Marco's Bocca in Cielo in Islington - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

A Restaurant Love! Welcome, Service, Kindness, Quality 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Loved the sea bass tortellini and tiramisu!

Great food and service at this traditional family run restaurant close to Barbican tube. Classic Italian Antipasti / Primi / Secondi menu (with the option of pizza). Excellent food, beautifully presented.

This is a real gem in the heart of the City; I have been twice in the last month and both times were amazing. Really authentic Italian cuisine with a cosy but sophisticated feel, everything on the menu is very unique and delicious you really must try it! Great service and beautiful interior as well

Excellent evening meal here on Saturday. We had brushcetta, pizza and Italian sausage and all were great. The waitress was super and made a special Campari spritz for me which was delicious. All the staff and chef said hello and it felt very personal experience. Lovely interior, intimate and tasteful. My Italian friend said it was best Italian meal in London they have had for ages.

really enjoyed the fusili with roasted aubergine, tomatoes and pecorino

Home made Italian food for reasonable price.

Had the best time at Marco’s! Food was great and service/atmosphere 10 out of 10. Thank you for the great night

Had a fantastic meal here. Highly recommend!

THE BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT The food is incredible The staff very friendly and kind I went to dinner with my friends and we had an incredible experience, the family atmosphere and the tasty food made us have a wonderful time, the pasta was very tasty and the pizza reminded me Naples, now me and my friends we go there every time we get together.

Best food I’ve ever had in London!!!! I was scared to finish the food cause all of them were just perfect!! My husband and I decided to go to Italy for our next holiday after having nice dinner here

Exceptionally good and friendly atmosphere. Service Is perfect, and the wine is unique. Strongly recommended to visit as it’s a perfect place to spend a quality time with friends and family.

Marco’s is the neighbourhood restaurant you dream of. If only all Italian restaurants were like this. The owner and the staff were lovely. My husband and I had a wonderful time and can’t wait to go back

A wonderful discovery. Fantastic service, in a really interesting, intimate and quirky building and most importantly, fantastic food. I couldn't find fault with anything, the food was delicious. I saw a review that described the food as homely... I think it's rather better than that. If you go, please leave room for desert, they are not to be missed, and if you like limoncello, then you must try their meloncello - it was a revelation and possibly the nicest thing I've tasted in a long time. I will certainly be returning!

Friendly staff with a nice atmosphere but not the restaurant we had been looking for (it was showing as being part of the same building)...? Very nice gnocchi and good cook on the pork belly but there wasn't much flavour in the latter and I had to add salt. The tiramisu was good, lots of coffee flavour, but a tiny portion. Also, I saw a table next to us get bruschetta? That wasn't on the menu we got, which only had a few items? I don't understand why we didn't receive the full menu. The food was good but a little overpriced for what it was. I wouldn't return.

I usually don't leave reviews on restaurant because I'm not an expert. But let me tell you: even though I'm quite tired after work this place need few minutes of my time. I had lunch with my business partner and we are both from Italy - so as you can imagine we have always high expectations in approaching new cuisines. We had pasta, gnocchi and risotto, and we were immediately impressed by the quality of both dishes. Also the lady serving us was super friendly and we had a full meal in just 45 minutes. I'll definitely come back.

Came here with my girlfriend, it’s a small family run place. Unfortunately, it did not meet expectations. Slow service owing to the owners friends being near us and the waitress interested in chatting to them rather than taking our order. The chefs burnt something so extreme they smoked the place out and irritated everyone’s eyes, having to understandably open a window which gushed cold air in, whilst the owner was drunk and shouting and snapping fingers at the chefs. It made a terrible atmosphere and ambience. Bruschetta was incredibly nice, but the time between starter and main was far too long, the pizza was nice but nothing special and far too much crust to topping, but my girlfriend said the gnocchi was very nice. They served the food and my girlfriend couldn’t eat it for a while because her eyes were irritated from the chefs burning food. The food did not justify the high prices & limited menu options. Would I come back? Sadly not, I was glad to have left and it shows just because it’s small and family owned doesn’t mean it’s going to be a quality experience. I would recommend going elsewhere. Shame!

The restaurant has a very intimate feel, you can see Chef Marco going to the tables, greeting them, explaining the dishes himself. The dishes feel very homely and cosy, very tasty Italian comfort food. The wine selection while not vast, covers the basics very well. Different types of wines are represented and they are brilliant and reasonably priced. The desserts are sublime, the pistachio tiramisu is 10/10, and so was the normal tiramisu. We were served melon limoncello on the house at the end of our meal. Then, Chef Marco gave us a warm thanks for coming to his place. Would recommend this to everyone looking for a good Italian place in the city area. The Italian essentials of pizza, pasta and tiramisu are certainly well represented here and are made with love and passion.

