Saponara in Islington

Excellent pizza in an authentic and cozy atmosphere. This is the real deal if you're looking for authentic and good tasting pizza. A really small and authentic restaurant, with a passionate and friendly owner. They have pasta dishes as well. I tried the Picante pizza and it was excellent. From a personal point of view it could have a bit more nduja,but others might find it more than enough. Even had a good discussion with the manager about preferences concerning the crust, as I am quite the pizza nerd myself. Fairly priced as well, and charming surroundings, so all in all this is a highly recommended visit if in London.

We loved the unique menu, the food, the atmosphere and the service. We only found this gem on the recommendation of locals. We enjoyed our visit from the moment we walked in. Cosy, welcoming and such an interesting space feeling like you are dining in the heart of a delicious Italian deli.

The only Italian thing about this place is that the owner and the manager both speaks Italian but the food is below average. Just some boiled pasta covered in sauce.

My older daughter and I came here for dinner on the recommendation of a local. Well, what a joy! This is my kind of place. As soon as you walk in, you feel the warmth and the welcome, and then the food lives up to it. 100%. We shared a pizza and a pasta. Everything was both warm and professional, and everything tased SO fresh. This restaurant delivered my favourite meal of our whole 3 week holiday in the UK. If I lived in London, it would be my "love food" fix. Many thanks and bravo

Wow, that was AMAZING. Absolutely excellent pizza, best I’ve had in London. Transported my tastebuds to Italy. Fantastic experience. Say yes to the chili paste.

Me encantó esta pequeña joya de restaurante. Tan modesto desde el exterior, pero la comida era increíble. Aceitunas, pan y aceite de cortesía para empezar. Realmente puedes saborear lo fresca que está la pasta. Es muy raro encontrar un plato de pasta tan delicioso fuera de Italia, ¡pero definitivamente cumple todos los requisitos! La pizza era tan buena, la corteza es perfecta y la salsa de tomate es muy sabrosa. El vino también tiene un precio razonable. El servicio es excelente y se nota lo apasionado que es el propietario. ¿Realmente lo recomiendo?

Visited here with 3 of my friends the other day. The staff working were so kind and friendly, and made us feel welcome in their restaurant. The pizzas we all had where amazing also. Such a lovely first experience and will definitely be back to visit again. Thank you to the staff for the wonderful food and wine.

Decided to eat at Saponara based on a quick google search which said best pizza in north London. When we arrived the lovely man was so welcoming and friendly, as was the waitress. Now to the food... the pizza was the best pizza I have had outside of Italy, everything down to the sauce felt authentic and the taste was perfect. We ordered a bottle of the house red wine and that was absolutely divine, and authentic. Me and my friends will definitely return and would recommend Saponara to anyone! The hidden Italian gem of Angel

We got three take-away pizzas: two vegetarian ones and one with meat. All three were delicious and big so we ended up being pretty full at the end. The restaurant was also really cosy and the waiter and the owner were really friendly and polite. We'll definitely be back and sit in next time!

Came upon this restaurant on Saturday whilst in the area. Walked to it whilst they were setting up and booked a table. SO glad we did! Staff were all ever so friendly. A man served us most of the time. Had a sharing platter to start, simply beautiful! Think it was £19 but well worth it, so tasty and fresh and kept digging in finding more delicious food. I then had a pizza and hubby had a calzone... Loved both! My pizza was simply delicious! Crust was so tasty! We even managed a dessert! I had the tiramisu it was amazing! SO wished we lived closer but so visit Islington once a year so we’ll be back! Highly recommend! 🍕

My wife and I have been visiting regularly for many years. We take friends and family there when they visit. The welcome is great, the restaurant is intimate, and outdoor seating is lovely when the sun shines. More importantly though, the food is just amazing. The fresh pasta is perfect. The melon and Parma ham is great. I would recommend to anyone that wants a relaxed experience and a very tasty meal. Posh Italian it isn’t, bloody good restaurant it is!

We shared both pasta and pizza. The pasta was excellent. The pizza was very good too - but the base was very salty.

Friendly staff and great pizza’s, one of the nicest we have tried... would have given an excellent rating if the owner wasn’t so pretentious and a bit up himself, I was annoyed!

If it was, I'm fairly sure my wife and I would be there weekly. It is an awesome little place....and it is little. If they accept reservations, I would make one. True Italian! I think 70% of the patrons were speaking Italian on the night we were there. The food and atmosphere are great.

