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Hours
Sun
12:00 - 22:00
Mon
12:00 - 22:00
Tue
12:00 - 22:00
Wed
12:00 - 22:00
Thu
12:00 - 22:00
Fri
12:00 - 22:00
Sat
12:00 - 22:00
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.0
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Italian, Pizza, Mediterranean, European, Sicilian, Southern-Italian
“Recommend pasta scoglia, vitello milanese and the best tiramisu ever.”
“My wife and daughter ordered Arancini and I ordered the lightly battered, dee...”
“My husband loves tiramisu and he rated this one of the best he’s ever had.”
“... and the Salmone linguine respectively, along with some Arancini on the side.”
Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
The Paradiso story began with Olivelli's Hotel and restaurant which was founded in 1934 by Sicilian-born Rita and Enrico Olivelli. Situated in Store Street - heart of Bohemian London, it quickly became a culinary haven for students from nearby RADA and established actors and actresses at London theatres.Olivelli's name spread rapidly thanks to its warm, friendly atmosphere and authentic, value-for-money food. Such was its reputation that the Marx Brothers insisted on eating at the restaurant on their one and only visit to England. Among other famous diners were the legendary 'naughty girl' Mae West, Danny Kaye, Mickey Rooney, Bob Hope and Liberace.When Sicilian-born Giovanni and Salvatore Salamone bought Olivelli in 1993 - the first of their popular chain of Olivelli Paradiso outlets (now known simply as Olivelli) across London - they took care to preserve the restaurant's unique characteristics, recreating its welcoming atmosphere and using only the finest, freshest ingredients sourced from Italy and nearby markets.Hardly surprising then that contemporary celebrities such as Mel Brookes, Eric Clapton, Kevin Spacey, Graham Norton, Ben Elton, and Jack Dee continue to dine at Olivelli restaurants.
PRICE RANGE
£10.00 – £20.00
CUISINES
Italian, Pizza, Mediterranean, European, Sicilian, Southern-Italian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
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4.0
923 reviews
Excellent
437
Very good
301
Average
102
Poor
43
Terrible
40
loualderson
Kenilworth102 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
We saw the restaurant whilst walking to the Old Vic to collect our tickets for a play, having done so we wandered back to the restaurant, arriving around 1730 hours. We initially thought it was half full of people, then we realised that the majority of other tables had reserved markers on them.
That said we received a warm welcome to be told that we could have a table as long as we were out by 1900 hours, which was perfectly fine for us. So the message in all this is, it’s better to reserve a table.
The menu had a great choice. We both had pasta dishes, skipping starters as the dessert menu looked fantastically delicious.
The pasta dishes we had were very tasty, it would of been nice to maybe have a little bit more. I felt that it wasn’t quite enough.
But that is the only fault, so perhaps we should of had a starter.
Just as the desserts sound they were truly delicious. What ever you do, make sure you eat one.
We had a bottle of wine with the meal, we felt it was a little pricey.
Our waiting staff were very good. They take a service charge on the bill. We didn’t mind this but some people might.
The restaurant isn’t that big so the next table isn’t too far away but we talked to the people next to us, that was nice.
We would definitely eat here again. If you are going to the Old Vic it will be a nice start to your evening.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon M
Shrewsbury50 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Whether you visit Store Street, St Christopher's Place or The Cut, you can always expect a good, authentic meal, and good, prompt service at Olivelli. They are always consistent - in the quality of the food, the attentiveness of the service and the great value they offer. A real favourite for me and my family. I have never been disappointed by a visit to Olivelli.
Written 2 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CheshireDancingqueen
Nantwich1105 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
Outstanding Olivelli - we were staying in London and were meeting friends for lunch and Olivelli apeared to be a good mid way meeting point.
We had caprese, garlic bread and olives to start, all were delcious. Our main courses were: pasta, chicken in a rich tomato sauce, pizza and swordfish steak with side orders of rosemary potatoes and garlic spinach - all perfectly cooked, the quality was of the highest standard.
The service was a little bit haphazard with the waiters/waitresses asking us the same questions - a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. That said, we had a lovely lunch and would highly recommend.
Written 10 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mhooperconsults
Royal Tunbridge Wells43 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
I'm sorry to rain on Olivelli's parade, but my lunchtime experience a couple of weeks ago really wasn't very good.
My friend asked the waitress if the "pesce carbonara" was Fish Stew, and she told him it was. (It's not his fault he doesn't speak Italian!) In any event, it turned out to be a carbonara without the bacon. And very small.
My "pollo pizzaiola" was very ordinary, (And very small.)
I've been to Olivelli's several times, but I do think it is now trading on its reputation.The last two visits produced an absolutely average experience. I shall be looking for somewhere else next time I go to the Young or Old Vics.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate F
London331 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
We had a delicious meal here. An unusual menu but with some familiar dishes as well. I love pasta and very much enjoyed the dish I had, and the mozzarella starter was lovely as well, with a super dessert, which I don't usually manage, but this time managed to share one with my husband! Our two young guests had pizza, which they said was excellent, although they cut off most of the crusts as they were big pizzas with plenty of topping.
Service was excellent. If you felt you were ready to order the next course or another drink you just had to glance around and someone was there straight away even though the place was packed. The staff were all excellent. Only slight problem for me was that it was very noisy. A couple of groups of women were making a terrific racket and there is not much soft furnishing in the restaurant to help absorb the sound. This is obviously a very popular place and rightly so.