Incredible restaurant! Nice staff and amazing kitchen! The drinks were good too 😉 he he he Definitely will come back!

Some exquisite dishes and excellent service, 100% recommended.

If you would ask me about one thing that is associated with London, I would answer this place and their owners who rebuilt my believe in humanity. When my wife’s phone with all the photos from the trip, and most importantly, the video of my proposal to her got stolen, we were desperate. The owners came up to us and offered their help and, moreover, Invited us to this wonderful place to change the atmosphere and have a break from the drama. After figuring out what exactly happened with us, and why my girl is so upset they offered me to do the proposal again on their backyard and recorded so we could have memories for life. There are no words to describe how thankful we are for everything they have done for us that evening. Looking forward to visit this place again, and introduce our little son Luka)

We had a reservation for Christmas Day, since it appeared open on their website. Anyone can make a mistake, of course... if it weren't for the fact that after showing up at the place (it was raining) none of the 5 people who were there got up from the table to tell us that it was closed. A real shame and lack of education and empathy with a customer.

What a fantastic find this was and for anyone looking for a unique and authentic Italian in the area I cannot recommend highly enough. It’s small yet surprisingly spacious inside and nice that they haven’t crammed in as many tables as possible - a reservation is certainly recommended. The decor is basic but gives a genuine Italian feel and from the moment we entered the friendly service was exceptional throughout. The menu isn’t huge, but what they do serve is all presented really well and truly delicious. The smoked mackerel starter was brilliant, presented beautifully and a good size. We asked for a portion of the potato gnocchi main dish as a second starter which didn’t seem to be a problem, but unfortunately we did get charged the full main price at the end. However it was exceptional and perhaps the nicest gnocchi I’ve had. Both the salsiccia pizza and calzone kept up the high standard and were cooked perfectly. A cheesecake and tiramisu rounded things off, again with no complains at all. Service time throughout was spot on, the atmosphere lovely and I cannot wait to return.

What a fantastic find this was and for anyone looking for a unique and authentic Italian in the area I cannot recommend highly enough. It’s small yet surprisingly spacious inside and nice that they haven’t crammed in as many tables as possible - a reservation is certainly recommended. The decor is basic but gives a genuine Italian feel and from the moment we entered the friendly service was exceptional throughout. The menu isn’t huge, but what they do serve is all presented really well and truly delicious. The smoked mackerel starter was brilliant, presented beautifully and a good size. We asked for a portion of the potato gnocchi main dish as a second starter which didn’t seem to be a problem, but unfortunately we did get charged the full main price at the end. However it was exceptional and perhaps the nicest gnocchi I’ve had. Both the salsiccia pizza and calzone kept up the high standard and were cooked perfectly. A cheesecake and tiramisu rounded things off, again with no complains at all. Service time throughout was spot on, the atmosphere lovely and I cannot wait to return.

It's literally just over the road from the Barbican where we live, but sadly it's a real let down.. On the plus side it was cozy and quiet, apart from electric fan heaters dotted around the place; but regrettably the food was really poor, for example two of the three pizzas were badly burnt underneath; in addition to this the chargrilled aubergine and peppers on the two vegetarian pizza's we ordered were mushy and had no texture nor taste to them, they appeared to have been cooked some days ago, which was also concerning, when we mentioned this to their staff they were apologetic but didn't offer to do anything about it. What a pity as we'd have added this to our list of local restaurants to frequent.

It's literally just over the road from the Barbican where we live, but sadly it's a real letdown.. On the plus side, it was cozy and quiet, apart from electric fan heaters dotted around the place; but regrettably, the food was really poor, for example, two of the three pizzas were badly burnt underneath; in addition to this the chargrilled aubergine and peppers on the two vegetarian pizza's we ordered were mushy and had no texture nor taste to them, they appeared to have been cooked some days ago, which was also concerning, when we mentioned this to their staff they were apologetic but didn't offer to do anything about it. What a pity as we'd have added this to our list of local restaurants to frequent.

A very cosy restaurant with attentive service and a great menu. They have a lunch special (Pizza & Soft Drink) so I went for the Calzone and I definitely made the right choice. This was one of the best Calzones I have had. Would highly recommend.

Lovely dinner before an evening at the Barbican. Great atmosphere and very friendly staff there. Will be going again!