It is a small family restaurant really worth visiting (highly recommend making a reservation). We came for a freshly made pasta and didn't regret it. Italian deserts like Tiramisu and Cannoli were also very tasty. Owner was very nice to us and has great sense of humor. Highly recommend!

Tucked away on a small shopping parade and easily missable, Saponara is well worth seeking out. Although the menu highlights a generous choice of pizzas, the pasta dishes (the selection of the day cleverly explained at your table with a visual sample of each) proved the highlight of our meal. The homely rustic interior has limited table space, which is not a problem in summer when the seating area extends outside, but safer to reserve in advance to be sure of being accommodated. Another nice touch is the vegetarian amuse bouche which prepares you for what is to come. Good Sicilian house wine and an excellent tiramisu completed our satisfying meal. Service was efficient and friendly: don't hesitate to try this authentic hideaway.

Recién llegados a Londres buscamos un sitio para cenar, cerca de nuestro apartamento, en ilingston, reservado por mail y recibimiento de amigo. Muy buen servicio, buena ensalada y buenas pizzas. Nos quedamos con la gana de probar la pasta casera. Relación calidad precio, para ser Londres, muy bien.

Discovered this place by happy accident with a friend and it was really lovely. Delicious authentic Italian favourites, amazing service and atmosphere.

This small, family owned restaurant lives up to the hype, no doubt! Great food, great environment and authentic ingredients. Definitely recommend.

I’d been walking past this shop for months without ever really noticing it. I’m so glad I did today. The tables were up outside and I was tempted to go in. What I found was a treasure trove: a trad Italian deli with tons of lovely food and wine, that’s also a trattoria and pizzeria. The pizzas were great, but the homemade pasta and the selection of wild mushrooms looked fantastic. Will try them next time. It’s been there for 30 years. The decor outside looks a bit rustic, but inside is cosy and welcoming. Cash only.

Visité con mi novia el pasado jueves. El restaurante parece ser una joya escondida, debo admitir que caminar al restaurante me pregunto si estábamos en el lugar correcto.Tiene un área al aire libre agradable con un par de mesas y luego probablemente alrededor de 8 a 10 mesas dentro. Es un restaurante bastante pequeño, pero no se sentía abarrotado, en todo caso se sentía muy acogedor. Tienen algunos productos fantásticos allí, así que estoy bastante seguro de que puedes comprar.Tuve la pizza de salami (no recuerdo el nombre exacto) también tenía salchicha y chile. Honestamente puedo decir que fue una de las mejores pizzas que he comido, la corteza bonita y delgada, la masa perfecta. También fueron muy generosos con los ingredientes. Era de buen tamaño, pero los ingredientes tenían un sabor tan fresco que no se sentía pesado, mi novia tiene algo de pasta fresca, y antes de la comida traen las opciones de pasta para ese día. Ella también disfrutó mucho la suya!También tuvimos el tiramisú para el desierto, que también fue fantástico, pero después de comer los platos principales sabía que sería. El personal es muy amable, creo que el dueño estaba allí también caminando por las mesas haciendo que todos se sientan especiales y deseados.Solía visitar Cerdeña mucho cuando era niño, y también me encantaba la comida allí. ¡Se sentía como si estuviera en Italia!Todo está muy bien de precio, la experiencia gastronómica es insuperable.No tengo ninguna queja, ¡qué restaurante! ¡Absolutamente volveré!

Pedimos 3 pizzas a través de Uber Eats. Pagamos 44 libras y tuvimos que tirar todas las 3 pizzas. He adjuntado una foto. . . No creo que tenga que comentar más. Vean por ustedes mismos. . .

Este restaurante me lo recomendaron. Éramos un grupo de 4 y pedimos 4 de pasta fresca y 1 pizza para compartir entre nosotros. Me sorprendió el precio de la pasta (promedio de 14 platos). Se veían bien y estaban muy bien. También sabían muy bien, pero si tuviera que tener un plato para mí solo no me habría llenado. Necesitaba una porción más grande a esos precios.

Buena comida y ambiente. Este es un restaurante muy pequeño, por lo que habíamos reservado por correo electrónico y revisado dos veces antes de subir, ¡pero todavía no había constancia de nuestra reserva! Después de una breve espera, encontramos una mesa para nosotros y el resto de la noche fue muy bien. Las pizzas son deliciosas. Vale la pena salir de la pista batida para un cambio.

The athmosphere is relaxed and there are a lot of italian goodies and wines you can buy. Service is friendly and the pasta dishes are nicely good with lots of options. Pizza wasnt the beat i ve had but still ok.

