Como Garden, the Italian classic on Kensington High Street, has just launched a new pizza menu alongside its classic pastas and seafood.
Como Garden has a romantic, garden-inspired interiors and nods to Lake Como. While I’ve never been to Como myself, having visited Lake Garda, it definitely gave me a similar vibe – elegant, calm, a little escape from the city.
It even has those familiar outdoor petite square tables with checquered covers I remember from my trip to the lake.
And folding-glass door panels that fully open up for a seamless breezy indoor-outdoor dining experience.
Meanwhile the outdoor tables are positioned on the side of the restaurant along the quieter road, perfect for al fresco dining. So there is a great choice of seating options.
As one would find in restaurants by the Italian lakes, the cuisine is hearty yet simple with meat, fish and pasta dishes and now wood fired pizza.
The dishes are generous enough with almost a homemade nonna feel yet keeping a touch of Italian sophistication.
For a full Italian experience we opt for outside, all while staying mindful to keep our belongings discreetly secured, as one does in any city.
Warm weather calls for refreshing drinks – raspberry mocktail mojitos, perfectly balanced, no surgery syrups here, just pure fruit and mint.
First to arrive is antipasti fried zucchini, in this case they are on the thicker side, which I’m happy about. They are meatier still retaining that zucchini texture, the extra thin ones can be a bit too crispy for me.
And arancini, more slender cone shaped than usual, they come with parmesan and fontina cheese, we’re told it’s Italian Fontina, as that’s actually where it originated from, not France as some claim.
Golden crisp on the outside and mourishly cheesy on the inside, these arancini stand tall and stylish on individual shiny steel mini pans.
Next is a selection of raw dishes tuna and beef carpaccio, separately, as two dishes of course. They are both quality cuts with no frills or overpowering sauces, just olive oil and pepper.
Shavings of parmesan and crostini to accompany the beef and rainbow coloured aromatic tomatoes with tuna.
Both making for a great pairing for the salad, crumbly fresh goats cheese, sweet grapes, buttery lamb lettuce and the best part – fresh figs.
Glazed in glossy caramelised sugar, the figs offer a crisp crackle before revealing to their ripe, juicy center, sweet, tender and utterly irresistible.
The generous starters are followed by a popular dish that has been making social media headlines. It’s the cheese wheel truffle tagliolini.
The hot pasta is placed in a hollowed-out parmesan wheel, mixed and tossed around to incorporate the melting cheese and then topped with freshly grated truffle in front of us.
It’s a theatrical experiment but below all that also makes for a delicious pasta on the very indulgent cheesy side, so cheese reluctant dinners steer away.
To side with our pasta is the Regina pizza, the forever dilemma in Italian restaurants for me: is pasta or pizza. Well in Como Garden dishes are designed for sharing and that’s exactly what we are doing by ordering both.
The pizza is stone baked here making the dough fairly airy, not quite the style you’ll find in Naples but fluffy enough. It comes topped with fresh prosciutto, rocket and torn burrata pieces.
Priced at £18 it’s won’t break the bank especially for a Kensington restaurant and I highlight the word restaurant, not a pizzeria, since some chain pizzerias have the nerve to charge far more than that.
We’re also both loving the glazed hand-painted Vietri style plates, that the dishes come in. Adored with sun-drenched colors and whimsical motifs from fish to lemons, perfectly captures the Italian rustic feel.
Like at a grandmother’s home we are spoiled by dishes, hospitality and flavours and very slow-paced environment encouraging to relax.
If you are not up for pizza don’t miss out on the thinner version of homemade focaccia. Served with olive oil and delicious butter that kept us guessing the secret ingredient, turns out it’s the widely familiar parmesan.
Elevated in the creamy butter its distinct nutty sharpness takes a new spin making it almost impossible to identify yet still irresistible.
Como Garden is also known for their lemon meringue pie, the information that somehow slipped my mind while we were there resulting in a tiramisu order.
The restaurant is perfect for any occasion from that Italian al fresco dining without the need to hop on the flight to romantic evening meal, countless number of rattan lighting set the mood just right.
Como Garden, 37-45 Kensington High St, London W8 5ED