Li Veli Winery & Bistro

4 Reviews on “Li Veli Winery & Bistro”

• Lea VH

  It was good… But not exceptional.We had the large cheese and meat plate to share: it was big and a good start.Then we asked for the orechietti with basil and tomato sauce (good but again nothing very special, the tomato sauce was very basic), the lamb, the cod fish (one of the best plates of the evening!), the tomato soup (just a regular tomato soup with an egg in the middle), the stoved meat (also quite tasty), but the best for me was the melanzanne ala parmiggianna ( one of the best i’ve tasted: just a shame it came in such a small portion, they say it’s light, for shure it is!)In conclusion, a nice place to go to, even if there’s not much place and it that it was quite loud. Service is ok, nothing special. Would go back for a light meal but will not remember in special.

  March 10, 2020, 3:12 am

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• Annie Hall

  Li Veli Winery and Bistro, on Long Acre in Covent is bringing the simple authentic cuisine of Puglia, the boot of Italy, to London. I was invited in for a review, and as soon as we arrived we were treated like VIPs. Our reserved table in the window was perfect for people watching, both on the street and inside this modern, spacious and stylish eatery featuring elements of Apulian design.Our very charming maitre d’, Nicolas, ushered us to our seats and remained attentive but not intrusive for the evening. From the Antipasti menu he recommended the Apulian ‘Frisella’ Bread and the Fave e Cicora, a broad bean mash with chicory. Not being a huge fan of tomatoes, I tentatively ordered the Frisella, a wholewheat bagel bread covered in organic cherry tomatoes and doused in San Domenico olive oil. It was good, really good. A sizable portion too. Himself went for the red tuna tartare instead of the Fave, and both of us were stuffed after our starters.Most of the wine served in Li Veli is sourced from the owner’s own vineyards in Puglia, The Masseria Li Veli. The white wine was light and fresh and extremely drinkable. The red, served with our mains, was earthier and slid down our throats like silk.For mains, we followed Nicolas’s advice and plumped for homemade organic orecchiette, little ear-shaped pasta, served with melted anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs. For me, aubergine parmigiana, topped with smoky caciocavallo cheese – delicious. The menu catered well for vegetarians, with only a few meat dishes, but every was organic, fresh, and simple. This simple yet sophisticated style is typically Italian, and more so Pugliese, taking quality ingredients and serving them in time-honoured traditions.Dessert was the highlight of the meal. Tiramisu, of course, and an enticingly flavourful pistachio ice cream, drizzled with San Domenico olive oil. This you have to try for yourself. You won’t believe it works, but it does. Join these two families, one culture, and the traditional Apulian taste in Covent Garden. Not your typical pizzeria… anniethingforfood.co.uk

  January 8, 2016, 9:24 pm

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• Tania Ziegler

  Li Veli has the potential for greatness but falls short.Pros-Amazing location and super modern, inviting decor. The first floor is bright, with orderly shelves of wine, oil, vinegars, ect that can (I presume) be purchased.The actual presentation of the food was pretty. Makes for a pretty picture that is somewhat deceiving to the actual quality.Unfortunately, that is about where my pros list ends.Cons-Service is abysmal. Took ages to be seated because none of the staff members cared to walk over to the customer standing in their doorway. Once seated, I waited another 10 minutes for a menu.I was fairly hungry that day, so I ordered a soup, a pasta and a glass of their house white. Seeing as this was a wine bar, I assumed that they would have a fairly nice house white or at least a few good options…I was mistaken. The house white was average at best.Once the soup came out, I asked for utensils…you know, to eat said soup. Well, after about 5 minutes of watching the waiter chat and not actually bring the spoon, fork and knife, I just got up and walked to the wait-staff table to collect the utensils myself. I was observed throughout this process yet no one came to assist me or offer an apology.In general, the service was absent, lethargic and felt a lot like everyone working at the restaurant would rather be elsewhere. What should have been a relatively fast meal was a long, drawn out and painful experience.I hoped that their saving grace would be the food. Well, I was wrong there too.My soup tasted like a foot. OK, I don’t know what a foot tastes like, but surely this would be it.I also had a fairly simple spaghetti in a red sauce. It was fine- not great, not bad either.The final kicker was the price. When I got my bill, I was a bit astonished…my meal was well over 20 quid. I usually NEVER ask for the service to be removed, but the experience was soo poor that I felt compelled to.Final Verdict:I really really really wanted to like this place. The location is ideal, the decor is really really beautiful…it just screams chic! That is perhaps what makes it so disappointing. I remember when it was Machiavelli, a lovely coffee and lunch place, but those days are long gone and what is left is a sad shell of a former excellent restaurant. I would be very surprised if it lasts, lest something change drastically to improve their service and food.

  December 15, 2015, 5:19 pm

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• Filomena

  amos a passar na rua, ao fim da tarde, procurando um stio para beber um gin e rapidamente fomos atrados por este espao, repleto de garrafas de vinho, harmoniosamente dispostas em prateleiras, lado a lado com latas de azeite de diversos tamanhos e de uns boies cheios com aquilo que nos pareceu ser massa de pimento.Assim, esquecida a ideia do gin, entrmos e fomos ficando, entretidos por um vinho tinto italiano (de Puglia, se a memria no me falha), por queijos tambm italianos (entre os quais estava um magnfico queijo fumado que os italianos to bem fazem), azeitonas carnudas e diversos tipos de po, que regmos com o azeite que existia na mesa no interior de uma lata fofa.Mais entretidos ficmos com a simpatia daquela que nos pareceu ser a gerente/proprietria do espao, que, talvez atrada pelo nosso ar latino, nos dedicou um pouco mais de ateno que aquela que dispensava a toda a sala. Era italiana, como tudo aquilo que se vendia no espao. Com o cair da tarde as luzes foram baixadas e todas as mesas receberam velas, dando ao espao um ar ainda mais acolhedor. A vontade teria sido a de ali continuar…

  November 25, 2015, 6:44 am

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