21

10 Reviews on “21”

• Rachel Hawkins

  Good Italian restaurant. The downstairs restaurant provides a good setting. The low lit cellar and alcoves make it quite a romantic setting. Food is good although maybe a little overpriced. They often do three course deals etc online so well worth looking out for those. The outside terrance is lovely in the summer for a quick bit of lunch in the sun. Generally a good restaurant with a nice setting.

  May 23, 2015, 9:30 pm

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• Becks Dobson

  I’d booked a table believing a warm Saturday lunchtime to be prime for a place with such good reviews, but needn’t have bothered. Whilst the Terrace out on the piazza was brimming with diners, we were pointed downstairs to the rather empty and tired-looking restaurant for our table.That was fit for one, not two. Next to a brick wall. After being unceremoniously moved, we were given the rather concise wine list. With only two roses on the list – one sweet and the other too old a vintage to be worth drinking – we were pushed to the whites and chose a trusty bottle of Pinot Grigio. Which came out warm. Attempts to switch it for a cold bottle were futile but we were given a cooler filled with ice which helped bring down more than one temperature.Moving on, it was time to browse the menu and we decided to make the most of the sharing plates on offer. And here is where 21 started to redeem itself. We started with the trio of crostini: vine plum, tomato and basil which had the right amount of citrusy/vinegary zing to bring the flavours to life; beetroot cured salmon with horseradish cream and pink peppercorn that was perfectly balanced and hugely moreish; and the goat’s cheese and parma ham with fig, the classic combination of sweet, salt and tang which I could happily eat over and over. We also chose the seabass fillet which came served on a mountain of ‘bronzed fennel caponata’. Despite it tasting more like ratatouille, the caponata was a strong accompaniment to the brilliantly cooked fish and very reasonable at 6.95 for a portion that most would serve as a main. We rounded off our starters with the fried baby squid with saffron aioli – dainty and thankfully crisp (not chewy), these were lovely and my only complaint is that there wasn’t more of them!For mains, we decided on the antipasto platter, still dreaming of our time in Puglia. Served on a board, there was a selection of salami (crudo, parma, bresaola and milano), cheese (goat’s, comte, blue and a soft), bread (flatbread, a stale white baguette and some juicy foccacia) and a handful of grapes that may or may not have had a few missing from a previous nibbler. Nevertheless, we consumed the lot.So the food itself was mostly great, but the rest of the 21 experience left a lot to be desired. Seated near the kitchen (in the empty restaurant) we did see lots of kitchen hands carrying large sauce tubs past our table, there were only salt and pepper shakers and not grinders (a huge bugbear of mine) on the table, and there was little atmosphere to speak of, which was a shame given we were in the heart of Covent Garden.The website talks of an ‘Italian’ experience complete with the terrace in the piazza and another bar in the building but I don’t think I’ll be going back to experience either. With a glut of great restaurants in London, this one just doesn’t make the cut. Two and a half out of five, if I’m being generous. thenotsosecretdiary.com

  February 7, 2015, 7:47 pm

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• Kriti Sanket Jain

  Location and ambience is excellent. A lovely step into the past to see the old charming buildings.We had a pizza, which was excellent and also the garlic bread.Service is great.Great place to rest your feet and have really good pizzas.

  January 30, 2015, 8:45 pm

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• SilverSpoon London

  I have so many favourite restaurants in London that I could return to again and again; but since starting a food blog I always try to go to different places so that there’s plenty of variety appearing on my little internet space. With that being said I love trying out other people’s favourite restaurants and there’s nothing better than a trusted recommendation.After reading Ashleigh’s blog, Quintessentially Me, I knew she was a lady with taste so I was excited to meet her at her favourite restaurant along with my blogger friend, Melanie from Sunny in London.21 Covent Garden is perfectly located in the Covent Garden Piazza and is made up of three floors and an outdoor terrace. Upstairs is the Print Room bar where you can chill out on the balcony and drink a cocktail overlooking the main square.The downstairs restaurant is made up of cellar vaults where we found the perfect nook for three…The low lighting, exposed brick work and shabby-chic tables reminded me of an authentic Italian trattoria, and the menu was also inspired by Italy. But the friendly staff and warm welcoming environment reminded me of Cheers (the bar in the American sitcom), the kind of place where everybody knows your name.Because I am always drawn to anything containing bread, smoked salmon or tomatoes, I chose to start with a trio of crostinis.My three bread-based snacks were topped with tomato and basil, beetroot-cured smoked salmon and goats cheese, parma ham and fig. Needless to says all three were winners in my eyes!Ashleigh chose quick-fried tallegio parcels served with onion rings and a balsamic and apple chutney. The crisp bundles were full of gooey melted cheese, I tried one and they were totally delicious and the dish was perfect for sharing.Melanie’s lamb cutlet was served with salsa verde and it was the ideal size for part of a tapas selection.On to mains, I chose a light option of salmon cooked in a bag with leeks and garlic (I’m allowed cos I wasn’t with my husband…) rosemary and broccoli. It was a great health-ish option and a little melted butter added some depth of flavour. My only criticism would be that I wished they’d cooked it for a little less time as I like salmon slightly rare.Both my blogger buddies chose a vegetarian option for their main courses.Ashleigh had the aubergine shutter with tomato, basil and mozzarella. Also a favourite of mine.And for Melanie…A delicious plate of mushroom ravioli…talk about food envy.And when it came to desserts… we just couldn’t decide…So we had them all! Perfectly portioned for us to try one of each.It was great to try one of Ashleigh’s favourite spots…thank you 21 Covent Garden, we’re glad we came! silverspoonlondon.co.uk

