotion of Luciana Littizzetto's new book.Perfect organization throughout the night: plenty of snacks before the event (mostly very savoury, even the pizza was sprinkled with spices... to sell more drinks), smiling staff handling well the crowd come to see the famous Italian comedian.This is basically a wide cocktail bar with a more private restaurant area at the back of the venue.They host aperitif pre-nights on thursdays and fridays, have a go if you want to enjoy the weekend in the Italian way!

Just nipped in here for a coffee and a quick meeting with friends. Coffee is a bit of a passion for me and it's always good to get a great one.Nothing fancy, just a simple coffee done well.Place is very smart too so offers a good option for a quick coffee meeting as well as a meal. The menu looked great, but that will have to wait until next time

I've ordered twice from L'Anima Cafe with Deliveroo. Both times the food was 45 minutes late, arrived cold and was not properly packaged so leaked along the way.Tonight i've tried ordering again (I am full of forgiveness) but they just refused our order! £85 in total ordered at 5.30pm, 90mins before required delivery.This place is just a joke and doesn't care about customer satisfaction. With plenty of good italian places around, I'd avoid this one like the plague. I'm sure L'Anima will promptly blame Deliveroo - typical of places that do not own to their own mistakes (even if the original mistake was to choose to do business with Deliveroo).

Atmosphere is modern. You can find nice nacks and food coming from italian culture together with a wine list which is enough for what proposed. Personnel is hearing you and are professional.

-We went to this restaurant for lunch with my colleague and we really appreciated the cosy atmosphere, we sat at the bar and had a view on the pizza oven, food was really nice and bar and waiter staff were very attentive and nice (not like the models at the reception that struggle to crack a smile), we also have been served very quickly which is appreciated in weekdays.I will come back

I came here with some friends for a Christmas lunch. I chose the crab linguine which promised crab, garlic and chilli. Unfortunately it was disappointing. I couldn't really taste any flavours other than water. Additionally, when we asked for cranberry juice we were told they didn't have that on the menu but could see another table being served said juice. Some of my friend's dishes looked better but I won't be rushing back.

Delicious pizza, one of the best I've ever tried in London, served by very friendly and accommodating staff! The venue is very welcoming, everything here reminds me of Italy!

We showed up without booking a table and the staff was very nice.The restaurant is huge and beautiful, there's a bar, a place for coffee and the restaurant part. The food was very nice and quickly served. Our waitress was very responsible and was always making sure we didn't have to wait too long which is something we really appreciated.We had soup, bruschettas and salads. We wanted something light and weren't disappointed. Wonderful time we had.

I love everything about this place! Food is really high quality, you can taste the flavour of fresh ingredients...plus they look amazing in the plate! They also do entertainment nights during the week...this restaurant has everything you need!

Aperitivo fenomenale nella city ! Una piacevole scoperta da provare assolutamente ! Camerieri simpatici e di mestiere !molto professionali Consiglio assolutamente

ottimo locale e ottima cucina a Londra,locale moderno e buona musica ,aperitivi all italiana ,ottima la pizza e personale attento e veloce.Adatto anche alle cene di lavoro per pranzo.Il posto e un po defilato e difficile da trovare ma vale di sicuro la pena.

If you are looking for a warm and friendly place with good italian food and smart service, good music and vibe L'Anima Cafe is what you are looking for.The combination it's working perfectly and fit whit the City demand.

Was my first visit outside their Aperivo Event (on Thursdays - best Party in the City - Ever - Period).Food was tasty and well presented, fantastic value for money.Service attentive and never invasive (I was on a business lunch).I simply hoovered the Chef's special of the day: deep fried fillet of cod (2 of them) served on a bed of parsley and black olives mashed potatoes, with a fantastic red peppers sauce - all of this for £14.I am originally from South Africa and was a pleasure to enjoy my cod with a glass of unoaked chardonnay produced next to where I grew up.Very Impressed,I'll be back