Signori miei, andate pure alla ricerca di locali alla moda in luoghi chic del west end tutto marketing e bassa qualita', ma quando scoprirete questo gioiello culinario a Islington vi assicuro che ci tornerete e ci tornerete e ci tornerete...

Antipasti Rustico and Lobster Pasta was great. Marco was a fantastic host. Would recommend to anyone is the nearby area

We went for lunch. Don’t don’t mention that kitchen is not open until 12 noon. We had a antipasti to start. It was sliced thinnest as possible. Not a lot of variety of ham. Disappointing....

Mediocre but overpriced pizzas. Personally, I have no clue why this place has so many good reviews on here because Saponara is just a pizzeria, nothing more nothing less

Great pasta and pizza reasonably priced with a good, nice ambience and friendly staff. Absolutely delicious food served in a cosy and really friendly italian way! I would recommend it to anyone who loves proper Italian food.

This is authentically Italian - down to the TV in the background and the Ferrari flags! The service is lovely, the food is phenomenal (particularly the truffle pasta - omgosh!) and the wine is very reasonably priced. Excellent for a chilled out date or a larger function - I've used it for both.

Me he comido aquí 3 veces en las últimas semanas. Es un gran lugar para tomar un bocado y está apartado de la carretera, que no sabía que estaba allí, a menos que vivieron localmente o a pie. La comida es fantástica, he probado dos pizzas diferentes y la lasaña. Las pizzas son sin duda la mejor que te puedes encontrar en la zona, los ingredientes son muy sabroso y fresco y auténtico. La lasaña era también muy buena. El propietario es muy amable y muy apasionado de la comida que sirve. Unos amigos han probado en mi recomendación y realmente lo disfruté.

Really good homemade pasta and pizza. Food is amazing. The athmosphere is very good. Nice folks and place.

Visité un montón de restaurantes italianos con mi novio italiano. Este restaurante es mi favorito! No sólo entre los restaurantes italianos, pero también incluye todos los otros restaurantes que probé en Londres durante cuatro años. La comida es increíble, el dueño es amable y el precio es razonable. Cada menú era deliciosa y nunca he fallado en este lugar. La cena en este restaurante siempre me dejo conforme.

Excellent and efficient service, delicious freshly-prepared food. Great wine selection and a charming, authentic Italian style neighbourhood restaurant. Highly recommend, bookings advisable - it's small and popular!

Amazing pizza and superb pasta. The staff are super friendly and genuine. Super happy to have this place in my neighbourhood. Keep up the good work :)

We went to Saponara based on net reviews and the reviews were true - this was a memorable visit !

The pasta is amazing, pizza is good too. It’s a cosy relaxed place great for large family lunches or quiet dinner.

No hay nada que criticar sobre Saponara. Nos encontramos con que después de entrar en la zona hace 6 meses y es ahora nuestro ir cuando queremos una pizza para llevar o cuando queremos tomar vino y comer en la comida de alta calidad. Los productos es tan fresco como las cosas que hemos comido en la Toscana, el menú es variado, la lista de vinos es estupenda, el personal es amable y servicial, y la calidad de la pizza y la pasta se merece 5 estrellas! El ambiente del restaurante le lleva a una trattoria en Italia del sur - recomendaría este lugar a cualquiera!

I ordered well and eat and drank well . Superb .

Came here on a recommendation. What a find! Really really good food and the staff are uberfriendly. I pass the recommendation on. A real hidden gem. Definitely coming back.

The place is a truly Italian restaurant plenty of local options. The pesto sauce I had there is the best i have ever had, i am from Genoa so you should believe me.

Very authentic, cosy and lovely service - definitely the best pizza I've ever tasted (surprising as I've been to Italy!) Can't wait to come back.

Me alegro de ver este pequeño lugar familiar para conseguir el elogio que se merece. Fue el único restaurante que visitamos dos veces durante una reciente estancia de 5 días en Londres es muy bueno. Durante un buen tiempo, la terraza bajo llave es un lugar perfecto para apreciar los aperitivos y pizzas estilo napolitano. Un servicio agradable y un ambiente acogedor, esto es lo que debería ser restaurantes del barrio italiano.

Yo vivo cerca y he estado aquí muchas veces. La pizza es sin duda mi favorito en Londres y no he comido mejor en Italia. El personal es muy servicial y amable, y la terraza es muy tranquila, de estar fuera de las principales carreteras. Yo particularmente recomiendo la pizza piccante, pero son todos excelentes (con una base superior crujiente), junto con la pasta. Las tiendas gourmet también es muy buena y la variedad de embutidos es impresionante.

