Osteria Ovada in Camden

Having worked in Italy for many years, from Piedmont to Palermo, from Udine to Brindisi one gathers a knowledge of where to eat. Not the expensive and plush, but the authentic, home based and quality based cooking. What’s interesting is Osteria Ovada is not in the West End or Mayfair but Finchley Rd (Camden), and this gives it even more authenticity as a bit of travel is needed to find. It’s in a simple street, with a simple facade and inside is simple, but once you’re in, you’re in Italy!!! Great recipes, everything is carefully sourced and an exceptional selection of wines. The owner Paolo is not only cooking but producing wine, name me another restaurant in London where this is the case? The prices are genuinely reasonable, I went for the first time recently with family and for sure will return.

Io e mia figlia abbiamo lavorato per questa persona, 3 settimane e non siamo state pagate. Le motivazioni non sono state argomentate perché non rispondeva più al telefono, seppure non gli fossimo piaciute non ci avrebbe tenuto per 3 settimane senza dirci nulla, anzi lui molto amichevole, poi da un giorno all'altro ci ha fatto dire dal cuoco che dovevamo andarcene. Senza più modo di farsi trovare per pagare. Un vero signore

We visited as a result of a glowing review by a Sunday Times cricket correspondent on the sports pages. Not on the main street so a hidden side street gem. The atmosphere was authentic Italian rustic and the kitchen is in full view and all mastered by Paolo and his wife with "assistance" from their lovely German shepherd dog Eva. We had not booked which I think is often needed but they managed to fit us in and they were incredibly welcoming and fantastic hosts. Fresh ingredients with frequently changed I believe handwritten menus. Excellent wine I believe sourced from their own vineyard in Italy. Can't recommend highly enough.

Recommended to try this restaurant last year but never got the opportunity to go until last night. Paulo and Katie were perfect hosts, incredible food and wines. Eva their German Shepherd a real star!!! Had an amazing night. Cannot recommend it high enough!!! A true hidden gem.

Have visited this restaurant a few times. It is small, intimate and a great place to eat. My partner had a steak, which she thoroughly enjoyed and I had an aubergine pasta which was delicious. A nice glass of wine and a coffee afterwards, is a perfect night out. Paolo the host is an excellent chef and takes pride in the quality of his food.

Booked the day before. Paolo is an amazing host. Food, wine and warmth of the highest calibre. One of the most enjoyable experiences of eating out in London. Authenticity at it's finest.

We dined with family and friends here. The ambience, excellent service and totally amazing food and wine make this simply the best Italian restaurant we have ever experienced. We will be back!

So glad this hidden gem has reopened. Paolos Barbera and sparkling Chardonnay (from his own vineyard) went down superbly well, with the creamiest burrata, freshly prepared antipasti, delicious Porcini Parpadelle and Fillet steak cooked to perfection. If you’ve not been here before, it’s a real treat. Paolo cooks your food whilst keeping you company with his stories of food and wine. I’m not normally a dessert person, but even I couldn’t resist his homemade pannacotta.

We went soon after the lockdown was lifted in May 2021. (Hopefully as you read this that period is now a far distant memory) It is true of the adage that you the best gems are really a stone throw away and you don’t have to go round the world. We have walked past this restaurant a thousand times as it’s just five minutes away from us but tended to go into the restaurants in west end. Anyway we said we’ll start to eat locally so here we were. We walked in on a Thursday with no booking, the restaurant was quiet with two other tables occupied. We were seated and from then on till we left about three hours later; it was just pure joy. We shared a plate of antipasti with a selection of delicious warm bread. But unless you are really hungry avoid filling up, leave some room for the main course. We also had a taste of an aubergine starter marinated in balsamic vinegar, secret recipe I’m told! My husband had the rib eye steak which I think was aged 4 months. It was massive, tender, juicy and delicious, mmhhed with every morsel, I had the rock of the sea, linguine with seafood, simple, clean and again delicious. I swear there must have been a kilo of fresh seafood on my plate. The portion was so enormous I had to take the rest home in a doggy box. Now for the ambience, let’s just say it was like being with a close friend. We chatted non stop about all sorts with Paolo the proprietor as well as another guest in between courses and mouthfuls! It was such a lovely evening out especially during these trying times, all worries and clouds lifted, we literally left on a high, helped no doubt by the two bottles of wine from Paolo’s own vineyard. All I can say is that he is a most generous host and chef.. Starters around £15 -£20, main about £22 - £45; wine which was excellent about £30 -£45. This is now going to be a regular haunt for us now. Highly recommend

