Last Updated on May 8, 2024
Italian pasta bar in Harrods
Pasta Evangelists has been selling their popular fresh pasta in Harrods Food Hall since 2018. If you would like someone else, ie someone far more skilled, to cook their food for you, then the adjacent Harrods Dining Hall is the place to go.
The man behind the current menu is Giancarlo Perbellini, the Italian chef best known for his two-Michelin-star restaurant in Verona: Casa Perbellini.
Pasta Evangelists by Perbellini is one of six restaurants feeding hungry shoppers in the glamorous surroundings of Harrods Dining Hall. All thoughts of food courts evaporate on entering this luxurious space, where diners are also treated to live entertainment.
This being an Italian pasta bar, we decided to stick with tradition and start our evening with Aperol Spritzes. We sat at the counter chatting, enjoying our drinks and listening to jazzified versions of pop and soul classics, all while watching the chefs conjuring up delicious things in the open kitchen.
We picked two starters to share. The Parmesan Cheese Tasting gives cheese lovers a chance to compare and contrast three different ages of parmesan. However, we thought the presentation was a little bald – chunks of cheese on a plate with no accompaniments. We could have used some signposting too, though thankfully the young brain of my companion was able to remember which one was which. That said, we enjoyed pretending to be professional cheese tasters and both awarded the win to the 36-month-old parmesan.
The cheese fest continued with our other starter the Foccacia Margherita with fresh tomato and creamy stracciatella cheese. Now this is a delicious dish combining the flavours of the classic Italian Margherita pizza into a spherical focaccia topped with rich tomato sauce, and basil, dripping with stracciatella.
Pasta Evangelists positively encourage the sharing of mains as well as their starters. For diners who are having difficulty narrowing down their choices, the restaurant offers a Pasta Sharing Selection for Two (£95), with a choice of three pasta dishes.
We resisted ordering three pasta dishes and decided on the Rigatoni “Cacio e Pepe” with aged cave pecorino and black truffle, presented here in a hollowed-out cheese wheel. Our waiter served up the indulgent pasta for us before proceeding to grate clouds of truffle and cheese onto our heaped plates. This is a dish that is so simple yet so rich and moreish.
We felt a bit like cheats ordering a risotto at a pasta bar but thought it would make a good counterpoint to our rigatoni. And by this point in the evening, we were mindful of the fact that we needed at least some greenery. The Saffron Risotto had a deep underlying flavour of saffron and orange top notes but there was only a light smattering of the vegetables through the rice so our good intentions were unresolved. This was my companion’s first time trying asparagus and she instantly wanted more of this discovery.
We foolishly, it would turn out, shared one dessert… It is rare to find such a good tiramisú in the UK. I’m not a fan of the stodgy cake-like version and much prefer the looser, creamier style served in a glass as it is at Pasta Evangelists – so top marks from me.
Dining out in Harrods is surprisingly fun. We wended our way through high-end sunglasses and luxury goods and onto the wonders of the Food Hall before settling down for a relaxed and enjoyable evening at Pasta Evangelists.
Pasta Evangelists
Dining Hall,
Ground Floor,
Harrods,
87-135 Brompton Road,
Knightsbridge,
London SW1X 7XL
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