Este lugar es una joya escondida de la carreteras transitadas de Highbury y Islington.

Visitamos esta pequeña Delicatessen italiano/restaurante para una tarde de sábado almuerzo y sentarse en la terraza, que está bien como está de árboles y en una calle tranquila. En esta ocasión teníamos una pizza (4 xcheese) y jamón de Parma con melón - que ambos eran muy buenos y sabrosos - en otras ocasiones hemos tenido la pasta fresca que son excelentes también. Un restaurante deli y cal!

Increíble auténtica comida italiana y el vino! Esta es una visita obligada si estás en la zona de Shoreditch/Islington. Es razonable y una excelente relación calidad-precio. El servicio era estupendo, muy amable, y claramente un restaurante familiar. No te pierdas esta joya.

Nos fuimos temprano en la noche y tuvimos tres platos de pasta impresionante, a diferencia de todo lo que te normalmente encontrado en un restaurante italiano estándar. Realmente recomiendo este lugar.

Had a great meal here on a lovely sunny evening.Shared a pizza and salad,and a nice bottle of vermentino.All excellent.Popular spot,so booking advised.

Je cherchais un restaurant proche d'Angel Station, grâce à TripAdvisor, on a choisi ce petit restaurant familial. Antipasto et Tiramisu sont à recommander absolument, les pizzas sont très bonnes, le vin italien également. En tout cas, un excellent rapport qualité prix.

We all love pizza right? I know that I do and having a partner from Italy means that we always have to find the authentic Italian places to eat......this is one of our favourites. Saponara is a well hidden little gem of a place, in the style of a traditional osteria which you find in Italy. It's run and owned by a super cool Italian guy from the South of Italy, he travels there a lot and this must be where he gets his inspiration from as the food is just superb, not just the pizza but the pasta also is incredible. Do not hesitate to go, you won't be disappointed if you appreciate genuine, authentic, no frills Italian food!! Keep up the good work guys and see you soon!!

Fabulous lunch with first class ingredients. Mouth-watering freshness. Sweets are to die for. Reasonably priced and friendly attentive staff. Cant wait to return.

Had lunch here ..What a lovely find... excellent food... feels like you're dining with a family.. restaurant is intimate and cosy and the service excellent... we carried on talking long after all the other diners left and there was no sense of wanting us to leave... I'll be back for sure...

Absolute hidden gem. This little Italian is so authentic, we could easily have been in Tuscany (aside from the rain outside). Excellent selection of pizza and pasta dishes all of which tasted absolutely brilliant. Very reasonable prices and friendly staff. Will definitely visit again and would highly, highly recommend.

My son had been recommended to eat here and so he duly booked us for lunch on Saturday, fortunately we arrived and ordered early as on leaving the restaurant was packed.From the outside the façade looks unprepossessing and it's rather quaint inside also, being an unconventional shape and not especially large, however the food is simply sensational.We shared a delicious salad for starters and then I had the wild boar ravioli which was excellent.

This was our second visit to this tucked away Gem; brilliant food , quality service A real Italian delight. If authenticity it's what you want then this is the place. We visited as part of a large group and we sampled just about everything they had on the menu. From bruschetta through ravioli to outstanding pasta and freshly baked pizza of all varieties. Some social commentators might describe it as 'a taste sensation' - would go back again and again if it was closer to home. With the detour from the main attractions of North London.

It's a cozy, friendly, atmospheric place with fantastic, home-made pasta that you get to choose and have served with any of the main sauces. Or, for teenage boys, there's a large selection of tasty (they said) pizzas. The management are warm and welcoming and have a great sense of humour. I loved it here and will go whenever I can.

This is a nice place tucked off Essex road and they have fantastic pasta and friendly service. They've got lots and lots of truffles. And delicious pizzas. Very nice place!

We live just round the corner from this Italian and fell in love with it as soon as we visited. We have been here for birthdays and also just dinners with friends and are never disappointed. The food is typical Italian and the pasta is amazing so fresh and yummy. I love the butter and sage ravioli it is so delicious. All the staff are Italian and they do yummy pizzas or pasta that you can choose from a small basket with little flags with the recipe with different types of hand made pasta. The staff are always so friendly they have a great selection of wine and you can buy some of the Italian products such as meat, cheese and dry pasta. There is also an outside seating area for the summer time. It's a hidden gem in Angel and if you are ever there you must try it.