I went to L’Anima Café on a Thursday for a business lunch. We had booked a table at 1pm for 5 people. The restaurant was busy but not crazy. I ordered some bread and the other 4 ordered starters, one of them asked if they could have some added parma ham on top of his bruschetta but the waiter either didn’t understand him or didn’t think it was possible and when he went away from the table we didn’t know if he was going to get the ham or not – he didn’t get it! It took about 20 minutes for the bread to come and then another 20 minutes for the starters, there was no contact from either the manager or the waiter to explain why it was taking so long. I don’t know about the starters but the bread was very dull and ordinary and it didn’t seem that fresh either. We then waited and waited for the main course, at one point we were all trying to attract somebody’s attention but nobody came over and in the end my colleague had to get up from the table to go and find somebody to see what the delay was. The main courses probably took around 40 minutes to arrive and this time there was an apology from the waiter.My main course was crab linguine with garlic and chilli. I thought that the pasta was slightly overcooked, certainly not al dente, there was a lack of salt (I don’t often add salt to any food) and it really needed a squeeze of lemon to liven it up. I tried to attract the attention of the waiter to get some lemon but gave up and in the end I borrowed some from one of my colleagues. Remember this was a business lunch and it was now nearly 3pm and so we didn’t have deserts or coffee because we would have been there till home time !! With so many restaurants to choose from in the City this was a very disappointing lunch and I won’t be going back anytime soon.

Used to frequent this spot for both quick lunches and business sit downs. A certain arrogance has kicked in and the quality of the food, particularly in the deli, is dropping. The staff are increasingly indifferent and unconcerned, while the chef seems to be completely arbitrary with what is prepared on any given day; he doesn't seem to consider what people other than him might enjoy. Still not a terrible spot but unorganised and definitely dropping in quality.

Have been to l'Anima for the closing aperitivo on Thursday. The place is very spacious and there was a large crowd. Music was good and the nibbles were also very good..pasta, pizza.. The disappointment was that they only had 2 red wines by glass on the list and when I asked for the Pinot Noir they said to only have the Sangiovese left. I was there by 6.30pm...not 9-10pm at the end of the evening.I had to go for the Sangiovese which has been served on a water glass and from a carafe. A part from the fact that sipping a glass of red on a tavern style glass is not very exciting, the only choice of wine available was not even good although a large glass.

I really had high hopes for this restaurant, the place looks and feels great. It was quite quiet when we first got there, not a problem at all. Did have the feeling that it may well be more of a drinking establishment though.The food was truly terrible! I have eaten in 1000's of restaurants over the years but this was not good at all. Bead Basket starter, well what can I say about this. The bread tasted like it had just been taken out of a fridge, the dips were fridge cold. Since when do dips get served from the refrigerator? The bread just tasted stale. I would have expected the bread to be warm to be fair.The main meal, a pasta dish was just awful. My wife who is a great cook, could easily knock something up in 5 minutes that tastes better than what was served up. The mince element of the dish just tasted like it was out of a tin, very bland indeed. The staff seemed offended by my comment that is was bland. The reply was, we have never had a bad comment about this dish, like this is in any way a satisfactory response to my complaint, or indeed that I cared that no one had ever complained before.Would I go back here, very unlikely.

That is where the Italians of the City meet. The food is excellent, quite diversified whether you decide to go to the restaurant or the kitchen behind for take aways or quick lunches. Prices are good for lunches. Kitchen's prices behind can sometimes be high but they vary. If you like to see your pastas made and cooked, choose the kitchen.

Top quality food with a vibrant atmosphere help to make this a favourite place of mine to eat at and even take important clients to. The staff cannot do more to ensure you are totally happy. The food is fresh and amazingly tasty and the whole of the surroundings make this a fun yet professional place to eat at. Can't wait to come again

The tagliatelle with mushrooms and truffle oil were simply amazing and perfect for this cold weather! The environment was very welcoming and elegant and the staff very friendly! Beautiful experience!

Great lunch quick service quick decent food and not overpriced as many London restaurants can be. Nice and comfortable great place to have a catch up or even casual business meeting (with a g&t of course!)We will be back - often - as work on the same road!

