Osteria Tufo in Islington

What an amazing find. Beautiful restaurant, delicious food, amazing service...love this place and looking forward to coming back. We came with our toddler, and not only did the staff make sure she was catered for, they were lovely and ensured that we / she enjoyed her meal and made us feel so welcome. Can not recommend this place enough. Thankyou!

Very good and welcoming afterward you have to like the pasta mix

Nice hidden gem. Great food, especially fish. Very delicious. Pasta was very tasty and fresh

Great food and great friendly service

Great food, really nice service and a pleasant 'taste of Italy' in a small but cosy restaurant.

The most beautiful fresh pasta I have ever tasted. I would say this is the third time in my life that if anyone asked if they could try some I would have said no! Wanted it all to myself! It was a safe and pumpkin stuffed pasta and just sublime

Outstanding food across the board, great wines, wonderfully friendly service, relaxed atmosphere - will definitely be back.

We love this restaurant which is our go-to for a pre-theatre dinner (it's very close to the Park Theatre). Osteria Tuffo is everything a neighbourhood Italian restaurant should be. Fantastic, home-cooked food, good sized portions, and a wonderfully warm service with a smile. There's even a singing waiter - what more could you ask for? We'd highly recommend.

A great little Italian. A place where you know you're not in a chain restaurant. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it and will definitely be back.

Very good pasta and brilliant nduja toast. The Tiramisu wasn’t boozy enough though, with only a very mild coffee taste; having said that, we ate it all. I dropped one star as we found the singing waiter very irritating. The place is very small so when it’s full the acoustics are quite loud. There was nice, subtle background music playing but every 20 mins or so the waiter would loudly sing opera for about a minute. Not long enough for a whole song but long enough for us to have to pause our conversation until he stopped. In our eyes, distracting and unnecessary.

Ticket all the boxes...service..by owner .warm and friendly... Acessabitly .. Ramp for wheel chair users.. very appreciated not be excluded..** Great place ..

Visited Osteria Tufo on Saturday 22 February for pre match dinner with my wife. This followed a recommendation from a friend who lives locally though we were advised to book for an evening when Paola was in. Have to say the food was delicious, the staff were lovely and the ambience lively. It was clearly a very busy evening made somewhat more chaotic due to the match being on. We actually made our booking the previous evening and in the event arrived early when the restaurant was virtually empty. However despite the generally friendly hospitality we were somewhat surprised and taken aback when we were asked if we would mind taking our dessert outside (if we wanted to order one) so that Paola could accommodate one of her regulars (who hadn’t actually booked in advance). Unfortunately, this had the effect of not only making us feel we needed to rush through dessert (so as to avoid being condemned to the exterior terrace on a damp and chilly February evening) but moreover that we were not welcome. In the end, due to a cancellation, we were not asked to move but by then our experience had been somewhat soured . Shame, because the food really is very good. Paola, I’m sure you didn’t mean to make us feel unwelcome however as first time diners in your restaurant paying upwards of £100 for dinner for two, we were made to feel as somewhat inferior and less valued than your regulars. I have always been taught to operate on the basis that your most important customer is the one standing in front of you.

Good place for dinner. The space is somewhat reduced. Good attention

The food is absolutely sensational and the staff are so lovely. They clearly care deeply about their food and customers. A 10/10 experience

Great food, great wine, great service, really enjoyable - beautiful fresh pasta dishes, and songs from the kitchen. Came here with my son and had a wonderful evening.

A fantastic restaurant near the Emirates Stadium for anyone looking for a great pre match dining option. The food, wine and service is top drawer. The interior is very basic and the tables are close however this resulted in us having great fun with a couple sitting next to us. ……..and Arsenal won too

Lovely, welcoming, local with a warm, relaxed atmosphere and decor, friendly staff and delicious food made with quality ingredients. They managed to accommodate us on a busy Saturday night and we had a really enjoyable meal: burrata to start, pappardelle with pork sausage ragu, truffle oil & grana padano, homemade ravioli with crab meat and ricotta in a prawns, capers and white wine sauce, and some grilled broccoli - all washed down with a delicious Falanghina. Thank you! Always a treat! 😊

Outstanding food to warm yer heart. Honestly, this place deserves much wider recognition. Forget yer Japanese Italian fusion of Hoxton.

Beautiful small place with huge character Unbelievably good food and fantastic service. Pistachio gelato to die for! I'll definitely be back, I'd eat there every day if only I lived in London

Good service but the food was disappointing

Nice atmosphere and lovely staff, but food was super disappointing. The pasta really lacked flavour and we expected a lot better based on the reviews.

