Arcadia Restaurant

4 Reviews on “Arcadia Restaurant”

• Ali V

  I’ve walked past this place a number of times, amused by the dynamic, hand-painted decor and big-grin Italians beckoning at the window. It was not until quite recently, though, that I found myself heading inside for a culinary exploration!This is an Italian in more ways than just the food. The vibe is alive; you can hear yells of joy and passion from the kitchen, and they take pride in sitting with an old calculator and pen to work out ‘their papers’.Clientele range from parties of families, dates and evenbusinessmen popping in alone to slurp pasta in their own company.Their menu boasts a range of pastas, risottos, meats and fish, as well as a special board for dinner, and a nicely priced lunch deal to satisfy midday hunger pangs.The burrata special starter was generously portioned, the smooth, creamy texture of the cheese contrasting nicely with the fresh basil and tomato. Sharing this between two was the perfect way to whet- rather than spoil- our appetites for our main courses.For mains, I chose the mixed fish grill for a little bit of everything on their fish menu; well-seasoned prawn, squid, tuna and salmon served with grilled mixed vegetables and served drizzled in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil.My dining partner went for a tuna steak from their specials menu; beautifully seasoned on the outside, and pink and tender in the centre. Served with a spicy rocket salad, the dish was well-rounded, well-matched and the ideal amount.Too full for dessert, we left with happy tummies and smiles on our faces. The staff are keen to please and flexible; happy to wait around for the most indecisive of diners (ahem!) and provide their recomendations as for food. All in all, a hidden gem with a relaxed Italian atmosphere, original design and offering an escape from the myriad of chain restaurants along the High Street. londonismyplayground.wordpress.com

  September 22, 2015, 1:10 pm

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• Lara Nilsen

  Very classic Italian restaurant, the food is lovely and the service is good, i would advise to add some decoration at the place and maybe play some louder music although it becomes quite boring at the end!!!

  July 13, 2015, 2:54 pm

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• TheFoodaholic

  I really love it when i discover a hidden gem in London. I’m terrible when it comes to choosing somewhere to eat, and i’ll walk for miles – toiling over menus and at the same time trying to find the best deal. If my lunch isn’t planned i don’t like to spend too much and my bank balance doesn’t like the shock of it either. So after a long shopping spree (those spending habits my credit card does like) on Kensington High Street we stumbled upon an Italian restaurant called Arcadia.Now when i found a ‘gem’, that doesn’t necessarily mean amazing food, but its does mean good food, at bargain (ish) prices. The restaurant itself is very 1970s, incredibly over the top, dated and in urgent need of a revamp. The staff are extremely friendly and very attentive, which really makes this place. To get a real taste of the food one of us dined from the a la carte and myself, from the 12.50 set menu.For daylight robbery, which costs you a mere 12.50 you’ll get a starter, something simple like the bruschetta i had and a choice of a few mains. The bruschetta, which is difficult to assemble wrong was served on some olive oil soaking, deceptively tasty bread. The tomato mixture had a nice garlic whaff to it and it all tasted very fresh. Personally id like a bit more olive oil and pepper, but with that on your table, you can always do it yourself. Its comfort food, and a lot of it. the other choice of starter was a classic 1970s – soup of the day.For main i opted for the spaghetti alla norma, which was pasta with aubergines, tomato, basil and ricotta. It looked like a complete and utter mess on the plate. But the pasta was well cooked, aubergines oily, roasted and smokey and the sauce was very rich and flavoursome. The grated cheese on stop was not the prettiest or greatest quality but once melted in it was perfectly fine. There was again, a lot of it and i was very full up by the last mouthful.The fettuccine pasta in a bolognese sauce (using half beef and half pork meat), was rich, seasoned well and full of that traditional Italian homely taste that sends me back to my holiday in Bologna. All the pasta here is homemade which i love – though it was a tiny bit overcooked. For 11 this dish is very good value for money and you can really tell the dish is part of a family recipe. I struggle to find such richness in my bolognese sauces these days in London, there truly is an art to getting it right.Hungry? Read more – http://www.londonfoodaholic.co.uk/2013/10/arcadia-restaurant-kensington-review-london.html thefoodaholic.co.uk

  February 10, 2014, 2:34 am

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• Suvidha

  My colleague and I were looking for a outdoor seated Italian restaurant around High Street Ken and accidentally ended up at Arcadia. I am glad we did. While the price was a bit high, the food did not disappoint us. We shared a tricolore salad and had our own mains. I had a lovely potato Gnocchi and my colleague had Spaghetti Bolognese, the the two typical and classical Italian dishes. They were presented fantastically and tasted even better. The wine was complimentary to the food and the service was quick and attentive.

  October 13, 2013, 1:28 am

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