I have been there to have my lunch break and relax a bit. The atmosphere was very nice and welcoming and even if it was very busy I had a peaceful and flavourful lunchtime! The staff was really kind and polite, impeccable.I had the salmon salad with lentils and eggs, accompained by their selection of bread. The salmon was well cooked and the combination with lentils and eggs surprised me. Dessert were very tempting as well! I tried out the homeade chees cake with strawberry. It was light but very tasty at the same time, I loved it! Very good food and environment. Perfect place for sunny days since glass walls allow the sunlight to go in and the whole environment becomes very bright. I will certainly go back for dinner and try out new dishes...and desserts of course!

This place has the lot.I've had a great breakfast here (often).I've had a fast lunch when I've been passing.I've also had some pretty lively (and for that read; noisy) drinks after work in here.All in all, it's a beautifully decorated, nicely staffed, reasonably priced hub for this part of the City. Stick your head around the door when you're passing and you won't be disappointed.

Visited with a group for a business dinner and had a great time, there was a great DJ on and a very talented young lady playing an electric violin.There was a great buzz in the bar and the food was good too. Nice touch with canapés being bought round while in the bar area.Looking at the main restaurants menu I will definitely try that out as well.

We were a party of 5. I think we ordered all the pastas in the menu. All of them were bad. Don't waste your money here.

We were there for a business lunch.The the place looks really nice. Fresh and modern with a lovely Italian atmosphere. Amazing food, The staff was friendly and polite and the Restaurant Manager very approachable with a big passion for and good knowledge on wine. The place was very busy, they give us a table which was too close to the next table. We asked if we could be moved to another table as it was a business lunch. The Manager Maurizio moved us to e different one straight away despite the place was really busy!!! Was our second visit and there will be many more.

We had a work dinner at L'Anima Café on a Tuesday evening. We chose a selection of starters for the table - they were all excellent and enjoyed by all. The salmon Carpaccio was particularly good. I had the spatchcock baby chicken with lime and chilli which was really great and tasty. The service we experienced was very good, unobtrusive and efficient. There is a great central bar area for a pre- or post-dinner drink.

Came here with work colleagues for lunch. Food was very enjoyable (I had the ham & mushroom pizza (£12.00), but the service was really slow. 45 minutes after ordering we were still waiting for our food, and we were meant to be back at work within an hour. I would also say the pasta dishes seem expensive, at around £12 each. Service charge of 12.5% was added.

Came here for a business lunch. Everyone else ordered pizza, but I wanted to try their more interesting offerings. This is the type of restaurant that when they specify a ``main'', it is literally just the thing on the menu (in my case, tuna steak), and nothing else with it (potatoes, vegetables, etc.). This in itself was quite disappointing, as the mains were 1.5 times the price of the pizzas, and not a full meal in itself (as opposed to the pizzas). Fortunately, I noticed this, and ordered a side. Unfortunately, they forgot to make my side - I can tell this as, when they didn't bring it and I asked for it, it took the remainder of the meal for it to come: everyone else was almost finished before I had my full meal and could start. Even more, they didn't tell me what was going on, and after a couple of times asking for my side, the waiters started blanking me.

My review is related to the take away service where I generally go to pick up my lunch. Quality of the food is good but the size of the portion is not acceptable considering that they are selling pasta and not lobsters....and it's a take away. Shame!

I am spoilt as this is local to my work but this also means I have a lot of choice on my doorstep. I can say that l'anima cafe is amazing, I have not been to the mothership round the back but heard good things of this too. The burratta with tomatoes is an essential choice, pizzas are amazing as are any puddings. The take out section is great for a quick lunch to go. The bar has very comfortable seating for a long coffee break and the bar is also very inviting. I shall keep coming back that's for sure.

値段は少し高い気もしますが、焼きたてのピザがとても美味しかったです。隣に併設されているデリのテイクアウトも購入しましたが美味しかったので大満足です。

Spacious and quiet, with consistent service, the place may be an appealing option for business meetings / meals. The food is edible but does not stand out in any way.

premetto che sto parlando dell aperitivo del giovedi: il vero aperitivo di noi italiani, tanto cibo molto buono per essere un aperitivo, pizza pasta arancini tartine, meglio di molti aperitivi in Italia. i camerieri passano tutta la sera con vassoi pieni di cose. il personale e' quasi tutto italiano molto bravi e gentili...musica commerciale italian style e chicca della serata la violinista che suonava disco music sul bancone. clienti quasi tutti italiani il che vuol dire che era un ambiente sereno senza ubbriaconi inglesi. mi sono finalmente sentita a casa ...bravi bravi veramente credo che verro spesso il giovedi.