Ik ben inmiddels al een paar keer bij Saponara geweest. Het eten is heel goed! Je krijgt van te voren een plankje met daarop alle soorten (zelfgemaakte) pasta waar je uit kunt kiezen. Er zijn ook heerlijke pizza's. Het personeel is erg vriendelijk. Aanrader!

Lovely atmosphere - quaint restaurant with good quality fresh pasta. All hand made so meal took some time coming out for 5 adults, but it was worth the wait. Friendly and reasonably priced.

You have two main choices at this restaurant, pasta and pizza.My wife chose the pasta, although her first choice from the dummy plate was unavailable. Mine (Parma Pizza) has won my award for the worst pizza I have eaten anywhere in the UK. When I ordered the Parma pizza the waiter said it was the right choice. Wrong - the base was really hard. An attempt had been made to cut it but the base was so hard that the knife had managed to slice only one piece into a half slice. I could hardly slice the rest of it myself with the blunt knife supplied. On top of the plain tasteless base (with virtually non existent tomatoes) a small pile of Parma ham was dumped shapelessly on top. No attempt was made to spread the ham invitingly across the pizza base. A few basic rocket leaves were sprinkled over the ham. Very basic. The House wine (white) was awful - has a greasy, oily taste. To crown it all, I was charged for 3 bottles of wine instead of 2 - no apology was forthcoming or offer of a compensatory drink was made, the waiter sounded as it was an inconvenience to them to recalculate the bill.

Just perfect in every way. Can't wait to go back! Food was perfect, wine was excellent with a little help from the staff. Staff and service was excellent!

Deli by day, this tiny place turns into a family run restaurant by night. Pizzas are moderately priced and the standard pasta is hearty and cheap, but where they truly shine is with their selection on fresh home made pasta. once settled at your table, withan assortment of complimentary olives and bread, you get to take your pick of the roughly ten different shapes and flavours they offer. Classics (tagliatelle, or gnocchi) as well as some more unusual ones (gorgonzola and pear, or lobster ravioli) they will come with a suggestion of sauce to order with.When we went, I wasn't that hungry (shame on me but I had some food earlier at a work do, and in my defense didn't know what to expect) so I went for some ravioloni with mushrooms. Now I like mushrooms, but it's normally not something I would order if there was something else to be had, but it was incredible. pasta flavoursome and perfectly cooked, not too much and not too little with depth of delicate flavours.The wine that I ordered was great too. Service was personable and prompt, and the bill didn't break the bank.Due to it being essentially a conversion of the shop, it has a lovely ambience amongst the bottles and jars of italian delicatessen, which gives it a cosy feel. It doesn't look like much from the outside but venturing in will be rewarded. Booking is essential due to its size.

This is, without doubt, one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in London. Saponara is a real find, located in an unassuming parade of shops. The food is authentic Italian, as is everything else about the place. It looks like a cosy deli and is buzzing with Italians (a good sign!). You can trust that anything you order will be excellent, particularly the pasta dishes. I wouldn't say this was a cheap night out (about £35 for shared antipasti, pasta, a dessert and a glass of wine) but whatever the cost it is worth every penny.

This place is a wonderful hidden gem that I am almost reluctant to share. A true Italian experience of wonderful food and hospitality. The antipasti is divine, the pizza thin and crispy, the huge selection of homeade fresh pasta should not be missed. Nor the desserts.... I have never had anything but great food and I have been numerous times. Can't wait to visit again. Thanks to all at Saponara

Good pizza and great pasta at an excellent neighbourhood place which is a credit to the Borough of Islington.This tiny restaurant is essentially a delicatessen which also churns out pizza and pasta at lunch and dinner.The pizza, whilst far from the best in London is perfectly acceptable. The base and crust were decent. The toppings which came straight from the deli were excellent. I had the signature Saponara pizza which came topped with lovely fennelly Italian sausage.The fresh filled pastas are very very good and are presented in an innovative way. There is no pasta menu - a waiter comes round and shows you examples of the daily selection and suggests sauces to accompany your choice. It's a nice concept which I've not seen elsewhere. In the past I've had their lobster and prosecco tortellini which was great but it all looks good to be honest.The star of the show is the antipasti platter of cured meats, cheese and roasted vegetables straight from the deli. Everything was delicious and well presented. My only complaint is that I would have liked a little more cheese but hey that's just me.The service at Saponara is also the nuts. I have been here as a party of 12 and they honestly cannot do enough to make your visit perfect.The food is probably 4/5 standard - very good but not exceptional. Everything else though is brilliant and for that reason I am pleased to announce that Saponara gets the coveted 5/5 from me.