We had an incredible dinner with fantastic flavours. The anti pasti was delicious and the wine from the owners personal vineyard really is special. Thank you and see you soon!

I was very impressed with this friendly Italian restaurant... Delicious Italian food i would go again , remind me of our time in Italy. Tasted just like real Italian food...I wholeheartedly recommend this place...

This Italian "restaurant" is more cafe than the jewel it portrays to be. If you like the chance to experience an extensive wine list that it pretends to offer, go to one of the many better local pubs

The food here is amazing... Absolutely love eating here and the decor is wonderful. An amazing place to sit and enjoy a nice evening out. The service is great and the staff are amazing. Definitely would recommend this place 10/10

We been for a dinner on Monday night with my boyfriend...cosy lovely place well managed..the Italian waitress Maria made us to feel very welcome...highly recommended...

Essen wirklich top, unbedingt die Antipasti probieren, ein Traum. Preise etwas drüber, pastagerichte zwischen 18 und 25 Pfund. Rechnung etwas undurchsichtig, was schade war, da Dinge auf der Rechnung auftauchten die nicht bestellt wurden, sondern wirkten als ob sie aufs Haus gehen. Der Klassiker. Schade. Ansonsten wirklich zu empfehlen

I was on a "take the tube one stop, turn left, and see what you find" expedition, and turned into this small Italian restaurant in a side street. Not over-crowded, meaning only one table occupied whe n I arrived, but later it came many more. I was proably the only guest that had not visited before and dod not know the owner. The waiter and the owner was very nice and attentive. Even if I only ortdered a main course, I was served with a number of tastings before that, and added to the wone form the owners own property in Piemonte, this was a very nice experience. Not fine dining, but a very pleasant place to have a good and real Italian meal, also as a solo diner.

My wife and I took some very old friends here for dinner. The food was very good and very reasonably priced. The wine was excellent. However the friendly welcoming staff bettered both the food and the wine I would highly recommend this place.

Yesterday we discovered this hidden away gem in a side road in Hampstead. What a great meal ! Antipasta, Branzino and Veal Milanese, with a lemon flavoured Pannacotta as desert. All absolutely delicious ! The wines, which come from the proprietor's vineyards in Italy were also superb. A red Barbera and a white Gavi - both really excellent. The service was very good and the waitresses (from Brazil) both knowledgeable and helpful. The proprietor, Paolo, was delightful and welcoming. We will be back.

Lovely staff but very overpriced food and just not tasty. Most dishes totally below par. Very few options for gluten free/veggie/vegan... mainly a meat and carb place. Would not go again- so many more modern options for good Italian fare. Bill was shocking for the...

Just amazing! Really welcoming staff, who take time to talk with you. Especially, the owner who is a real personality and a lover of great wine and food. In truth, I almost didn’t write a review, as this has become our new favourite local Italian...

Whenever I eat at Osteria Ovada I feel like I am on vacation somewhere in Italy. The restaurant is amazing in every aspect, from the atmosphere, to the employees and of course to the food. The restaurant specializes in few dishes, but those dishes taste...

A fantastic discovery. Authentic food and excellent, reasonably priced, wine. Paulo was a great host, and the little restaurant had a wonderful, rustic, cosy, feel. A great atmosphere.

