Darling’s Eatery Review

Darling’s Eatery: A new Italian restaurant in London

Darling’s Eatery Review: What to Expect

A flavourful, reduced yet authentic menu in a friendly and chic atmosphere.

Darling’s gives me a sense of comfort even before I enter; the pastel peach brick walls are relaxing and evoke a homey feeling. The table setup is elegant, with grey-orange placemats and napkins that complement the light wooden tables, all enhanced by a romantic candlelit atmosphere.

Darling’s is the restaurant you go to in London when you can’t fly to Italy but still want that Italian vibe, where you eat genuine Italian pasta dishes and tasty starters.
The menu options are limited to approximately 6 starters and pasta choices, and a few desserts. This might adjust over time, but considering the kitchen space, I believe no significant changes will occur.
Let me tell you something… Imagine yourself somewhere in between Tuscany and Umbria (Central Italy), deciding to go for dinner in a traditional “trattoria”. What is your menu expectation? To encounter a lengthy tourist menu or a reduced one with typical and seasonal ingredients?
If you are a foodie like me, we will both choose the second option. I consider Darling’s Eatery a great Italian restaurant in London.

The drinks list offers classic cocktails such as Spritz and Negroni, as well as innovative mocktails.
The wine list features organic and small producers, with most wines by the glass (125ml) priced between £8 and £12.

Exploring Darling’s Vibe

If I have to describe Darling’s Eatery in a few words in this London Restaurant review, I would say: chic, romantic and welcoming.

Darling’s is clearly designed around a sharing concept, the same concept that characterises the Italian meals on Sundays, when the whole family gathers, and a variety of dishes are arranged on the table. I’m wondering if Egle decided to embrace this style as a “takeaway” from one of her many trips to Italy.

The room layout also resembles the sharing tables, as most of them are so close together that they could be considered one. Same with the counters. Different are the two marble tables on the right-hand side. I found them fascinating because they “don’t match” the rest of the room, as if there was an intention to create a different ambience.

Darling’s Eatery: Simple yet Flavourful Starters

At first, I was unsure which starters to choose because they all seemed “simple”. By this, I mean that I usually order something I would struggle to find at the grocery store or replicate at home. After all, if it is on the menu, there must be a reason, so I thought I would try.

The starter’s sizes are perfect for nibbling on with an aperitif.
We had burrata served with honey and truffle and the Sicilian tomato salad to start, followed by Mafaldine and Linguine.
It was an explosion of Italianity at each bite. The heritage Sicilian tomato salad literally transported me to Italy.
I’m not sure if you have ever travelled to Italy, but if you walk past fruit and vegetable markets, you’ll smell authentic, flavourful local products. That is it, that is what I smelled and tasted at Darling’s.

I was so impressed by the pasta, it filled my palate and my senses with genuine Italian flavours. I could perceive the research behind the menu creation. It felt special.

Darling’s is taking over the pasta London food scene

Choosing the pasta was challenging, as they all sounded delicious. The sweet girl who served us suggested sharing 3 pasta dishes to get the essence of Darling’s Eatery. Likely, we took only 2, with the option to order another dish if we were still hungry. We had the Mafaldine (flat and wide, with wavy edges) and the Linguine (a kind of flat spaghetti).
We found both of them pleasantly executed and well-balanced in the flavours. The Mafaldine, my favourite, was served with a leek-and-fennel sausage ragù (widely used in the Tuscan and Sicilian cuisine). The Linguine had Mascarpone cheese, black olive and oregano sauce, and a generous shaved Parmesan to finish the dish.

The entire menu rotates around a few ingredients, and that is all you need to create exquisite experiences and execute first-class dishes.
To conclude the review of Darling’s Eatery, I can’t help but emphasise the food quality and the knowledge of Chef Egle, who knows how to honour and bring out the best in unpretentious ingredients.

We decided to skip the dessert as we were full. However, the home-made tiramisu is by far the best seller. Otherwise, you can choose ice cream/sorbets or Parmesan chunks served with aged balsamic vinegar.