This is a tiny authentic Italian deli and pizzeria run by brilliant staff who make the experience even better. The antipasto is so fresh and so delicious, the pizza is some of the best you'll ever have, but the pasta - the pasta is incredible. You choose from a selection of handmade pastas and it's insanely good. Best pasta in London!

Very glad to have this authentic Italian restaurant close by. The antipasti was delicious, fresh and well portioned. The pasta menu is so impressive and the variety is so good that it made it so difficult to chose a pasta. Truffles lovers will enjoy the pasta options as there are many truffle dishes! Pasta is homemade and cooked perfectly. Pizza's are also good. The service and atmosphere is so homely and Italian.Staff are so friendly!!!I really enjoyed it here as it took me back to Italy and Nonna's cooking!

Food is fantastic - best pizza I've ever had outside of Italy! However, the homemade pasta is really the best thing about the whole place. Their crab stuffed pasta is one of my all-time favourite meals. House wine is also decent and an absolute bargain at £12! All the staff are lovely and the whole place makes you feel like you're in Italy. Couldn't recommend it enough.

Book in advance to get a table inside this cosy place. The waiter brought the basket of pasta for us to choose from - my stuffed raviolini with crab and the creamy sauce was mouth watering ... Words can't describe .. Friendly service, good food - happy customer !

It is a small restaurant but the food is amazing and has decent price and it is very clean every time i go the staff is very friendly would recommend this place to everyone who pass by

Love this adorable little place! Good value pizza. Amazing speciality home made pasta and good wine to go with all of it!

Had an amazing first time visit to the restaurant. It was a great find and after reading the reviews, we were more than convinced to try the restaurant . A warm hospitable welcome was given to us. We did not have a booking but we were quickly shown to a table. Though it was outside, the heating was switched on and there were blankets on the back of the chairs. The restaurant was cosy and had large selection of wines and liqueurs to tempt the palate, an Italian TV channel was playing and the staff all gave great warm Italian service. Pizzas were large and come in different variations of Italian cheeses and meats - genuine Italian pizzas. Try the saponara pizza - and the pasta - all homemade. We will be back again and looking forward to another amazing meal :)

Situé prêt de notre airbnb, nous y sommes allés suite aux bons avis de tripadvisor et franchement, nous n'avons pas été déçus. Pensez à réserver par contre car la salle est petite et la terrasse également et l'adresse bien connue des locaux. A l'intérieur, on s'est cru en Italie. La serveuse nous a préparé une table exprès pour nous (parce que nous n'avions pas pensé à réserver...). Tout le personnel est vraiment sympathique, le service rapide et les plats délicieux (pizzas et lasagnes). C'est très copieux donc nous n'avons pas pris de dessert. Je recommande sans problème!

The Saponara brothers work by the Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) great saying; "Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art". Maybe its this ethos that makes Saponara the best Italian in London. Saponara has the true soul of a family business striving for the highest standards of food and service.As well as quality ingredients and a delicious menu, the relaxed, deli/ restaurant atmosphere and friendly, knowledgeable service makes the restaurant a joyful place to pass an evening. Walking through the door is like being transported out of Angel and into Italy.The first time we visited Saponara I was expecting a 30min pizza munch and exit. We ended up sitting at the outside tables for over two hours drinking wine, eating delicious cured meats and cheeses, pizza and pasta, chatting to the staff and working our way through the dessert menu. Walking home my face hurt from chewing and laughing!The presentation of the food is outstanding (see pictures) and the ingredients are of the highest quality. It's a great place to take guests; I have taken almost all of my friends and family to share the love.The waiting staff are fantastic. They are friendly, attentive and knowledgeable with regards to the menu. They are absolutely skilled at creating a relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel totally at home.Tip: They also do takeout pizza. Hangover heaven!

Everything about this place is 5*. The ambience is that of an authentic Italian cafe/restaurant, the staff are attentive and friendly and the food is just exquisite.The menu boasts a large selection of pizzas with a selection of pastas being brought to your table at the start of your meal for you to choose from. I have been to this restaurant multiple times and never even been remotely disappointed with the offerings. All ingredients taste fresh and can be bought from the counter in the restaurant should you want to take anything home with you.I have eaten at many Italian restaurants, both in Italy and worldwide, and I can really say that this is one of my favourites.Not to be missed!