This is almost a hole in the wall in a side road off Finchley Rd. Truly a hidden gem. The antipasti were delicate and full of flavour. The spaghetti carbonara was truly outstanding- proper Roman style . The desserts were also very tasty. Paolo paired...

My wife and I have been longstanding fans of Osteria Ovada. We have been many times and always loved it. The absolutely perfect little local restaurant that is really special and serves great food. Some months ago we had a couple of not so great...

The food is nice here I have been a few times but you have to be careful to ask about the price of things before you order them. The menu is spoken to you by the staff with no prices. Wine is recommended on the...

First visit. Lovely atmosphere, great food served by Manuela. All lovely. Not cheap but worth it. Tiramisu a little stodgy.

The vegetables starter was out of this world, so delicious! Then, again new surprise - pasta with ricotta cheese and spinach ... yummy Owners vine was divine. If I could, I would eat there every day! Loved the food and atmosphere, very warm and welcoming...

Stunning delicious food in this Warm and cozy, intimate atmosphere Italian restaurant with the owner and staff taking good care of all customers beautifully Exquisite wine grown by the owner’s own vineyards in Italy and California. A major treat

Amazing food, amazing service - feels like you’re on holiday in Italy even though you’re still in London! A beautiful gem hidden in Finchley Road!

I'm almost glad that Osteria Ovada is a little out-of-the-way, because I can't imagine getting a table on a Saturday would be easy otherwise. The food is really excellent. Prices can seem a little above what you'd expect - especially given that they appear on...

On both occasions I've eaten here, the food has been a wonderful mix of Italian and Sicilian cooking. Just seeing the Antipasti being prepared made my mouth water. The eggplant was done in a few ways - I especially enjoyed the Caponata. This was followed...

To say that this place is a “hidden gem” is something of an understatement. Tucked away is a quiet road off the Finchley Road, you would never know it was there unless you saw the chairs outside. What can I say, the place is superb,...

I’ve lived on the street for 8 months and everyday I walk by the entrance to Osteria Ovada and there is an overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel like you know the owners before you walk in. For our Flatmate Adrien’s 30th...

There's nowhere else like this in London. The cooking is wonderful but so is the atmosphere: the small team at Ovada is welcoming, friendly and genuinely enthusiastic, and seems remarkably stress-free for a London restaurant. Many dream of opening a place like Ovada, but Paolo,...

A friend found this place and wanted to try it. It's on a side street off the busy Finchley Road where you'd never expect to find a restaurant at all, let alone one that makes you feel like you've stepped into Italy. There's only 32...

What an utter delight behind the chaos of Finchley Road. Authentic, cosy and intimate. I’m so excited by this restaurant on my doorstep. The food was delicious. The wine was lovely. But the star of the show is Paolo. He’s warm and inviting and brings...

We had just arrived home after 10 days in Italy having eaten what we thought was good Italian food BUT nothing prepared us for Paulo's Italian home cooking ! Simply and deliciously sublime.. the Antipasto was a subtle explosion of tasty cold appetizers followed by...

Probably the best authentic Italian experience I have had outside Italy Home cooking at its very best. Wonderful atmosphere, superb wine, everything very fresh and tasty. Paulo was a wonderful host and the service was exemplary. The antipasti was amazing and the main courses faultless....

We had a ridiculously nice evening in Osteria Ovada. Perhaps it was stumbling across this spot unexpectedly, down a tiny side street off the busy Finchley Road. Perhaps it was the warm welcome from the boss. Perhaps it was the intimate interior, the rustic-retro charm...

Very nice small restaurant where you can enjoy a very tasty Italian dinner in a good atmosphere.. nice staff, large dishes, very high value for money!! Antipasto with a mix of typical Italian dishes such as caponata, peperonata, melanzane alla parmigiana, verdure grigliate.. recommended as...