I have taken a few quick dishes there, it's usually good, pizza, salad... don't recommend the pesto though, extremely oily, made me feel sick afterwards. I would recommend it anyway for the rest and the nice staff.

Had a nice 15 minute breakfast of bruschetta with avocado and pancetta. Food was very tasty, as was the coffee. The english breakfast tea, isn't english breakfast tea but was still ok. Would recommend for something quick to eat in the morning which is still somewhere nice to sit and eat. It was very modern and had a big selection of pastries etc. We asked to eat in but had to prompt them to get a menu. But other than that it was great.

Fantastic Italian food which is really in a restaurant and is only called a Cafe because the "sibling" main restaurant is just next door. Frito Misto, the best outside Italy we have had!

Took a friend there for lunch to celebrate my birthday. Service I thought was very good with staff just the right side of friendly. Food was very tasty but nothing compared with original exec chef Francesco Mazzei's cooking. Food prices were reasonable, wine and drink prices extortionate.

Locale moderno e molto bello a gestione italiana, anche se un po' da "fighetti". La pizza è molto buona, la migliore tra quelle che ho avuto modo di provare a Londra. Non sono male nemmeno la cucina e i dolci, ma con porzioni e prezzi non ci siamo proprio. £9 per 8 (otto) mezzemaniche alla carbonara? £9 per uno spritz? Ho capito che siamo a Londra ma mi sembra ugualmente eccessivo. Servizio altalenante. In un'occasione per farsi perdonare un'attesa troppo lunga (a loro dire) per la pizza mi è stata offerta una birra, in altre mi son sentito guardato male per aver ordinato solo una pizza e una bottiglia di acqua e hanno aggiunto al conto cose non richieste (donazioni di carità).

Highly recommend this large establishment. Large choice of takeaway options. Freshly cooked onsite. Pasta options very tasty. Service very friendly.I like their disco nights!

Had not been for about 6 months due to a change in chef.To my surprise the prices have rocketed up at what used to be a well priced eatery. Waited a long time for food to be delivered at lunch, and wine had to be sent back as it was off. While I do not mind paying more, the other side of that equation is that there must be a corresponding rise in expectations by the client about level of service, quality of food;timing; etc. Just paying more and more without the other side of the equation leads to an increasing gap and ultimately not going back.

I love this place. Been here a few times now and was there last night to have bite and watch a bit of footy. It's simply unbeatable. The pizza's are incredibly tasty. The base is one of the best. Everything I have tried here is excellent and the service is to match. As for the big screens....well, I love that as well. All very sensibly priced for Central London and you are never rushed which I appreciate.

We were attracted by a video going around on social and we want to give it a try.Very good atmosphere with a good number of guest. The place offer some snack around during your drinks, which obviously attract more guests. Dj in house and good entarteinment offered. Prices are ok, like 9 pounds for Aperol Spritz. Oveall was a good combination. ++

Went here after work with friends. This place had a great vibe - there's a good bar scene. Restaurant was great - lovely food, good service and a great setting. Will be going back soon!

Food was good. Ordered the salmon and service was friendly, quick and efficient despite the restaurant being almost full.

Visiting passing by to watch match on big screen. Didn't seem to busy but long wait for food. French fries very greasy. No apology for delay in food- a bit disinterested. Probably better just as a bar.

There's nothing like great cocktails and stone-baked pizza made right in front of you. L'Anima does both, and it's a great place to go as well. Although the place was a little empty, the layout looked great. There were only three of us, but we were on a big table with a really massive chair around it. In the centre of the restaurant/cafe there's a bar area, with a stone bake oven on the other side of the restaurant. You can see everything that's being made. After saying I wasn't sure what drink to have, the waiter said he'd make me a drink from Rum, which I said I liked. Very good service. Good when the staff can improvise and keep a customer happy. Food wise, I ordered a pizza a good 20 minutes after my friends, but they all came at the same time, and they were all very good. Fresh and tasty. As a vegetarian, I had the Ortolana (£11), which has Tomato sauce, mozzarella and grilled vegetables.Given the location and type of food we ordered, I thought that was reasonable. L'Anima gave us great food and drink, the restaurant is big and spacious, and the staff were friendly. Would go again.