Lovely cosy bistro, relatively small menu but very nice food and wine . Service excellent. My only criticism is value for money. I felt Hungry after my sea bass pasta dish - the portion was small as was the pork. Pizzas were good.

The food is good, the wine too. It’s real Italian and the atmosphere is relaxed and intimate. I’ll go back. We had a great evening.

Very nice Italian family-owned restaurant with a great choice of wine and cozy atmosphere. Hidden gem near Barbican for those looking for a pre-theatre dinner. Highly recommend this place.

A nice small restaurant and good service. However, the food is rather average and too expensive for the small portions that they serve.

Fabulous, fabulous!!! Must try restaurant… great food, service and atmosphere… will definitely be back

okay italian place edict offers homemade wood fired oven pizza done in classic italian fashion. it is complete with sone antipasti and several options of wine. okay for a quite yet flavourful evening dinner

One of my favorite places, where we always come back. Very small but intimate and cute Italian restaurant with really good food and very nice ambience. Especially the Gnocci are really great. We will come back for sure. I also love the small outside area for the summer.

Marco's place, which is local for us, was ideal for my birthday dinner with friends and family. We had the lovely terrace / garden out the back to ourselves (the neighbourhood's best kept dining secret) This place is a low key foodie heaven, so the meals and wine were, as ever, delicious. The always attentive, friendly and welcoming Stafano and his team looked after us as if we were in our own home. It's a genuinely family-friendly restaurant too - they even had colour pencils and drawing paper ready for our kids when we arrived. Highly recommend this place, both for low key dinners, and for small events and celebrations for up to 15 to 20 people.

Incredible food and cozy atmosphere.. Their Ravioli (Jumbo Shrimp) is probably the best Ravioli I've had hands down.. Every one there is friendly and kind, and you feel very welcomed.. If you are thinking of visiting the place, don't think and just go! You will have no regrets!

Very good food and kind service. 👍👍

great and friendly staff, lovely atmosphere, amazing food 👌🏻

Booked for dinner and arrived to find the restaurant closed with no explanation or warning. They shouldn’t have confirmed our booking if they weren’t going to open.

Lovely place with excellent service - my gnocchi was great but sadly, the pork my wife had was incredibly fatty. She gave me a little to taste and I had to agree that the texture was pretty awful.

Pizza was great but the tiramisu was terrible. Tasted like rubber and amaretto and shouldn’t be served like that. Not sure if we got a stale one but you could tell that it’s bad from the texture even putting a spoon into the dish.

My stag do evening meal was ruined by the surliest of waitresses who couldn't muster a smile or eye contact the entire meal, they clearly didn't want to be there and had 0 training in engaging customers in a friendly supportive way. I ordered 2 plates of brushetta and olives while we were choosing mains. The bruschetta arrived , but when the olives didn't I asked where they were and she snapped back that I hadn't ordered any... despite the 7 witnesses agreeing a did. Just an example of what happened all night, even splitting the bill became a drama as she couldn't split the bill by 7, but could for 6?? Btw, the food was mediocre, brought down by the staff. The place was pretty empty for a Saturday night, and now we know why. This place feels like its on life support , not sure it will last with major surgery

Our large party was really let down by the surliest of waitresses who couldn't manage a smile or eye contact the whole evening. We ordered 2 plates of olive and bruschetta to share, then when the olives didn't arrive, we got told we didn't order them. ! I was lying despite everyone at the Table remembering they were ordered , more glum waitress and glum pizza was to follow... we couldn't wait to pay and leave... where we were told it was "impossible" to divide a bill by 7, it had to be 6? Even paying was painfully...

My wife and I had an early dinner after visiting at exhibition at the Tate. Having lived in Italy for 3 year the atmosphere was of the family owned trattoria. The food and service were excellent. We will definitely return.

Lovely small restaurant with excellent food and friendly, professional service. Will definitely return.

The gnochhi here is amazing!! One of my favorites 👏👏

It was a wonderful evening. We had two seats at a table in the lovingly decorated courtyard of the restaurant. There was no wind, and Italian music was playing at a comfortable volume from a loudspeaker. The food was excellent. Marco, the padrone, together with the friendly service, took care of our well-being. It was like sitting in a small trattoria somewhere in Italy. Thanks Marco, it was a great evening in Italy, in the middle of London.

Fantastic experience at Marco’s this week. We organised a work party and Marco could not have been more hospitable. The outside area was fantastic, the food was incredible and the service was top notch. I will be coming back very soon!