What an amazing/unusual place! Four of us enjoyed an entertaining evening in this offbeat restaurant. The owner is larger than life and becomes part of your evening. Its a kind of a set meal where you only choose the main course. Antipasta arrived unasked for...

I went to my girlfriend. Foods and wines are amazing. Also, it has good vibe and playlist of songs. Highly recommend

Went for dinner here last night on the recommendation of a friend and it was amazing! The food was delicious and massive portions, the antipasti is a must! Had 2 pastas and and an osso bucco, and panna cotta and tiramisu for dessrt, everything was...

Had such a lovely evening in this friendly relaxed restaurant, eating fresh and exciting food. Paulo the owner is welcoming and entertaining. The wines from his own vineyard are delicious and the food tastes genuinely flavorsome. The meal begins with a selection of starters to...

It is very unusual to find really well cooked, authentic Italian food in London. It's especially hard to find in NW London. Osteria Ovada is that local, quality Italian you've been hoping for. There's a shortish, but interesting menu. Wine is excellent, produced by Paolo,...

I went past by accident while on the phone. Sat out side while speaking to my Girlfriend on the phone. The wine, antipasto and hospitality were so amazing I decided to stay foR dinner and so glad I did. On one hand I don’t want...

After being closed for 2 months Paolo is back with a new team. He has brought 2 wonderful authentic Italian mamas to run the kitchen. As you enter this double garage sized restaurant the 1st thing you see are the most amazing selection of delicious...

Great dishes, daily menu and super fresh fish. Authentic Italian food, style and welcome. Also recommend the great Cometa wines. We will be back soon.

This is a real gem - excellent rustic Islam food and the best service we have received in London. This was our first visit but we'll be going back again very soon.

This little Italian restaurant is our favourite place in Hampstead… The staff is so welcoming and funny, true Italians ! The food is really tasty, and prepared just in front of your eyes. We love their meat, but also their pasta dishes, and they always...

Nice rustic food, good decor, pushy waiters and overpriced wine and service. An average dining experience altogether, very reminiscent of dining in Italy - right down to the feeling of dissatisfaction at the final bill.

For a rustic, uncomfortable, back street restaurant - it was extremely expensive and I went home still hungry.

A great local restaurant just off the Finchley Rd. It has a basic menu of great dishes, done well. It's like. sitting in an Italian mother's kitchen.

This is no tidy trendy restaurant . This is a true osteria housed in a garage full of irrelevant ugly objects. So if you want pure physical kelly happen chic best not head here. If on the other hand you adore all that is great...

This little restaurant, tucked away on a one way street, is a gem. With wonderful home cooking with warm and friendly management, This restaurant gives the flavour of a real family run Italian restaurant in Italy. The focus is the food and the ambiance. The...

We've written about Osteria Ovada before but since first going there, when we loved it so much, it has become our regular eating place when we just want to pop out for a fantastic home cooked meal. The ambience is just perfect. Tastefully decorated in...

A true discovery! An Italian osteria, hidden gem, age-old quality service led by an Italian doyen, terrific antipasta, extensive specials ranging from lasagna to lobster linguine. Decent wine, complimentary grappa. If you have ever wondered what happened to those red street lamps that hang from...

I am surprised that more people do not know about this incredibly authentic Sicilian restaurant. We could not believe that this place was not busier on a Thursday night (we were one of two tables) but it was raining heavily. The guy who served us...

What an unusual & delightful joint. Opposite a couple of Porsche/ cafe racer garages down a Mews road, this used to be an old school 'caff' - until being reborn as a slice of Parma tucked away in this corner of North West London. (One...

This is an excellent cosy Italian restaurant with delicious food. I was recommended this by a friend and I was not disappointed. Service was fantastic and prices reasonable. However, they only take cash.

I can't even begin to explain how amazing this place was. It's so authentic and you just don't feel like you're in London anymore. The service was wonderful, the two men who own the place made our night, and the food was even better than...