Great, home-made food and friendly, heart-felt service. The Saponara family are proud of all they do. The restaurant is small and informal. The great thing is that Saponara is a one- off honestly run. It's not part of a chain and the food, the service ad the atmosphere are paper most. You will go again and again.

This is a great little restaurant. Properly Italian. The homemade pasta, of which there is a great selection, is quite delicious as is the antipasti. I need to go back (soon!) to try the pizza.The service is very friendly and very good.A great evening made even nicer by being able to sit outside on a warm summer's night.

Came here with two others on the recommendation of an Italian friend. Had a beautiful meal. We all ordered pasta, I had the crab tortelloni, and we also had the wild boar tortelloni and the mushroom and black truffle tagliatelle. All were cooked perfectly with flavoursome sauces. We had a lovely bottle of Montepulciano and shared an antipasti starter and tiramisu dessert. Total meal came to around £80 before service. Felt given the high quality of food this was appropriate. Really authentic feel to the restaurant/deli with very friendly staff. Loved everything. Thank you.

The environment is very genuine, they have tables outside and that is great for summer time. The waiters are Italian and always very friendly and helpful. We had an assortment of starters and crab pasta which was amazing tasty. Count to pay 25/30 with beer.

Lunch, supper, special occasion Saponara's never fails to delight and impress family and friends. The service is what one expects from a good local, welcoming, helpful, attentative to detail. The food is beautiful to look at, --the pasta board and the antipasto plate are feasts for the eye and well as the stomach. Do wish the desserts were not so tempting. Saponara's does what only the best restaurants do make you pleased you choose to eat there and friends say enviously wish we had a local like this near us. The best of Italian food in London.

Fantastic pizza and pasta at Saponara. It's such a friendly restaurant, the staff is all Italian and the food is authentic.I had a pizza, which had a great base and quality toppings. My friend had gnocchi - freshly made - and that was delicious, too.The restaurant/deli is very small but there's ten more tables outside, where we were sitting. It has a great atmosphere for summer.Everything is well priced, including a very reasonable wine list. One of the best neighbourhood Italians in London.

O melhor restaurante italiano de Londres me senti propriamente na Itália , perfeitooooo , o atendimento , tudo feito artesanalmente , a atmosfera tudo não tenho nada a reclamar

The Restaurant is fantastic, the food is divine and the owner is a gentleman. I definitely recomende to all the people who come to London go to Saponara Restaurant.

went there for a birthday party. My English friend invited me in this old school Italian osteria . Big board with salami, and vegs, we had also pizza, delicious and different type of pasta , gnocchi ripieni, ravioli and a nice montepulciano do Abruzzo as wine . Our waiter Giampiero was great . A bit pricy but hey the quality of the food was autentic. If u think that u would spend anyway at least £12 for a plate of tagliatelle Ai porcini in any of the dozens Italian fake food chains in London , well I m more than happy to spend the same amount of money or a bit more for the real italian food served in this place .can't wait to go back and try the buffalo mozzarella I saw in the displayed counter saluti Mauro

Our family descended upon this bijoux italian osteria for a long overdue reunion and were we blown away? Wow I’ll say we were.Quintessential antipasto, much like we only ever seen and eaten in Italia.Perfect pasta, golden yellow ribbons of truly fresh tagliatelle, as well as some ravioli to relish.Happy to recommend this to anyone, especially those that miss an authentic italian ambience and flavours.

We had looked forward to dining at night as we have been regular customers of the deli for some years.The lighting is very bright and the atmosphere is like sitting in a shop.Th menu is pizza or pasta mainly with some dish from the counter which was lasagne when we visited.The food was nothing special and very expensive.We would not return.

Stopped in for Italian dinner in Angel. Unpretentious, cheerful, and a bit of Momma's best. Pizza and pastas all were freshly made, pasta board with flags to show the specials of the day, great selection of antipasti, This market, resto, deli, wine-shop combo really worked for us!How did anyone non-local ever find his/her way to this microscopic gem, far from centrally located.

As new local residents we found a real treasure of a restaurant, off the main commercial streets of Islington. Great service and good menus. Whilst most guests seemed to opt for the good value pizza menu (which looked fantastic), we went for the more expensive pasta menu which is served up to you as a platter with examples of the dish for you to see. We had the Wild Boar pasta and Crab Tortellini, both excellent. The Antipasti starter was a very fresh mix of sliced meats, salad mushrooms, olives and mozzarella. The rocket salad was amazing. Only one niggle, when offered the usual aperitif to finish we were surprised to see it on the bill at £7.40 and also £2.40 for the two chocolates served with the coffee. However we loved the experience and will be back.