The calamari, burrata and pizzas were all very nice, but the ravioli was a a let down. There were only 6 pieces in the main portion which wasn't cheap. The waitress rather unhelpfully pointed out ravioli is filling. Whilst I don't disagree that ravioli, if you have enough of it, is filling, 6 pieces are not. Other than this unhelpful explanation of embarrassingly small ravioli portion, the service was good.

Ci siamo stati a febbraio 2016. Bel locale modernamente arredato in cui puoi passare una piacevole serata anche bevendo un drink e ascoltando musica. Molto positivo, antipasti eccellenti e pizza ottima. Tutto il personale è gentile e professionale

Connected to the Michelin star restaurant of same name , this bar is popular with city workers for evening drinks. Prices are a bit higher than average but the atmosphere in the bar makes up for it. Worth a try .

"Typical Corbin and King venture. Good quality but all feel a bit repetitive now. If the same formula works why change right?"

I had lunch with a business colleague - we were post lunch really (1.30PM) - despite having booked we had to wait a long time for a table and the service was a bit sporadic thereafter. The waiters/waitresses were all good looking and pleasant and the ambience of the cafe was good. The food was ok without being really great. I suspect that people go there to be seen rather than for the food.

Good restaurant in the city: service is fast, food is good, good atmosphere, it is confortable, cocktails were good also. It is full of bankers with bloomberg tv on, we will come back.

L'Anima seemed a buzzy place with a good ambiance. However, the actual food was a bit pedestrian and was over priced for what was a bit average. The escalope Milanese was ludicrously large and was bland. Service was efficient and friendly. Overall felt it could do better.

Visited with a few colleagues. Service was prompt and the food was nice. Good wine selection as well.

Locale molto vivo e molto bello per passare una serata bevendo e ascoltando musica, ma sicuramente non per gustare la cucina Italiana.Il menu propone dei piatti tipici in un locale moderno, e questo va benissimo, ma i piatti che ho ordinato non hanno soddisfatto le mie aspettativePolpette: senza sale, ed essendo un piatto molto semplice a basso costo e prezzato mi aspettavo fossero qualcosa di entusiasmanteTagliata: buonaTiramisù: il biscotto era secco e poco bagnato, la crema molto alleggerita, sembrava quasi mancassero le uova che nel tiramisù originale sono immancabili.Caffè: peccato che in un ristorante che porta la cucina italiana a londra il caffè non è dei migliori.Per il resto grazie.

I go here on a fairly regular basis as it is convenient for my work. it all looks quite pretty, the coffee is good, the cakes are not bad but the service is pretty hit and miss. The seating (one giant table and some window seats) is not very intimate to sit and talk privately or to read with a cappuccino or something.

This is a buzzy , high price but terrific restaurant , frequented by well paid city types ....only negative is high noise level though tables well set out ...

This place is a complete rip off. Food is just average and this does not justify the price. Service is bad! No engagement at all. Just not interested. Fake smiles and mechanic gestures. Almost no Italian staff in an Italian place? Ultimately the wine list is soooo expensive and limited and when ordered a £ 30 wine waiter went to check and said as they had not had a delivery that wine was not available. I picked another one £35 also not available, picked another one also not available. Ended up having to order a £40 wine. It was good but not good enough to justify the price. Also when I asked for a wine list the waitress should have advised of the wines they did not have. Bad waitressing!Ordered cheese and cured meats as a starter and they were not brought to our table together. Cheese arrived when we finished the bread and cured meat. They should have asked how we wanted it as it was all ordered as a starter or at least mentioned they came separate, again bad waitressing.Just so disappointed. This was my friend birthday dinner and it turned out to be just average but £111 expensive.The 2 stars ( and not 1) it is only because food was decent.