  December 12, 2014, 1:58 pm

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• Sunny In London

  I was on a fast mission to get to 21 Covent Garden when Ashleigh raved about it during our afternoon tea.Sunny friends, you know that Covent Garden owns my heart. However, did you know that I have Italian blood running through my veins? When I learned 21 Covent Garden features three floors of modern Italian drinking and dining in the heart of Covent Garden, I had to go.Mr. Sunny and I arrived an hour before our reservation. Yep. Reading the menu online the previous night made us super excited!Its located right in the Piazza. Surprisingly, for such a touristy location, 21 Covent Garden offers a very intimate experience.As soon as we were seated, I commandeered our drink order. My Florida girl background and fetish with bubbly took over. I immediately chose a Mango Bellini.Mr. Sunny wanted a Peroni. But when I saw the Jack Sparrow on the drink menu, I told him he had no choice. Pirates of the Caribbean is my favourite movie. The drink is based on the classic New Orleans Sazerac. It has Martell VS, Sailor Jerry rum, Kamm & Son ginseng bitters & Pernod Absinthe.We loved our cocktails! Mr. Sunny agreed with the menu description, a perfect after-dinner tipple. Definitely not for the faint of heart! Well, neither is Captain Jack Sparrow.We really didnt care that our drinks didnt match our Starters, Risotto and Calamari.Wild Mushroom and Truffle Risotto with marscapone and parsley 8.95Black Pepper Calamari with saffron aioli 7.25We both agreed the calamari is on our best ever list. My risotto was silky smooth and beautifully flavoured. A jewel of a dish.To accompany our main course, I had a glass of the Vina Marro Rioja. Mr. Sunny had an Italian beer, Moretti. We ate linguine and eggplant.Cornish Crab Linguine with garlic, lime, chilli, and coriander 14.25Aubergine Parmesan Shutter features baked eggplant, tomato, sweet basil and mozzarella 10.50Mr. Sunny loved his entre. I was a bit nervous when I saw how thickly cut the eggplant pieces were. However, Ive never had eggplant cooked so perfectly. Blimey it was good!Because everything was so fantastic, we couldnt sail by dessertThats the Affogato. We giggled a bit when it landed on the table because werent sure what to do with the separate glasses. Our server said to pour the espresso and Frangelico over the vanilla ice cream. BOOM!Delicious!Just when we thought our evening was over, Paul, the General Manager, encouraged us to check out the Print Room upstairs for post-dinner drinks.Since he (and all of the staff) had been so exquisite throughout the evening, we couldnt turn down the opportunity.The views in this Covent Garden crows nest are spectacular. Id encourage anyone to reserve it for a private party or Christmas Do.Theres also a balcony area you can reserve for an even smaller party.Mr. Sunny, my loyal drink matey, gave the San Sebastian a shot. Again, another hit.Just as we were leaving, I stopped for a photo of the bar. Our drink server indicated it would be best as an action shot and started making us two drinks to close our evening.The way this swashbuckler moved with stealth and passion behind the bar held me prisoner. Had I just met a real life Captain Jack Sparrow?For a motherload of a fun cocktail list that will give you sea legs on dry land, head up to the Print Room, schooner rather than later!21 Covent Garden and the Print Room feature a La Dolce Vita happy hour every day from 5-7pm. sunnyinlondon.com

