Emilia’s Crafted Pasta – Victoria

Last Updated on November 1, 2025

Authentic pasta that’s good for the soul and not hard on the wallet

4.0 out of 5.0 stars

Victoria is Emilia’s Crafted Pasta’s newest restaurant; its fifth and largest, sitting 70 inside over two floors and 30 outside. Opened in August this year, it appears to be doing very well already. When we went early (6:15 pm) on a Thursday evening, it was already mostly full, and by the time we left a few hours later, there was a queue for tables. This is no doubt due to the eco-friendly chain’s great reputation combined with an equally great location: a few minutes’ walk from St James’s Park tube and also close to Victoria station, it’s an area with many office blocks, several theatres and lots of tourist traffic. 

The design aesthetic at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is rustic Italian chic meets industrialism with terracotta floor tiles, walls painted in cream and burnt orange, wooden chairs, exposed piping and ventilation units, and floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s casual but classy. The first floor is brightly lit, with seating at the bar as well as tables. The second, where we sat, is a mezzanine balcony that provides a more dim and cosier experience. 

The business – it sells pasta and other products as well as running restaurants – was founded in 2016 by Andrew Macloud. His aim was to provide delicious, fresh and comforting pasta based on traditional recipes from local chefs in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.  All the pasta, sauces, and desserts at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta are made daily on-site from scratch. We appreciated how the restaurant’s commitment to high-quality Italian products extends to the organic Italian drinks on the menu, and the bottles of olive and balsamic vinegar on the table.  The sparkling pomegranate (‘Melograno’) by Bio Sicilia was delicious, as was my Limoncello Spritz. 

To start, we shared sliced bresaola (cured beef) and a rocket-and-parmesan salad. Both were beautifully presented, archly fresh, and delightful.  The bresaola was a generous portion of thin slices with a great depth of flavour, well-seasoned with olive oil and pepper. The salad was very pretty, with lots of small curls of Parmesan mixed in with the rocket. It was at its best when I liberally added the excellent balsamic vinegar, as this softened and sweetened the lemony sharpness of the salad’s dressing. 

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta promises “fresh, soul-warming pasta, just like Nonna’s”.  Whilst I can’t confirm the latter as I don’t have an Italian grandmother, I can attest that the pasta was fantastic: as good as, if not in most cases better than, any I had in Italy this summer.  My handmade lamb (100% grass-fed), parsley, and parmesan ravioli was plump and succulent, though slightly overpowered by the butter & sage sauce, despite the menu describing it as ‘light’.  

It was my companion’s pappardelle al ragù that was the standout of the entire meal, and which, even over a week later, I’ve thought about nearly every day since.  It was indeed ‘soul-warming’. Billed on the menu as ‘4 hour slow-cooked béchamel bolognese with grated parmesan (pappardelle)’, my companion asked if he could have it without either the béchamel sauce or the parmesan. The waitress readily suggested their ‘special’ version, which contains no dairy products and instead has mushrooms. 

The long strips of pappardelle were somehow both light yet pleasingly thick, and the sauce was both smooth yet hearty. The proportion of beef to mushroom to pasta was spot on, with the meat being from ‘Pasture for Life’ certified 100% grass-fed cows.  It was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious, just about the best restaurant bolognese either of us has ever had in London. This is particularly impressive given it’s priced at £13.50, which is cheaper than most large chain restaurants charge for their far inferior and non-ethically sourced versions. 

So far, so fantastic. Unfortunately, though, dessert was then a let-down in comparison, and not only because we had to wait too long for it. By this time, the restaurant was not only very busy but also really noisy thanks to its open design and the groups of people coming in after work. This was somewhat at odds with the second floor’s quasi-romantic vibe, and it was difficult to hold a conversation. 

I ordered a cappuccino, asking for it to be served at the same time as my tiramisu. Timing coffee to come with dessert seems to be something that many restaurants struggle with, but in this instance, mine didn’t just arrive ten minutes before my tiramisu; it was also lukewarm.

I’d deliberately chosen ‘Emilia’s signature amaretto tiramisù’ because it was billed as a house speciality. I expected it to be excellent, but instead found it too custardy and mediocre. My companion’s ‘chocolate salami, a new vegan dish, was dry and presented in a perfunctory and slightly unappealing manner. In contrast, however, their 100% natural Italian chocolate & hazelnut (one flavour) gelato was really good.

I’ll definitely be back for the antipasti, pasta and Italian drinks, particularly at such a comparatively reasonable price point. Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is a great addition to the Victoria area. Be warned, though: if you’re looking for a quiet dinner, you’re unlikely to have one here.

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta – Victoria
56 Victoria Street
Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6QW
Tel: 020 3949 2777

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