It is no secret that homemade pasta is my absolute favourite thing to eat. So when I was notified about Emilia’s Crafted Pasta opening up in St. Katharine Docks I was keen to get along and try the food asap.
This charming neighbourhood eatery is tucked away amongst other food venues, all with a lovely waterside view of the docks. It is extremely convenient for nearby offices, who I imagine are delighted with this new Italian arrival, but is a bit of a trek if you don’t live or work in the vicinity.
I chatted briefly to owner Andrew Macleod and chef Simone Stagnitto about the inspiration behind the pasta bar and it’s offering. Together they hope to bring authentic and delicious homemade pasta to the city, the essence of Italian tradition, handcrafted in London.
The menu is short and sweet with a couple of starters and a range of pasta dishes to suit every palate. Parmesan balls were sadly off the menu when I visited so we settled for burrata with toasted ciabatta and extra virgin olive oil. It was, perhaps, the best burrata I have eaten in London, impossibly creamy and light, sprinkled with coarse black pepper and sea salt.
It was tempting to try one of each from the pasta list, but we restrained ourselves to three bowls between two of us. News of Simone’s exquisite pesto had reached me long before I visited Emilia’s so we had to try this simple dish. It was wonderful. We also ordered the bechamel bolognaise and the lamb ravioli. The bolognaise was indulgent and comforting, the perfect winter dish. Slow cooked for four hours the meat had a delicious depth of flavour, and I was pleased to see plenty of meat sauce coating the beautifully cooked pappardelle. The ravioli was filled with subtly-flavoured lamb and parsley, and then cooked in a light sage and butter sauce. I loved the filled pasta but felt the butter sauce could have been cooked for a little longer in order to give a more caramelised taste and crisp up the sage leaves. Emilia’s offer a few wine options, reasonably priced, and easy to drink with pasta.
For dessert we opted for lemon and polenta cake and affogato. The cake was our favourite, light and fragrant topped with flaked almonds, yoghurt and honey.
If you are in the area I would definitely recommend popping into Emilia’s for a delicious bowl of pasta. The restaurant also hope to offer pasta masterclasses too so you can learn the Italian secrets to help you make perfect pasta at home.
More information and book a table at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta here.