Hospitality at such a level, you feel like you are not in a restaurant in central London, but a friend's superb, local kitchen far out. Such a warm, familiar vibe, delicious pasta and wine. Thank you, I will be back!

Our second visit to this magical place. Torn between writing the fabulous review this restaurant deserves and wanting to keep it a secret! You walk away from the hubbub of the Finchley Road and are immediately transported into the warmth and wonder of Italy. Like...

Best Italian food I tried in London with real Italian atmosphere. I really recommend to go and try their special dishes of pasta.

Wonderful food and great service. Staff were really friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend and will visit again. Thank you for a lovely eating experience.

Good ambiance. Very friendly waiters. Antipasta-sludgelike. Main course good. Extremely noisy. Very expensive wine, up to £75 per bottle. We settled for the £28 per bottle. Two course meal cost £44 per head with wine. Grossly overpriced. We will not revisit.

This is a small osteria that offers very good service. The antipasti plate is recommended. We've ordered it each time (see photos). It includes a nice selection of hot and cold starters for £7.50. It can be quite filling! The pasta choices run from ravioli,...

After reading good reviews I wanted to try it out myself...I wish I would have gone elsewhere!!! I popped in and the ambience was odd and it was like being into someone's garage. Therefore I decided to order food without judging it only by the...

Food was amazing, the staff was so friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere is so cozy and Italian, it felt like being at home. A very traditional place where you can enjoy good food, definitely recommend it!

What a memorable evening! We loved the ambiance at this homely restaurant just off the Finchley Road. It's authentic Italian with not one oversized pepper mill in sight. The antipasti platter was very tasty and great for veggies or non meat eaters. The main courses...

We went here based on several reviews and have positive and negative aspects to write about. The staff are great, small but good menu choice for mains and desserts. Starters are antipasti which though delicious are brought so quickly you need to know to say...

Everything at Ovada is excellent !! I have eaten here several times over the past year and always take visiting friends and family to this inconspicuous local Italian just off Finchley Road. The food is very authentically Italian (more so than most Italian restaurants in...

Cannot fault it in any way. We have found our new favourite haunt. We booked for a post movie dinner at 10.30. Despite it being so late there was no pressure to hurry up and we have a relaxing enjoyable 3 course meal.

Went for dinner last week, Packed as we went in and I hear its packed every night! The 1st thing I noticed was all the antipasti laid out on the bar area, all looked amazingly fresh. We sat down on a table opposite the kitchen,...

It used to be that you would only be overcharged till the pips squeaked when eating in West End restaurants. Now the phenomenon extends to the suburbs. Our charming host recommended the antipasto at a tenner a head. Cold starters on a winter's evening don't...

This place is just the kind of local restaurant you dream of stumbling across on a road trip through Italy. But here it is in North London. I ate delicious antipasto; a hearty bowl of linguine with rabbit ragu and a heavenly tiramisu. Excellent, unpretentious...

Food, atmosphere and service are as they should be in a small local restaurant in Italy. The few negative reviews below seem to have expected the wrong kind of place. Authentic trattoria's and osteria's are nothing like your standard British restaurant. So come with the...

This place was near the place we stayed in London and found it to be a hidden gem. We were there 2 nights and ate there both times! Franco, Luigi, and Dino run the place and are incredible. Try the appetizer tray they recommend. The...

Authentic Italian cuisine (and staff!) - a bite of Italy in North London. Had the vegetarian spaghetti with chilli - perfectly cooked and bursting with flavour. Lovely Italian wine to compliment and very friendly waiter - Mr Ferrari (in the photo)! Can't recommend enough!

We went on a Saturday night - 4 of us and were seated promptly. We were never given a menu but offered antipasti to start. We were served with a plate of anti pasti vegetables. It was offered with ham but we went for the...

This is a tiny new local eaterie in Hampstead. Very Italian, stylish yet simple. There are only around 8 - 10 tables in the whole place. The owner is very friendly and has been in the restaurant business for years, as he owned Villa Bianca...