This was my first visit to this restaurant (although I have been to the parent just around the corner), but ti won't be my last. Food, wine and service were all excellent - my duck ravioli was very good! There is a bar area and a connected dining area, from where it is possible to see some of the food being prepared. Clientele is mixed - the cafe is just north of Liverpool Street station - leading to a relaxed, friendly informal atmosphere. recommended

This has now become a regular venue for me. The staff and management team are always very helpful and the quality of service is very high. The standard of food that they offer is unparalleled and is a great spot to hold meetings, relax with friends or post work drinks. Definitely recommend a visit

Went here for our end of quarter meal and drinks, great food and extensive wine list. Really nice at atmosphere, impressed!

Service and food was brilliant, attending over the Halloween and the atmosphere was fantastic, there were dancers, dj and saxophone playing.

We were welcomed as soon as we stepped through the door with the host holding it open for us.We were seen to straight away after being shown to our table.The management over saw everything to make sure we had everything we needed, not to mention that the food was outstanding!This is now a regular spot for me to hold meetings, meet friends and just relax with a cocktail after work.Highly recommended.

Really excellent place for lunch ! They have an excellent wine list And their mains are perfectly executed. It's not as expensive as its sister restaurant but the quality is fabulous !

Walked in with a group of colleagues just as they were closing and managed to get a round of drinks. Very impressed with the decor. Must be a great place for a drink, maybe a pizza, quick bite perhaps.So many things around that remind you of Italy and fire in boxes on tables makes it very attractive. Only thing I was not sure about was the large screens with fighting on them.

This place is genuine class... From the decor, music to the service ... It is absolute excellence ..It's a truly classy feel with a local pub atmosphere. If you haven't been here, I'd advise massively to come here... The bar serves exceptional drinks, the restaurant? Exceptional food!... Both equally providing amazing service.Individuals make this place .. The manager Maurizio deserves a special mention.. He truly appreciates custom and instills this in to the rest of his class. I love you Lanima and will always come here.

We have been hear before with guests from other global offices and they have always enjoyed the atmosphere here. This visit was no different it was busy but not to overcrowded. The staff are always attentive and happy to help. Food is always at a high standard.

We'd walked past this place several times before and finally had a good opportunity to try it, having already tried the big sister L'Anima around the corner. The cafe is clearly the more hip and trendy of the two, much more relaxed and some quirky touches eg a Vespa scooter as art. I liked the open plan kitchen, and the bar also looked inviting. We hadn't booked (Tuesday lunchtime) but the waitress had no hesitation in showing us to a table despite the place being pretty busy already - a nice touch rather than the pen-sucking mulling over the reservations book that you often get. The food was great - fantastic in fact. I had the calamari which was light, and tons of it. Main course for me was the lasagne which was reasonably light (well, as light as lasagne can be). Service was quick and attentive, so no complaints at all.

What a great place, great staff, great food, great atmosphere. Clients loved it! Also good prices for the city and the quality of the food

Congrats are due for the way L'Anima handled a difficult situation this evening in which members of my my firm attending a leaving drinks were threatened by a group of drunken young people who had imbibed too much. The service and drinks were great as usual. Good venue, great food and drink. Recommended!

Visited a few months ago and wasn't very impressed but went again last night and was blown away by the service, the new menu which offered loads more choice (but still has the delicious authentic pizzas) and the ambiance. We were served by a very attentive waitress, Jessica who couldn't have been more helpful. She recommended a wine to compliment our food and patiently talked us through our queries with the menu. We shared the squid and the carpaccio starters with a side of deliciously fresh bread (which came with a chilli and an aubergine (I think) tapenade but I'd highly recommend the butter!) we went on to have the lamb shank and the beef - both were cooked perfectly and absolutely full of flavour. The side of chips came with a homemade ketchup but I preferred the mayonnaise dip.The Lightning was great and the calm buzz of conversation and laughter in the restaurant made for an extremely enjoyable evening.Highly recommended!

I was expecting a better menu according to their atmosphere.Their portions are small and expensive. Service quality was high and staff was good.

I use this restaurant frequently, as it is next to my office. It is the sister of the overpriced Anima restaurant. When it opened, it was well priced. The food is properly Italian, and the restaurant became very popular. Lots of window space, so light and airy. This has resulted in the prices being jacked up by around 30%. Food is still good, but I resent the rise in price.