Val Taro Ristorante

I come here regularly, and it's charming, and very reasonably priced. The downstairs area is great for a drink. Food is simple and good, and the staff are friendly. During very quiet or very busy periods service can be a little slow - but if you wanted fast food, there's a Pret nearby...

Name: Jon
Location: London

The service was appalling. If you find surlier restaurant staff in London I'll be surprised. The manager and waiter were just downright rude throughout and I will definitely not be returning.

This is my third visit to Val Taro and each time has been a pleasure. I was introduced to this place by my sister who is on first name terms with Luciano. The staff are a delight here and readily on hand to your every need. To put this place into perspective its not a fine dining experience by far but what it is, is a restorante that serves very good food at a very reasonable price for this part of London. How many times have you eaten in central London and have felt totally ripped off? Rest assured you will be totally fulfilled at Val Taro. I have only eaten once downstairs which is only open on weekdays and it has a certain feel that can only be described as warm and rustic. Candles in wine bottles, dimmed lihting and an atmosphere that is well, like eating with family and friends really. Upstairs is a more modern experience but no different to service or food. If I and my good lady are visiting London we would not hesitate to book Val taro as part of our itiniary. It is definately a good place to go. Enjoy!!

Name: John Coates
Location: Essex

This is one of the most wonderful Italian restaurants in London. My husband and I got engaged here and come here for anniversaries and special occasions (including Valentine's Day!). We even brought our wedding party here for our rehearsal dinner and even with a big group the service was outstanding. We will keep coming back!

Name: F. Khan-Jensen
Location: London

This is the most delightful and genuine Italian restaurant I have discovered in London in the past thirty years'. Unlike the many chain eating places, the Val Taro has an authentic, family-feel, to it, as if one were dining out in a suburb of Rome. The staff are helpful and friendly and the food is of a consistently high standard. The wine is also of good quality and affordable. I have organised two Xmas parties for a pressure group and the buffet arrangement was comparatively inexpensive and the food extremely good and varied. I was able to discuss the menu and arrangements with the owner, Signor Luciano. And I regularly take friends and family. The Val Taro is an oasis in the bustle of London, a stone's throw from Leicester Square and Charing Cross station, with a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. I hope the Val Taro will be there for many years' to come.

Name: Dr Chris Guy Maddox
Location: Plumstead, London.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!! VT definitely my favourite London restaurant, been going there on and off for 10 years. Amazing food and wine and great VFM - all extremely hard to come by in central London.
Luciano, the owner who works in the downstairs wine bar looked exhausted last time I was there and confided that he is seriously thinking of selling up, which would be a disaster. He is amazing, always remembers my name and is the most welcoming restauranteur in London.
Because its off the beaten track its not very busy, great if you want a quiet meal, not so great if you're the owner and need money!
If you want great food and a lovely atmosphere you must visit - and bring all your friends!

Our first visit was in Dec 2009, we made a booking and due to a private party we were seated downstairs in the wine bar – what a great place, even if you just visit the bar for a drink it really is worth it as its hard to believe that you are in the centre of London. If you are expecting trendy glass and chrome tables, plush furnishings and candles then you will be disappointed – this is somewhere that time forgot, you will get the candles however they are struck in well loved wine bottles with the wax left to melt down the side (to be fair that was really trendy in years gone by!) – it really is amazing. Our next visit was at the back end of March 2010 and this time we were upstairs on ground level in the restaurant, it really is a lovely place, breadsticks on the table, garlic wafting all around and Italian music that we were sure got a bit loader if a favourite song was played - it all added to a wonderful atmosphere.

The food truly is fabulous; the brushetta was amazing, the tomatoes, olive oil and mint were so fresh, both of us had pasta for our main courses and again they were delicious and plentiful, no room for desert, however I spied a Tiramisu being delivered to a table nearby and so wish that I had left a little bit of room and not enjoyed everything so much! 2 courses, 2 coffee’s a bottle water and a bottle and a half of wine (it was so good, one bottle just wasn’t enough!) came to £53 which we thought was excellent value and would easily have expected when taking the location into account the bill to be so much more!

Found this restaurant on this site, and, loving all things Italian, went there last night. I was impressed with the praise-worthy comments here and the notes saying it doesn't get too busy. Well, the service was great, the food lovely, in a place that had a warm, friendly Italianate feel to it. The menu includes a large selection of pasta dishes (I could live on pasta !), some varied starters, and some enticing main courses. I started with taramasalata with pitta bread, which was good, then the rigatoni valtaro (pasta tubes with a wild mushroom sauce) which was generous, al dente, and tasted fabulous, meaty mushrooms and a sauce that lingered on the palate. The wine list looked fine, but I washed it all down with a Moretti beer. Dessert and espresso finished a good meal that had a home-cooked feel to it. I'll definitely be going back, and often ! I like a quiet place rather than one that's too bustling, and the place was near empty. The only reason for this, so close to Leicester Square, is that side streets get easily overlooked; take it from me, it's not quiet for any other reason, because the time spent there was superb.

An absolute delight, food was good, and service excellent! If you are looking for authenticity and charm, then you need look no further! Hidden away like the Crown Jewels, with no nasty queues like so many other resturants, and staff are in no rush to clear your table ready for the next couple! A truly enjoyable night! Will never bother with multiples again.

Long-established, much-loved traditional Italian place. Wine bar in the basement; restaurant at street level. It has a loyal band of regulars, but newcomers are immediately made to feel at home too. Old fashioned Italian cuisine, excellently cooked. Recent experiments in tapas are rather surprising but successful, but stick to Italian classics and you won't go wrong. The wine list is impeccable, and, like everything else at Val Taro, most reasonably priced. We hear the owners are looking to retire, but a law should be passed to prevent this catastrophe. Recommended: all the pastas, the Dover sole, calves' liver, melting fillet steaks.

This is a wonderful treasure of a place. I have been coming here with friends for many years. A sanctuary in the chaos of Leicester square..we always go to the bar downstairs, with its candle lit tables and cosy booths. Great to go with friends for a quiet drink and chat, reasonably priced...platter of cheese and bread £4.50 pastas starting from £6.50..the homemade pate is sublime!

My favourite restaurant. Always get a seat. Good food at reasonable prices. Nicely shut away from the provincial low life that hang around Leicester Square.