Last Updated on January 28, 2026
Classic Italian Glamour in the Heart of Covent Garden
4.0 out of 5.0 starsA little slice of vintage Italian glamour has landed in Covent Garden. Harry’s Covent Garden occupies one of the Piazza’s most prized addresses, taking over the former Tuttons site beside the London Transport Museum. The restaurant brings an all-day Italian menu to the space, focusing on classic dishes. There’s a sense of confidence in the way it operates, from the pace of service to the design, positioning itself as a reliable, polished option for everything from pre-theatre dining to long, leisurely lunches.
On the day of our visit, the restaurant hummed with energy, bustling with a mix of theatre-goers, shoppers, tourists, and well-heeled locals. Gauze café curtains soften the floor-to-ceiling windows, lending the space a distinctly continental feel, while outside, green-and-white striped awnings frame the generous terrace – raining on the day of our visit, but surely it’s destined, once summer arrives, to become one of the most coveted seats on the Piazza.
Inside, the room is lavish without tipping into pastiche. Black-and-white striped marble floors lead into a space layered with dark wood panelling, tan leather banquettes, and walls lined with Italian film photography and Futurism artwork – a stylish nod to Italy’s cinematic heritage and industrial bravado. Mirrored ceilings amplify the glow of oversized glass chandeliers, while tables dressed in crisp white linen are lit by small lamps.
The scale is confident too, with both upstairs and downstairs dining rooms and gleaming bars on each level. Staff in matching green suits complete the picture, and the service is polished and professional, reinforcing the sense that Harry’s is aiming squarely for classic rather than cool.
We sunk into a comfortable leather banquettes… the perfect spot from which to watch the theatre of Covent Garden unfold. Striped menus arrive promptly, offering plenty of choice: from the value-driven Dolce Vita set menu to à la carte dining, alongside dedicated children’s and theatre menus.
The cooking sticks reassuringly close to the classics, with familiar Italian dishes served on flower-print crockery, finished with crisp linen napkins.
We begin with a bottle of Ribolla Gialla Benedete Collavini 2023, a fresh, dry Italian white with bright citrus and floral notes, underpinned by a clean, mineral finish. A smart choice, though the cocktail list tempts with its own glamorous aperitivo moments.
From the antipasti and designed for sharing, Harry’s Tagliolini arrives in a small pan and is finished at the table, with strands of tagliolini gratinated in a creamy sauce flavoured with truffle and Parmesan. Rich and indulgent, probably not waistline-friendly, but utterly delicious.
The fried courgette flowers, one of my favourites, are a more nuanced dish. Lightly crisp on the outside, they verged on chewy, but the accompaniments redeemed them. Filled with lemon ricotta for creaminess and texture, drizzled with truffled honey for a touch of sweetness, and lifted by fresh mint, the plate is completed with a pine nut and courgette salad that adds crunch and freshness.
Moving on, you can explore the Pizze or Pasta e Risotti menus, or, as we did, keep the drama unfolding with dishes from the Secondi section. My lemon sole and vongole arrived whole and on the bone. It was beautifully presented on a pretty blue-and-white painted dish, served with a Gavi di Gavi wine sauce, dotted with sweet clams, samphire, and parsley, and lifted with the brightness of Amalfi lemon.
My companion opted for the Harry’s Rib-Eye – a 12oz chargrilled, marinated steak, served on the bone and beautifully charred on the outside and blushing pink within – tender, juicy and full of flavour. It was topped with tomato and olive salsa, warm rosemary and garlic butter, and a small bowl of Parmesan pangrattato, served as an additional topping. On the side, thick-cut chips tossed with rosemary and garlic and green beans sautéed with chilli, garlic, and olive oil added freshness and texture, rounding out the meal beautifully.
And finally, Harry’s Amalfi Lemon, a dessert as clever as it is scrumptious, sculpted to look just like the real thing. Bright, zesty and wonderfully fresh, it layers a white chocolate shell around a silky lemon cheesecake, with crushed amaretti biscotti, a scoop of tangy lemon sorbet and a soft layer of toasted meringue. For those craving something more classic, the Tiramisù delivers exactly what you want: boozy, chocolatey, very creamy, and decadently rich, accompanied by coffee served in pretty cups – the perfect full stop to our meal.
Harry’s is set to be a sure-fire hit; an outing here feels effortlessly glamorous. Whether it’s a pre-theatre stop before the Royal Opera House, a post-shopping cocktail with friends, or a night spent lingering over good food and wine, Harry’s delivers with style and just the right touch of drama, in the heart of Covent Garden.
Harry’s Covent Garden
11–12 Russell Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2B 5HZ
020 4579 3243
Check for more new restaurants in London
Leave a Reply