Only 75 years after opening its food store and delicatessen, Soho’s Lina Stores launched their first restaurant. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the iconic status of the deli, or because of the capital’s ongoing obsession with ‘small pasta plates’, it became an instant cult hit. At street level, it’s a cramped counter-only room, with a more trattoria-esque downstairs. You’ll need to order carefully. The pasta (what the deli’s best known for) is Lina’s strongest suit. There was nicely al dente pici (hand-rolled, worm-like) in a creamy porcini mushroom and Umbrian sausage sauce, pappardelle with rabbit ragù, or my favourite: a cosseting plate of herb gnudi (ricotta and semolina dumplings). As for antipasti and puds, they might be cheap, but pedestrian and forgettable. So stick to the pasta and sit at the counter.
Time Out tip
A few streets away, underneath the original Brewer Street deli, is Bar Lina - a secret-ish subterranean cocktail spot well worth a visit.
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