Came for our New Year’s Eve meal. I started with the aubergine starter which was layered with cheese and in a rich tomato sauce, it was lovely and authentic. I had the lobster ravioli as my main, which was pricey at £29 but delicious. It was rich and creamy whilst also somehow managing to be delicate. My partner had the lamb ragu tagliatelle which was utterly gorgeous. The portion sizes were more than generous and filled us up. We both had the panettone tiramisu to finish but unfortunately it didn’t work. Despite adoring both parts separately, their pairing made for something stodgy and frankly unenjoyable. That was a shame following the oh-so-delicious ravioli. Unfortunately Tufo was let down by the service, which was far less than average - a shame given that every customer was there for a special occasion. It felt like we weren’t wanted. Perhaps they had had long days. It was New Year and they didn’t want to be working (I understand that!), so I will try again. I live nearby and the food was gorgeous, but I hate to feel not wanted at a neighbourhood favourite so just one more shot!

Very nice Italian restaurant, good service food and wine 🍷

Lovely restaurant with very attentive and pleasant staff. The food was clearly made with love and care. The menu has enough choices to please everyone. Worth taking the time to make a reservation and treat yourself and friends.

Delicious food and excellent service at this quaint romantic spot

The Tiramisu I had here was delicious and I loved the atmosphere. Haven't tried any of the other dishes, but I'd go back to do so.

Great Italian restaurant but make sure you ask for the singing waiter whose amazing voice will bring even more joy to your meal.

Food was overpriced as my pasta hard basically raw, the slowest service ever and wasn't even busy with 12.5% service charge doesn't seem fair. The waiters unfortunately didn't deliver good service and felt unwelcome.

We have been coming for many years, each time the food is spectacular, with a wonderful greeting from Paola and her brilliant team. When you come to the restaurant do not think normal Italian. be ready to be taken on a culinary trip of a life time. Caponata is fantastic, then Seafood Ravioli and finally Tiramsui. Paola's favourite red wine helps the whole evening go with a swing.

Absolutely delicious and authentic pasta dishes. Relaxed ambiance and unpressured service. Space to eat and chat. Just lovely.

The food was great, everything very tasty

Beautiful, cozy restaurant serving great Italian food and the service is very good 👍

Consistently excellent over the years. Always a great pleasure to come to this delightful family restaurant (despite the fact they got our order wrong!) Highly recommended.

Loved the yummy food. Friendly staff. Cozy ambience.

First of all a big "pollice alto" for the caring, respectful, kind and friendly staff! the atmosphere is very warm, the space is not too big, not too small and we loved the bright big windows. The waiting time was just perfect and the food was good for reasonable prices. After our delicious caponata and polpette on a freshly tasty tomato sauce, we had "Orecchiette alle cime di rapa" (excellent for taste and pasta texture) and "Tortiglioni al ragu' di Manzo"..wait! here we would have added just a pinch of extra salt on the pasta boiling water and served them more just a bit more "al dente". Cannoli siciliani's ricotta was ok, fresh with the right amount of dark chocolate flakes. And we were amazed to find a very good selection of wines!

Great service and excellent food. Will definitely return.

5.45pm pre Park Theatre dinner. Three Tufo virgins and me. Shared a bruschetta and an aubergine mezzo. Three pastas, one veggie, one crab, one slow cooked beef & I had the purpose in warm hummus. A bottle of Pinot rose and a glass of red. All divine & very fresh. Service, staff, restaurant, singing (!), warmth, atmosphere... all sublime. Sorry, no photos ... too busy eating & talking !!!! And a very reasonable bill. If I lived within walking distance, Tufo would be my neighbourhood restaurant!

Fantastic food and super friendly service

Amazing place where to spend a beautiful night. Great customer service and the food was excellent 😍 I will definitely come back ❤️

Food is delicious, and prices are very reasonable for London / Islington. The staff are also very attentive, and friendly. My only criticism, which I think is justified by keeping prices down, is the table density within the restaurant. Some people might not be too comfortable with being seated so close to other patrons.

Superb local Italian restaurant with authentic, home-made Italian food. Went out for a meal as a family of 5 adults and loved it. One of our group has lived in Italy and rated the food up there with the best Italian she has tasted. Excellent service by Paola and her team including our singing waiter! Will definitely visit again.

Always good food. Friendly efficient staff

Really friendly staff and a lovely outside area. Delicious food!

The best veal chop ive ever tasted

The service and the food was great the staff and the owner was super friendly and kind

Excellent food. As good as anything I've had in Italy. They always keep the same high standards.

