Situated on the northwest coast of England, Liverpool is a vibrant city boasting a busy and extremely varied foodie scene. From fish & chips on the seaside to the popular Indian street-food restaurant, Mowgli, Liverpool has it all and so we’ve rounded up our favourite Italian picks to help you find the best pasta in the city.
Or, if you’d rather enjoy restaurant-quality pasta in the comfort of your own home, why not check out our delivery service? We deliver recipe kits to postcodes across Liverpool if you fancy having a go yourself in the kitchen. Buon appetito!
Our Top 5 Italian Restaurants in Liverpool
The Italian Club
85 Bold Street. Liverpool, L1 4HF
Founded by the Crolla family, originally from Picinisco in Italy’s Apennine Mountains, The Italian Club offers an authentic taste of Italy and celebrates both the “art of cooking and the art of eating”. The head chef, Maurizio Pellegrini, hails from Puglia and loves to cook with fish creating new recipes inspired by the culinary traditions of his home region. Where possible, all of the seafood served up at The Italian Club is sourced locally, supporting small businesses and ensuring produce is always of the freshest quality. The extensive menu at this establishment means there’s something for everyone, though one of our favourite dishes is the Gnocchi Nonno Donato, which involves fresh gnocchi dumplings served in a bold tomato sauce, topped with plenty of Parmesan. We also love the Agnolotti All'Astice, small agnolotti parcels filled with fresh lobster and served in a creamy saffron sauce, a true homage to Italy’s classic seafood dishes.
Cucina di Vincenzo
256 Woolton Road, Liverpool, L16 8NE
With its charming, rustic interior and authentic Italian cuisine, Cucina di Vincenzo offers a wonderful experience from start to finish. Located on Woolton road, in the outskirts of Liverpool’s town centre, this restaurant is worth a detour from the city’s more central sights. The a la Carte menu is filled with delicious Italian dishes, making it hard for us to choose our favourites. The Orecchiette Vincenzo is a particular stand-out, with fresh orecchiette pasta served in a fennel sausage sauce with spicy Calabrian ‘nduja and Pecorino cheese. We also enjoyed the Linguine Pescatora, a delicious ode to Italy’s traditional seafood linguine recipes. The latter is perfect when accompanied by a crisp glass of the Rosé Rubicone IGT.
Casa Italia
36-40 Stanley Street, Liverpool L1 6AL
Specializing in oven-baked - or rather, al forno - pasta, Casa Italia have been honing their wonderful menu for over 42 years. Located in the heart of the city, not far from Liverpool’s Waterfront, this restaurant makes for the perfect stopping point after a busy day exploring all that this northern powerhouse has to offer. Start with their irresistibly delicious, freshly baked focaccia and an aperitivo from their drinks menu, our personal favourite being the Prosecco D.O.C. As far as the pasta is concerned, we love Casa Italia’s fresh take on tortellini, offering a selection of baked filled pastas which are a refreshing twist on this classic pasta shape. The cannelloni, though a little more conventional, is also very tasty.
Trattoria 51
25-31 Old Hall Street, L3 9BS
Though they brand themselves as a pizzeria, Trattoria 51 also offers a number of artisan pasta dishes which elevate them into our top 5 pasta picks in Liverpool. Located only a stone’s throw from Moorfields Station, Trattoria 51 occupies a perfect location at the heart of the city, and is the ideal spot for a pick-me-up after a long day of shopping and sightseeing in Liverpool. Whilst it was difficult to narrow down our favourite dishes, the options from their menu that most impressed us were the crab ravioli, served with lemon and tarragon in a white wine butter sauce, and the Pappardelle Boscaiola, wide strands of fresh pasta served with a wild mushroom sauce, crispy pancetta and concassé tomatoes. Deliziosa!
Villa Romana
6-8 Wood Street, Liverpool, L1 4AQ
Encapsulating the spirit of italianità, Villa Romana is a traditional restaurant in the heart of Liverpool with a relaxed ambience and an extensive and varied menu. This charming, family-run establishment is defined by its love not only of Italian cuisine, but of Italian culture - the warmth and generosity associated with Italy that can be described as convivialità. Villa Romana’s menu is packed with delicious options and we can’t get enough of their Spaghetti con Polpette, served in a bold tomato sauce. They also boast a wonderful selection of wines, and we particularly enjoyed the Valpolicella Classico Araia, a rich and full-bodied red, the perfect accompaniment to our meatball dish.
Photo credit: Villa Romana