  October 23, 2014, 12:01 pm

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• Manjiri Kulkarni

  On the corner of Covent Garden Piazza , housed in a beautiful Georgian heritage site is a 3 story delightful place -21 – a rustic Italian restaurant, The Print Room – a cocktail bar with 2 balconies overlooking the piazza and all the live entertainment it has to offer and the terrace located on the Piazza – a great way to enjoy the outdoors, drink in the hustle bustle, gaze at St.Pauls – all this under the shelter of huge umbrellas and heating for chilly evenings.When I first heard of 21 the Print Room at Covent Garden I imagined it to be this tiny little place with a rustic feel , when we walked into 21 I felt I was walking into a huge cave with tunnels well-lit and the aroma of melted cheese wafting around .The historic cellar vaults converted in a fab Italian restaurant have a cosy warm feel .They also proudly claims to serve the best pizza and pasta in Covent Garden – We were soon about to find out….Hubby and me walked into the place on a very ,very warm summer evening and were seated at table perfect for a romantic date but we food bloggers need light for clicking away ,so once we were moved to a new table and happily settled into a comparatively well-lit corner of our choice ,we couldn’t wait to order some drinks and cool down a few degrees. Just as I thought I would melt with the heat these beauties came to our rescue – a Mango Bellini (7.50)for me and a Verde Flower(5) Sine Peccato,for the huster – it means a cocktail without sin. The Mango Bellini – a Prosecco based cocktail was crisp,fresh,fruity ,summery while hubsters Verde Flower – a combo of cucumber,apple juice and elderflower with a dash of bitter lemon was fresh and light with lots of ice – so refreshing!Accompanied by Wild Boar Tortelloni (7.25) – Pancetta ,green beans ,sage cream and Black pepper Calamari with saffron aioli (7.25) as starters.The batter for the calamari was a bit bulky making them a bit chewy, the tortellini was very good, could easily have eaten some more!I was told that the A la Carte menu is fresh, Italian-inspired and prepared with the best quality local ingredients – well now, I love the sound of that ! We ordered the Cornish Crab Linguine (14.25) and the Figaro (14.95) – a Milano Salami,Parma Ham & Pepperoni Pizza for the main course but honestly if you’re doing starters then this one pizza between two people is more than enough!The Figaro is absolutely mind-blowing delicious with the 3 meat sitting there with black olives and cherry tomatoes – begging to be eaten! The goats cheese was nothing like I’d ever tasted before – so soft and creamy and not one bit salty. Abandon your fork and knife for this one folks, eat with your hands…lick the gooey gorgeous roasted garlic olive oil mixed with the melted mozzarella , as it drips off the sides while you devour this magnificent feast. The linguine was ignored by us for the first few minutes while we silently ate our pizza.I felt like Julia Roberts in the movie Eat,Pray ,Love telling her friend to drop the guilt and just eat their cheese laden gorgeous looking pizza when they go to Naples ,errmmm only I was sharing my Pizza with my hubster ;)The linguine was good though paling in comparison to this star pizza staring at us. The crab meat was mixed well into the pasta and it was have been fun to eat this pasta slowly after squeezing lime generously over it , sipping a fine glasses red which goes with the fresh seafood taste and the chillies in the pasta.I ordered a glass of Red- the Nero D’Avola 2011 (5.65 a glass , 21 a bottle) with my linguine.Hubster had a glass of Prosecco Brut (6.80) to go with the mains.Needless to say the mere mention of dessert and we would have exploded so we skipped dessert. Eager to walk and help digest the generous dinner now sitting firmly inside our tummies we took a tour of the print room upstairs which is a print shop turned cocktail bar, with a lovely balcony overlooking the piazza.We then walked out into the piazza past the Terrace ,to be greeted by fresh, crisp evening London air.So lets see, 21 delivered on their promise of serving the best Pizza in Covent Garden , the wine selection and mocktails on offer are impressive and I loved my Mango Bellini.Food and Wine taken care of .Ambience – the feeling of sitting huddled in a cosy cubby hole dating back to Georgian Times is something else, the view from the Print room is amazing , so I’d say this is a perfect place for romantic dates in the cubby hole of 21 or out on the terrace – better for warm summer evenings, great venue for hen and stag parties and a really cool place to hang out for drinks with your friends, they seem to have got it all covered huh?It was a beautiful clear night and the piazza was just so beautiful , a spattering of tourists seated in quiet corners near St.Pauls , the bars still overflowing with beer drinkers spilling out onto the piazza and of course the theatregoers walking to their cars or trying to get a cab.The last time we were at Covent Garden with some friends they showed us this fab walking route to Waterloo station along the Waterloo bridge, it IS a great walk along the various many theatres ,pubs and brightly lit restaurants of Covent Garden and onto the bridge with stunning views of the London Eye on one side and the beautiful st.pauls cathedral on the other. And down the subway and you are inside Waterloo station, cool or what?!Rushing to take cover in the warm subway , we made it to the station in under 15 minutes , this walking route now my fav way to get to Covent Garden from Waterloo station and totally avoid the claustrophobic tubes and the slow buses crawling through the omnipresent traffic on the narrow roads of Central London…..( there … now that’s a sure shot sign that I have become am a Londoner now….when one begins to crib about the crowded tubes and moan about the traffic …and look of alternate walking routes.. I think the novelty of being a newbie to this city is finally wearing off… in every way… but then the magic has settled in and just like I will always , always love Mumbai no matter what ,similarly London has sunk into my being in a way that can never be reversed… safe to say…am deeply in love… with all that London has to offer – even the tubes … oh yes!) travelsfortaste.com

  October 12, 2014, 2:53 am

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• Gingle Lists Everything

  The setting is intimate and cosy, making good use of its origins as a bar cellar to convert the nooks into romantic places to share a meal. The food isn’t quite as impressive, but it is some solid Italian home cooking and I don’t think you’d come away from the place feeling disappointed if you were looking for somewhere semi-casual to go for a meal. We shared a meat and cheese board before I had a seafood pasta dish and my boyfriend had the lamb ragu. My pasta was homemade and I wish I had had appetite enough to finish it. The lamb ragu was a little odd in consistency and the lamb wasn’t as tender as it could be.Dessert was a bit of a let down – nice flavours but not so great on the texture. jaminaward.wixsite.com

  July 7, 2014, 1:35 am

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