Wonderful Italian food - best melanzana parmigiana I’ve ever had, & pasta dishes rich & generous. Paola & Josh are just the best hosts. Great atmosphere & a beautiful room, it really is one of my favourite nights out.

Very nice food and good service...I will come back soon

Nice place and staff. Ordinary food - nothing to write home about.

First and last visit to this restaurant. Seen it whilst walking by numerous times and was excited to finally go there. No tables outside - fair enough as we didnt book so took our seats inside. The table was very small for 4 people and lots of minding elbows whilst reviewing the menus. The main guy (assumption) appears to believe that bellowing opaque phrases is actually singing and when you mix this with an echoey dining room its deafening. Extrememly annoying as it continued all throughout the evening and reminded me of a train blowing its horn in a tunnel. The food on the menu sounded delicious however the reality was way off. The monkfish paccheri was totally overcooked, asparagus so obliterated it looked like mushy peas and the "monkfish" was flaky leading us to believe it wasnt actually monkfish at all. The whole bream had a funky smell to it and the accompanying black rice and courgette was very underwhelming. I dont normally leave bad reviews as often its subjective however given this place has a 4.6 review i felt compelled to give an honest appraisal. I absolutely would not recommend it to anyone.

Interesting authentic Italian food. Good wine choices. Good service with a bit of character. Great location close to theatre and tube station. Reasonable price. What’s not to like.

What a little gem! Delicious food and drink all made even more sparkling by the lovely team in this great little place. Definitely be going back and back and back. Delightful!

I love the opera singer the most.

A beautiful place, great atmosphere and felt very authentic 🇮🇹

Raw veal had to be sent back, then came back nice but not rested. Undercooked potatoes, rawish potato is just not pleasant. Highlight was the crab ravioli with prawn sauce. That was delicious and a very yummy dish. Overall disappointed in the cooking. £21 for rawish potatoes and rawish veal..

Beautiful food and wine, lovely atmosphere and attentive staff. 5 stars all round.

Great restaurant. Fresh pasta dishes on a constantly rotating menu. Good selection of wine. Service and atmosphere are always amazing

The pasta where delicious, Our Waiter was lovely and the global service was perfect.

Lovely Italian restaurant with a beautiful outdoor. Osteria Tufo has been a stable in Finsbury Park for many years and it’s always been a great place to visit for good food. They have a variety of great pasta dishes - and no pizza which is a plus for me. We had bruschetta and caponata siliciana for starters, latter was recommended and did not disappoint. Really delicious and I would also recommend it. We had the spaghetti and the pesto orecchiette for mains, both great and perfectly al dente, with the orecchiette being just that extra bit good. Perfect pesto sauce to go with sundried tomato, honestly would also go for this next time. Tiramisu for dessert which also hit the mark. The service was great, they created a really lovely atmosphere. Osteria Tufo is absolutely perfect for a good meal on a sunny day.

Very authentic and friendly staff!

This restaurant does authentic Italian food extremely well. Aperol Spritz and burrata was a great starter as was meat balls. The crab and prawn ravioli was superb , the other pasta’s great. Nice bottle of Sangiovese. Good atmosphere, great staff. Good price. Second time, will go again as local.

Really cute place for the neighbourhood! Food was good, nothing special and a bit overpriced. The service is excellent

Very nice Italian restaurant with small menu and lovely terrace/outdoor dining area. We had a white ragu pasta and a vegetarian lasagne. Both were delicious.

Great little Italian restaurant. Their pasta and tiramisu are delicious.

Lovely local restaurant with great food and super friendly service. We had the parmigiana for starters which was delicious, followed by the special of the day (carbonara) and a ragu. Everything tasted great. It was very cold in the restaurant though and my wife had to keep her coat on throughout which dampened the experience somewhat. We'll be back again though

Great food, lovely staff, Paola always displays her bewitching charm! Grazie

Great food and outstanding service! The main, "Filetto di Maiale al vino rosso e pancetta con pure’ di patate", was something else, out of a Michelin star restaurant !!! The "ravioli al granchio" were very good and the tiramisù was a proper Italian style tiramisù, with a delicious mousse consistence. As an Italian which enjoys cooking and a huge foodie, I usually consider Italian restaurants in London an hit and miss but this one was very good and surprised me! I'll definitely come back! Thank you guys for the amazing evening, you made my day! ❤️

Que dire de cet établissement... Somptueux, ambiance chaleureuse, je recommande les yeux fermés 😍 !

Had a takeaway from here which was nice but nothing special about it. Hearty portion size though.