This restaurant is totally overpriced! There is only one starter of Antipasti costing £10 per person. There are no vegetables served with the main course only salad. Food is very average apart from the desserts which were lovely. Will not be recommending or going to...

A hidden gem, A great find, A real delight... I could go on and on with superlatives for this place. Its tucked away location, and size gives it the extra charm coupled with the understated interior (which is very well thought out) made for a...

This restaurant came highly recommended by my 'foodie' mother yet my expectations were not high based on the secondary location, however.....what a find! A great local with terrific and authentic Italian food with fabulous friendly service. Very good wine from the owners vineyard and would...

A small piece of Sicily on the Finchley Rd. Having eaten here many times I decided to take a Sicilian friend, He was in heaven ,back at home. This is the real deal. The anti-pasta a wonderful array of parma ham, chargrilled vegetables and aubergines...

We were recommended to the Osteria Ovada by our son. It totally lived up to our expectations giving us a true feel of being in Italy in a very informal environment. A family service anti pasta for the table to start added to the experience,...

We visited Osteria Ovada on Saturday night having been recommended and we were certainly not disappointed. Staff could not have been more helpful and friendly, the restaurants is small which creates a great ambiance, the food was outstanding. Will definitely be returning and hopefully very...

Other than the parking restrictions in the area, this restaurant cannot be faulted. Very laid back, great vibe, friendly staff, superb food (I can highly recommend the lobster linguini) & a delicious Gavi produced by Paolo (the owner) in his Italian vineyards. Perfect!

With mixed reviews here on TripAdvisor and on Google, we didn't really know how good this place would be. We were handed a greasy A4 photocopy with a hand-written menu on it, where there is only one starter and 10 mains to choose from, so...

This is Italian food with atmosphere. A very welcoming team presents excellent food and wine with panache. It is really quite special and difficult to describe. You must try it yourself.

A small working mans cafe converted into a family run Italian restaurant here in Hampstead should be an obvious recipe for success and initially the mixed hors d'oeuvres seemed promising but eventually rather bland and too oily. My main complaint came with the pappardelle pasta...

We went with friends and were greeted like long lost family in this small restaurant off the Finchley Road in Frognal. Started with the antipasto - you can choose your own selection plus aubergine in balsamic vinegar and parma ham. All tasty and fresh. Our...

Seven of us arrived for a Birthday Dinner...We had not been told that the restaurant accepted "Cash only" so had to leave the restaurant to go to the local cash machine before we started.... Friendly welcome but... Starters tasted ok but had the feel of...

8 of us went to this very simple Italian eating house , that lies half way between cafe and restaurant. The tables and chairs are what one would expect in a primary school. The meal was poor for a starter at £10 and main courses...

Went to this restaurant with friends, great atmosphere as you walk in the door and warm greeting from Julianna who is the maitre d and in charge of the kitchen. Antipasti with plates of Palma Ham which was incredibly tasty grilled vegetables and provolone with...

En route to the Japanese on the corner & spotted an A-frame looking like a menu down the little mews-street. Beautiful rustic decor, very 'now', interesting menu & a bar full of large Italian tapas-style antipasti. We started with a large plate to share &...

have eaten here about 4 times now and have thoroughly enjoyed the food, the wine, the place and the people.

An unexpected surprise tucked away from the traffic of Finchley Road. Warm and cosy environment and incredible authentic Italian food. Follow the recommendations of the staff and indulge in truly traditional Italian home cooking. The menu is short and changes based on available fresh ingredients...

I have been here twice, the first time I was pleased, food was nice and price reasonable, friendly staff. The second time was totally different. The starters were ok but the mains where both wrong; my friend's dish was just tasteless and the meat I...

I never left a review before, but it'd be a crime not to do it this time. I just can't believe the high rated reviews I read here, the place has a good atmosphere but here the good things end, my vongola smelled like they...