Wish I could give more than 5 stars – this is my new favourite Italian! Fantastic food, great service and such a lovely place. Marco was incredibly welcoming and it was a pleasure having him share his passion for food with us. Cannot recommend this place more – I will be back any opportunity I get! Thanks for having us.

So worth visiting if you love Italian food, some of the best pizza I've ever had and amazing gnocchi! Also, all the staff are so lovely and willing to help. Would recommend.

We had a fantastic time at Marco's – they have the friendliest staff, and the food and atmosphere was amazing. The gnocchi and the tartlets are absolute must-trys!

A lovely local Italian – the staff were really attentive and friendly and the food was delicious!

The most beautiful outside area, charming and attentive staff, and the food is to die for (especially the gnocchi!). Will without a doubt be back in no time. Thanks for a wonderful evening.

Horrible food. Even worse staff. Rude and slow service. No respect for anyone. Avoid this place at all costs.

The food was cold and tasted bland. Furthermore, the service was average at best. Not recommended for the price.

Lovely restaurant setting indoors and outside in private courtyard. Service is great and staff alternate between their 2 restaurants and remember you if been there before. The pizzas are my favourite (And I don’t normally eat pizza). Will be back.

Delicious food and very nice staff

A wonderful little restaurant with the sweetest staff. We only had a little bit of time and they tried very hard for our dinner to be ready within minutes. The food is excellent, complemented further by a relaxing atmosphere. Our desserts were some of the best tiramisu and cheesecake we've ever had.

Everything they don't have It was not like late night But they don't have this and they don't have that

Fantastic friendly authentic local Italian restaurant. Pork belly is highly recommended

ASSOLUTAMENTE SPECIALE e da provare per credere. In questo locale si degusta quello che Marco (il proprietario) ama offrire ai suoi clienti, con estrema attenzione agli abbinamenti, un esplosione di gusto ad ogni boccone, prezzi decisamente abbordabili, soprattutto a Londra che per 4 panini non hanno paura a farti pagare 100 sterline. Grazie Marco per averci fatto sentire come a casa, a presto 💥🍾

Such a cute little local Italian - we particularly enjoyed the pork belly main! The service was great and the atmosphere very nice

The caramelized onions were top notch, we were a big fan of the brass candle stick holder but a whole tiramisu on the house would’ve been bangin

Me and my family came into the restaurant on Saturday, we all agreed it was such a lovely restaurant, good food and great service, especially by Lindsey.. Thank you for making our special lunch even more special! 😊

Attentive service. Really good food. Very handy for the Barbican which is nearby. Highly recommended.

Excellent comfort food! Excellent service! Thank you Lindsey! 😘😘😘😘

Really pleasant to find this amazing place. Staff was superb and food very good. Recommend.

Lovely meal and great service. Would definitely recommend.

I absolutely love this place. We were warmly greeted by the waitress Lindsey who made us feel so at home. The menu with pizza and à la carte specials was mouth watering. I thought I was going to have pizza, but I ended up having the beautiful cod with broccoli, olives and tomatoes - great flavours. I liked the fact that the chef kept coming to check that we were happy with the food. The decor with the marble tables and wooden floors reminds me of a restaurant in the Mediterranean. To the extreme happiness of my dining partner, they serve champagne by the glass! She is not a Prosecco drinker! I had the Primitivo which was exceptional. Towards the end of the meal we were lucky enough to meet with the owner and his partner, and they were absolutely charming. I had no idea there was a dining area in the back garden and we will definitely be using that in the summer. Well done guys. This is one of our new favourite restaurants and it should be for all you reading this as well!!!

What a fantastic meal in an intimate setting with beautiful decor - felt like we were in a restaurant in Italy! The food was absolutely delicious - particularly the smoked aubergine pasta, wow. Excellent vegetarian options, the homemade tiramisu was perfect, and the wine was such a delight! Everyone was so friendly and warm too. Thank you so much - we can't wait to go back!

Great service. Fantastic wine and mocktail!

Great cosy atmosphere, delicious food, very friendly staff. This just became one of my favourite restaurants in London!

Cozy place and delicious food! A true Italian spot!

This place is incredible! I've been 3 times now as I work nearby and every time I go back it's even better than the last time. Fantastic service, AMAZING home cooked, traditional Italian food and the staff are all super friendly. Between the group we had the prawn linguine, squid ink risotto and pizza and they were all 10/10. Can't wait to go back!