As always amazing.!! Excelent attention and very delicious food

A venerable neighbourhood trattoria/osteria, unapologetically devoted to Neopolitan classics like the Spaghetti alla Luciana (a musty try for the virgins). Pasta portions are generous a la nonna style and the service is equally unpretentious yet hearty. Every neighbourhood needs a joint like this…if that were the case, who knows, maybe Nigel Farage & all the Brexiters would’ve been on the first boat to Naples never looking back…

Had a pre-theatre dinner, and everything about it was perfect. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Would definitely recommend @

Excellent traditional Italian restaurant with very good prices! Show some love to your local spots 🙂 The service is very good and the occasional opera singing from the manager is an additional treat!

Davvero un bella scoperta! Atmosfera da luce soffusa e di una semplicità ricercata e senza troppi simboli folcloristi (finalmente!) - Gestito con passione e grande professionalità da Paola che, da perfetta padrona di casa, accoglie calorosamente i suoi ospiti e si accerta che tutto vada per il meglio. Abbiamo visto che molti dei suoi clienti sono storici ed affezionati e questo è sinonimo di garanzia! La cucina offre un menù tipicamente mediterraneo, Paola è napoletana DOC! Il cibo è a dir poco squisito, mia figlia ha divorato le polpette che a casa non mangia mai! Una parmigiana di melanzane fatta a regola d’arte. Dolci della casa altrettanto! Insomma, esperienza che consiglio a chi vuole mangiare davvero bene e ad un giusto prezzo! Complimenti Paola!

Beautiful food and lovely staff, couldn’t recommend more

Love this place - fantastic food and service every time. Lovely staff and exceptionally high quality food but really reasonable prices. Very handy for the Park Theatre too. A real find.

Super delicious food and fantastic service, thank you.

Veeeery good Italian food in Finsbury, couldn’t resist making a complete meal from starters into desserts, including a nice house wine from Puglia

I've been going here for several years now and love it. Really good food. It's so good I hired the restaurant for the night for a significant birthday....it's THAT good

This place is such a gem! I've been three times and each time it's been delicious and enjoyable. The staff are lovely, the food and wine are yummy. What else could you want? It's a small menu, offering fresh, tasty, original dishes. It's a small space with lots of tables put closely together, but somehow it doesn't feel crowded, just intimate, authentic and joyful. Like if you're in Italy. Definitely try this place if you haven't already.

If you want to say that at least once in your life you had real Italian food, you don't need to go to Italy, just come here. Josh the opera singing waiter was a pleasure of a waiter, knowledgeable, efficient, the whole evening was excellent. Thank you

Lovely restaurant! good vibes, friendly staff. Totally dig the no pizza menu. Had a lovely mushroom lasagna 🤌

Lovely meal. Made me realise how my attempts at making italian food are not the same as the professionals! Fab atmosphere and easy to hear my companions' chat.

Very nice pasta dishes and an even nicer host! Grazie!

I’m italian and I can tell I finally found my dreamy restaurant. Tasty and fresh food, great customer service! For the owner 10 ⭐️

One of the best meals I have had in London. Pasta was perfect and wine was nice. Service and atmosphere was also wonderful. Will be returning :)

Incredible food, ambiance, great service and generally a really nice vibe. Can only recommend if you would like an authentic Italian experience

Excellent food, wonderful atmosphere and friendly staff. Thoroughly recommended.

One of the best meals I've had in London. Incredibly tasty ragu, very reasonable prices and extremely friendly staff. Also dog friendly.

Nice place and some of the dishes including the starters were nice. Unfortunately one of our pasta dishes was minutes away from al dente - hard and uncooked pasta mixed with cooked one. Also, some of the sauces lacked a bit of salt. Otherwise decent.

A cosy artisan atmosphere. Very welcoming. Menu not extensive, but interesting range of pasta dishes. Side salads were a bit too salty.

This is the one. Just go here if u want italian food but not pizza. End of.

This place is a total vibe, the owners are so nice. I like having this in my arsenal of choices for dinner options

Simple menu, very good food, friendly service. The tables are packed in tight - romantic date spot it isn't - but you can't really do better for a quality local restaurant that focuses on the food.

The food the vibe the singing waiter (not all the time just to add a little more flavour) absolutely lovely evening

Lunch with friends, it was great! Dishes look appetizing, staff is friendly and very quick, really great! Portions could be bigger i suppose, but that is about the only thing i could think of. Definitely recommend 👍⭐

Good food, great Burata & fresh pasta

The pappardelle are just amazing!

Fantastic place. 3 of us needed a meal last minute, the owner made space for us and looked after us very well. The food was refined and delicious. Highly recommended.

Absolutely incredible! It’s the best Italian food I have had! Definitely recommend if you are looking for a cute local atmosphere.