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
indurain2018
Edinburgh12 contributions
Nov 2021 • friends
Brace yourself !!! Maybe I’m not accustomed to a mandatory service charge , however, I’m getting ahead of myself. In desperate need of sustenance, martholemew,hedd and I duly arrived in the “ south bank “ shaking with hunger. A quick foray into the local eateries on T-advisor got us heading here .
Attentive, reasonably tasty , but wait !! Food was on the spot for us hungry travellers…May I have a bottle of the DOCG chianti as an additional small tincture , ha!! To be presented with a bottle of 2019 with the provenance label partially removed always irks ! In summary, a dodgy , overpriced bottle of wine ,along with a 12.5 % service charge for the 3 of us in an empty restaurant would sadly put me off visiting this south bank eatery in the near future !
Written 5 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Curlywurly
Bedford435 contributions
Jun 2021 • friends
The starters were good (bruschetta, mussels, prawns) although the bread was stale. The mains were sub-standard (veal, swordfish) I am not an expert but they seemed frozen, not fresh. I asked if the veal had breadcrumbs, I was told yes, but it didn’t. The swordfish was so hard, it was difficult to cut. The spinach was full of sand/grit. For dessert we had tiramisu which was a huge plate of cream, and profiteroles, which should have come with hot chocolate sauce but it was cold.
Service was charming but inefficient, and I was astonished to see a £17 service charge on the bill. Bill total £104. Put simply - nowhere near worth it.
Written 8 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TrewinDorset
302 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
After a few months of not visiting London it was great to be able to go to Olivelli's again.
All the necessary changes have been made to the tables layout, sanitiser etc. - so well done that we noted, then forgot all about it and just had a lovely evening.
Drinks and starter followed by 2 delicious pizzas, their tomato sauce is the best - 100% clean plates! Torta Paradiso to finish as it's just irresistible.
Excellent service throughout by the 2 cheerful staff.
Hopefully not as many months before we visit again. 100% recommended
Written 5 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SJ90
Hampshire62 contributions
Jan 2022 • couples
Found this little gem on an off chance, we were staying in a hotel by Waterloo and originally fancied a Mexican restaurant but found this when looking. We were more than happy to have made this find! The food was amazing, I was really surprised when the bill came, at how low the final total was and the staff were lovely.
We had a main each, a starter to share and 3 drinks and the bill was under £50. This was extremely brilliant value for money, especially in central London
Would definitely recommend and will definitely go back!!
Written 10 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TomK
London25 contributions
Jul 2020 • family
Excellent food and service... top notch.
Don’t be put off by the slightly minimalist interior: the welcome and the food were both as good as we have had in London for a long time, despite all the Covid precautions (which are everything you would want).
We stopped here on the way back to Waterloo after visiting Tate Modern. A Random choice that really paid off. True Sicilian hospitality and quality coming from the kitchen.
We had mussels (plump, fresh, tasty), superb focaccia straight out of the oven, great pizza, seafood linguini, wonderful ravioli... A real gem to find and one that deserves support. Just 3 minutes from Waterloo.
Written 30 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manthy
33 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
Booked restaurant as it was near a venue we where booked to attend later. On being seated we had to then ask 10 mins later for the menu. Once our drinks order was taken we had to then again try to get the attention of staff to order our food. Ordered two fish dishes which came very quickly and were mediocre at best. Once again we had to try and get the attention of staff to clear plates and order dessert. We received the bill after again trying to get the attention of staff but had to put on coats and go to the till to pay. We paid the bill minus the service charge with no comment made by what I believe to be the manager,
Written 29 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James L
London70 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
We had tagliata and sword fish with the Chianti. The swordfish was great and the wine peppery and lovely as ever. TBH the tagliata was not either as good or as plentiful as we have had. Good balsamic glaze and rocket but somehow not quite hitting the spot which made the price tag seem a bit high with local competition doing more for less. Lovely staff.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
citybreakers90
East Sussex154 contributions
Mar 2020 • none
We arrived here just before the Saturday evening rush, most tables had been pre-booked, so were were lucky to have a table for two. Before long restaurant was full and a little noisy, however a very pleasant ambience. We thoroughly enjoyed our vegetarian pizza very tasty and our spaghetti carbonara accompanied by two glasses of the red sangiovese wine - an Italian favourite. Tiramisu was a little too much cream for my likening, however, my wife enjoyed her tart Mandorla. Good quality food well prepared and a varied Italian menu which others could do well to copy. Will certainly visit here again.
Written 15 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trave11er101
121 contributions
Sept 2020 • friends
First post lockdown meal with friends. It’s so good to be back. Sanitiser on the door, all the staff wore face masks, plastic screens between tables - but the same friendly service and good food, so once we sat down in it almost felt like a normal night out, which was lovely. We had starters then a mix of pasta dishes and meat main courses. Nice Nero D’Avola wine and yummy food. It was quiet for a Monday post EO2HO. Hoping this place survives, we have never had a bad meal in many years of coming here. Thanks guys :)
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vanessaberry
3 contributions
Feb 2022 • friends
Charming service and a delicious meal at lunch. The restaurant was quiet, service attentive but not intrusive. The pasta section of the menu is the best I think - though sharing antipasto board is great value. I visit occasionally and highly recommend.
Written 4 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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