We've booked a table at 6pm, we've made an order at 6.10 pm (pasta and risotto) and we've got our food at 7.25 pm after the scandal as we were late for the theatre. When we came to the place only 1 table was occupied and people there were already served. Then more people came and occupied 2 more tables. Good for them, they ordered pizzas because the chef desided that it's easier to make and there is no point following the order people came and made orders. It was literally her explanation when I asked at 7. 10 pm about status of our order (ALL other tables were already served!!) . Miraculously, when we desided to leave without a payment, she prepared our food within 10 minutes. I should not mention the quantity of pasta and risotto at the end as we were to upset and hangry at the end.

The food was ok but the service was awful. We had to wait for our order for over an hour without any explanations and apologies. People who arrived later got served before us. We had to ask for clarifications twice and explain that we were running late for theatre before we eventually got served.

What an excellent find - great service and even better food!

Delicious food. We had gnocchi and Prawn risotto. Wine a bit over priced.

Stumbled upon this place having just got into London from Paris and I sure got lucky. Everything about it is excellent. Food is perfect, but best of all was the delightful Lindsay who served us (and was lovely to my small child too). If I could give service 10 stars I would.

The food was excellent with very reasonable prices. I tried the bruschetta and the pasta with aubergine, tomatoes and pecorino and it was honestly one of the best pasta dish I have had. Will visit again

Marco's Bocca in Cielo is a delight. Wonderful thoughtful Italian food, lovely atmosphere and friendly service. A short menu and short affordable wine list, which I love. Thank-you.

Amazing experience:) I would recommend mains > pizza. The gnocchi and the black ink risotto were very nice. Marco, the chef and the waiter were extremely welcoming and friendly! We will come back for sure .

Best italian in London for sure. Friendly staff that loves to talk about Italy

Fantastic food and service. It’s always a treat to dine at this restaurant.

Good food, service and ambience

I had no expectations or opinions and was just looking for an evening meal when I opened the door. I was unsure what to make of the decor. But by the time I left I had had a wonderful meal, great service and enjoyed a friendly warm atmosphere. I will be back.

Most amazing Italian restaurant in London. Quality of the food served here is par excellence with authentic Italian tastes captured by the chef. Service is impeccable by super friendly Vlad!

Wonderful meal and very friendly atmosphere.

Amazing Italian gem, 100% recommend. Not only the food and decor is fantastic, but staff is excellent. Will definitely go back

Excellent food and service, without doubt one of the best Italian restaurant in London

A lovely little Italian place with delicious homemade pasta! Service was great too, the owner and chef both came out at different points to make sure we were enjoying ourselves.

Vlad is a very professional waiter always making sure every customer is happy. Very positive and professional attitude. The chef Bibiana is better than most chefs in the Italian restaurants in Rome and Milan. Extremely talented chef and all food is homemade.

great hidden gem. roast mushroom was amazing.

Not in the most lively London area, but I was treated here to an unforgettable crab meat linguini and a dessert on par. Their personal service always needs to be highlighted and more especially if it’s aligned with a great culinary experience.

Incredibly friendly staff, Gheorghe was our waiter and he was very attentive and friendly. We were a party of 13 and he was very quick in taking all the orders, giving recommendations. The food was delicious, tho highlight was the seafood risotto and the cheesecake. Will definitely go back very soon for another wonderful dinner!

Really good authentic food. Very Italian. Lovely hospitable people. They made it a whole experience. Thanks so much. Will visit again

Went here for dinner before a show at the Barbican. This is a true hidden gem - divine food and lovely friendly service. We were delighted!

well-kept and youthful place in a convenient and easy to reach area, the place is well managed and the dishes satisfy the Italian tradition with a touch of novelty that is much appreciated. I advise

Marco's Bocca in Cielo (or "Bocca in Cielo: Marco Fabris" as I believe it's properly known) is a fantastic restaurant, one of London's finest Italian eateries in my opinion. I reached that conclusion after frequenting many of London's finest-ranked restaurants, notwithstanding some of the big names in Soho, Mayfair, and Fitzrovia. If you go in the summertime, I highly recommend sitting out in the back patio which is gorgeous, adorned with a lovely selection of plants and candles which makes for an intimate ambience. The Watermelon Gin & tonic is must! Also, I highly recommend their frozen limoncello lemonade (of which I easily downed two quite quickly!!). The pasta is always delicious, as are the mains such as their smoked cod, and while I have yet to personally try their risotto, others in my party really enjoyed it. The cheesecake is also an absolute must; though, I have to admit the tirramisu is pretty much equally delicious, and their affogado is out of this world! I have tasted all three desserts and cannot think more highly of them. Definitely worth dining here. You'll experience some of London's finest Italian cuisine and at nowhere near the cost of their overpriced competitors. *HIGHLY* Recommend!!!