Fantastic pizza and pasta it was my first visit with my family and kids love it and can't wait to go back, staff are very friendly and helpful explaining different types of pasta which was very interesting to know. Will definitely go back soon and tried other dishes.

Estive no Saponara para almoçar há alguns anos, e sem dúvida foi nossa melhor refeição na Europa. Até hoje sinto o aroma e o sabor daquele molho, da pasta caseira, do suco de laranja "spremuta" me ensinou a proprietária. Foi lá que aprendi o que é gelato italiano , tomei o melhor sorvete de frágola (morango) da vida. Como o melhor gelato de fragola está em Londres? Coisas do Marco e sua equipe. Biscotti e espresso encerraram a refeição. Soberba!!! Não vejo a hora de voltar!!

Having visited this place many times as is convenient for work, I am disappointed writing this, but feel it is neccessary to warn others. The prices have escalated in a ridiculous manner and seem to lack any common sense at all. Having just visited again I have been served a mediocre lasagne at £8.95 (to my shock- the same lasagne is priced at £4.95 takeaway) I was told by the owner it is usual to have this difference in pricing for being seated. I have honestly visited so so many restaurants in my time(this is not a restaurant-more like a cafe) and feel that nearly double the price, for the exact same portion of food heated in the microwave is ridiculous. The pot of tea apparently for two cost us £5.00!I have lived in Islington all my life and my family is Italian. These are the prices of an upmarket Italian restaurant in the heart of Islington which this certainly is not. This is an Italian deli/cafe that are now serving pizzas which are not bad, but are nowhere close to the quality served in Napoli (where my family are from). If you are wanting the taste of an authentic pizza, please try Santori in Exmouth Market which serve excellent pizzas in a real restaurant for the same price. It is hard to find a good Italian but Ciao Bella in Lambs Conduit Street serves very good Italian food freshly made and at a reasonable price. This is on a back street close to many homes and businesses, there are plenty of cafes in the immediate area serving food of similar quality and tea at a third of the price! I am sure that eventually Saponara will lose out to these.It is a shame that regular customers are treated this way and that Saponara seem to have moved from being a friendly local deli/cafe serving reasonable lunches which is what it was good at, to ideas of grandure, serving the same food at restaurant prices without a thought for regular customers. Please be warned and check prices before you order I am afraid this is not the first time, I have been charged more than expected at this cafe and will not be returning this time.

Des produits frais, un service irréprochable et un quartier agréable.Je vous conseille vivement de faire un tour chez Saponara.

Amazing pizzas with high quality ingredients. The staff is also very friendly and makes you feel at home. I never tried the pasta, but all of them look amazing. They have many wine bottles to choose from, but so far none of them were special.Will definitely go there again, so far one of the best pizzas i ate in London!

Il locale ha solo prodotti italiani! Pensate che non ha neanche la coca cola perché è americana!!! Il cibo e lo staff sono eccellenti!Molto difficile trovare di meglio a Londra!

A warm welcome with genuine Italian food perfectly cooked exquisite pasta and delicious deserts. Oh and good coffee too!

A fantastic welcomeFascinating array of Italian food and wine The food quality it just excellent. The prices are just right. Superb.

La primera vez que entré en Saponara me pareció un lugar acogedor y maravilloso pero solo entré a comprar algo. Tanto me gustó que volvimos al interesante barrio de Islington, en Londres, para probar su cocina.Qué decir? Fueron dos horas de auténtico homenaje gastronómico de Italia. Para empezar, tal y como está decorado, todo tan auténtico, con las estanterías atestadas de productos típicos italianos a la venta, el mostrador abarrotado de delicias, de pasta fresca elaborada por ellos, de dulces, la tele italiana siempre encendida y ese propietario tan increíblemente auténtico, parece que estás en un pueblito italiano.Cuando llega la comida, casi no puedo ni expresarlo. La pasta fresca es de lo mejor que hemos comido en la vida, impresionante la pasta, el punto de cocción, el aderezo, la presentación, la cantidad adecuada... las pizzas también increíbles, finas y bien generosas.Los postres una delicia... No había manera de salir de allí, nos había atrapado!Sin duda volveremos a este rincón de Islington donde se encuentra todo Mattera en solo 40 metros cuadrados. Una joya!