L'Arco Reviews

10 out of 10 stars

We always enjoy eating at l'Arco - the Italian cuisine is wonderful and very good value, the atmosphere is friendly and the service excellent. The restaurant is very convenient for our theatre visits just round the corner too.

10 out of 10 stars

L'Arco is an intimate restaurant with good 'home cooking' Italian cuisine - love the fact that it is a welcoming family run place - so rare these days. Visit whenever I can!

1 out of 10 stars

Found l'Arco through a search of restaurant websites, and thought it looked a suitable place for a casual weekday dinner.

There is a very good reason why they don't display their winelist outside: it's unbelievably extortionate! £25 for a bottle of Asti(!) anyone?? Asked for a bottle of house white instead (no description given on menu), which came in a label-less bottle. Needless to say, it was completely undrinkable.

As for the service ... our waiter brought over the specials list after we'd ordered from the main menu. This could have been overlooked, if he hadn't also been extremely rude - since when has it been the waiter's role to tell a customer that they're in a bad mood?! (Which, incidentally, I wasn't until I encountered this man.) Having complained about the house wine, the waiter then launched into a diatribe about it being one of the "best Italian wines". Hmmm.

Quite frankly, I'm not willing to be spoken to like that, or fleeced by a wine list, so we left without eating. Tip to the management? Know your competition: there are plenty of places nearby where you can get far better service, in a far nicer environment and with a sensible, good quality winelist.

5 out of 10 stars

Happened across L'Arco Restaurant last night pre-theatre. The atmosphere was lively and the food was very home-cooked and authentic Italian. We love Italian food, and will frequent this charming restaurant from now on. The man who ran it was very friendly, and chatty and actually tailor-made my wife a pasta dish to her own liking - exceptional for a restaurant to be that flexible with their menu these days. We had their traditional 'zabaglione' which I'd never tried before and was delicious. A real treat to find such a cosy and warm friendly restaurant, and it made a great night at the theatre even better! Thank you L'Arco.

4 out of 10 stars

We went last night to L'Arco. We ordered Calamari on the Specials Board which appeared billed as a main course. The portion was small and shrivelled up. We complained and were told it was a starter portion. Another one came which was equally small and shrivelled up. We complained after paying the bill the waiter was disinterested said he would tell someone. Noticed another guest unhappy as lasagne needed to be re-heated. Would never return to a restaurant that didnt value their customers.

10 out of 10 stars

Great find: good food, good wine, pleasant service, convivial, right next to Victoria Station - just what we wanted - will go again.

10 out of 10 stars

If you are in victoria you must visit this restaurant, It is superb. Traditional italian cuisine and service. If you are going to the theatre just around the corner then this is a must but get there early. We went at 1730 and it filled up pretty quickly after this, and on a monday night too. The service was fast and efficient. The food was excellent and typically Italian. I met the owner who was charming and didn't even know he was featured on the internet. he dosn't really know anything about computers, but his son keeps telling him to get up to speed.
As a restaurateur myself I recommend this restaurant.
good luck

Marcus Hayward
haywards restaurant

10 out of 10 stars

My wife and I visited this warm, pleasant restaurant in May 2004 and our son was there a year later and in both cases the experience was spectactular. The food, though basic, is excellent, the service is attentive and friendly and the prices are quite reassonable. The wine list isn't bad either. The same family has owned this restaurant, which is not far from Buckingham Palace, for more than 30 years. Obviously, they are doing something right. The guests appear to be mostly locals, but even an American couple felt right at home in the jovial atmosphere that surrounds this restaurant. We have nothing negative to say about the place. It's a welcome respite from the typical hustle and bustle