Out of Town: Burro, London

The critical consensus about upmarket Italian resaurant Burro in Covent Garden has been overwhelming positive, verging on ecstatic. The first solo project from chef Conor Gadd, co-owner of the much-loved Islington Italian restaurant Trullo, has been lavished with praise. Grace Dent called the duck and porcini ragu ‘possibly one of the best dishes currently being served in this pasta-stuffed postcode’ while the Observer’s food editor Holly O’Neill described it as ‘an urbane West End restaurant with the warmth of a local favourite’. William Sitwell said it is ‘crazily good’ and Tom Parker Bowles proclaimed Burro ‘an utter delight’ and ‘up there with the best’. In his typically restrained manner, Giles Coren said, ‘This is great, rustic Italian in a beautiful airy space with plenty of easy West End glamour. One for the ages.’

So when we booked in for a Sunday lunch a couple of weeks ago, we knew it couldn’t possibly live up to all that hype. All we wanted was a couple of plates of pasta, some nice wine and a relaxing time. We got all that, and a lot more. Burro is an absolute stunner. It’s hidden away in a courtyard close to Covent Garden market. There’s a lovely secluded terrace for al fresco dining, but, because this was out first visit, we really wanted to experience the dining room.

The press release says Burro is “part Irish country house kitchen, part 1950s Italian bistro” but the expansive high-ceilinged room felt more sophisticated-Manhatten to me. It’s a beautiful space with walls painted in faded red and dusty yellow hung with plenty of artwork, including a work by Gadd’s fellow Irishman Dan Ferguson. Well spaced tables are covered in white linen and the mid-century chairs and velvet banquettes add more comfort and style. We started with drinks at the bar that overlooks the courtyard. There are fully laid up tables too, probably used as overflow, but I’d be tempted to request one when we return (as we surely will) as it’s such a lovely space.

The food is simple but incrediby delicious. A panzanella featured some of the ripest, most flavorsome tomatoes I’ve ever eaten in this country, and was bursting with summer flavours. Courgette and tender squid fritti came with an aioli as rich and velvety as the banquette I was sitting on. But it was the pasta dishes, Gadd’s speciality, that stole the show. The strozzapretti alla gricia was a materclass in Roman minimalisim. Dressed only in a sauce made of rendered guanciale (cured pork jowl), black pepper, pasta cooking water, and Pecorino Romano, the depth of flavour was extraordinary. The hand rolled pasta ropes had an extraordinary texture too; firm and slightly chewy that made them very pleasurable to eat. The fettucini with duck and porcini ragu is a riff on the Trullo signature dish of pappardelle with beef shin ragu and is bound to become a Burro signature too. Not an obviously summery dish like the panzanella, it nevertheless hit the spot with it’s rich meaty intensity.

We skipped secondi, but only because we’d already eaten well, not because Gloucester Old Spot pork chop, borlotti beans and salsa verde or rabbit saddle with slow cooked green beans, chicken liver and confit tomato didn’t appeal. Next time for sure. The tiramisu doughnuts we shared to finish were underwhelming; a little on the stodgy side, perhaps underproved. But they were nevertheless enjoyable. If you’re not an expert in Italian wines, you may want to do a little research before you go or you’ll be in three figure territory before you know it. However, Cantina Andrian, ‘Finado’ Pinot Bianco 2024 at £48 was good value for such an elegant wine.

Burro might be flavour of the month but it has timeless classic written all over it. Service is utterly charming but runs with the efficiency of a Michelin star restaurant. I’m not going to claim Gadd makes the best pasta in London, because there are so many great Italian restaurants in London that I’ve never been to (Trullo included, I need to put that right) that I’m simply not qualified to do so. But what I can say is that I’ll remember that strozzapretti in particular for a very long time. Burro was an absolute joy and I’d return in a heartbeat.

‍The details
Burro, 2 Floral Court, Floral Street, London, WC2E 9FB
0204 580 1495; trattoriaburro.com‍