Trullo

A London Italian which is Trullo elegant, refined and mouthwateringly delicious!

Where? Highbury & Islington, St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2LH
How Much? ££
Cuisine? Italian
Vegetarian 🌽 – Options available
Vegan 🌱 – Limited
Gluten Free 🌾 – Limited

London’s pasta play-offs are well and truly underway, and there’s a newcomer that’s joined the Calendar Girl league. Though it opened its doors in 2010, it is only recently that Trullo has come to the attention of the masses, praised for its hand-rolled pasta dishes, grilled meats, and fish. Having spent the morning exploring Columbia Road Flower Market, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to head up to Highbury and see whether this little Italian was Trullo worth the hype!

The restaurant itself is beautiful. As you approach its Oxford blue façade from the direction of the station, make sure to peak inside, where you will find the pasta chefs working their magic. The dining space is perfect for any occasion, with a chic upstairs for lunching, and an intimate downstairs bar for late & date nights! The downstairs attracts quite the buzz, with the sound of happy customers echoing from the cavernous booths and bare-brick walls. I really enjoyed the general atmosphere of the downstairs, and the excellence of the service throughout our stay – would I recommend booking? Yes, yes, yes!

The Food

Trullo is known for its simplicity and seasonality, with an ever-changing menu inspired by Italy. The ingredients are incredibly fresh, and you can taste the quality and craft that goes into every dish. It was recommended that we order a pasta dish, as the pasta is made fresh daily, and I’m so glad we did! The restaurant really does exceed its reputation, and I look forward to coming back for the coal-fired meat and fish platters next time.

Overall, I think the prices are really reasonable for the portion sizes and quality of the food. Without wine, our meal came to a total of £32 each (between 3) – we each shared 2 starters, had a pasta dish each and shared a dessert, which was more than enough food. In my opinion, the food was worth every penny, and here’s why:

Foccacia with Le Ferre estate olive oil – £5

8.5/10 – I absolutely love focaccia. Its crusty shell and soft, fluffy core…what’s not to love! Trullo’s focaccia did not disappoint. The crust was a gorgeous golden brown and dusted with flaky sea salt, the center was warm and doughy, perfectly light. It was the olive oil that stole the show, however. Rich, bitter and dense, which is everything I’d expect from a high-quality olive oil. It was reminiscent of one that I tried in San Gimignano, Tuscany, which is famous for producing some of the best. Highly recommend.

St. Austell mussel fritti with aioli and parsley – £15

9.3/10 – I had never before seen mussel fritti on a menu, and I’m starting to wonder where these have been all my life! The flavour is really difficult to describe, but it doesn’t taste like a mussel for one! It’s the texture of the dish that steals the show. The mussel falls apart like a perfectly tender piece of chicken, paired perfectly with the delicious crunch of its breadcrumb shell. The aioli was incredibly garlicky (in the best possible way) and was the perfect partner for these little bites! If you love calamari, I have a feeling this dish is for you.

Fettucine with chilli sausage – £14

9/10 – Fettuccine is one of my favorite pasta cuts, and was well-paired with a sausage topping. The meat literally melted away in my mouth. It was so juicy and tender! However, I would have loved for it to have a bit more of a kick. I love chilli flavour, so was slightly disappointed not to taste that coming through prominently. Overall though, it was a delicious dish, with perfectly cooked ingredients and a generous helping of Parmesan!

Pappardelle with beef shin ragu – £15

9.4/10 – You can rarely go wrong with a ragu, but it’s also rare that restaurants get it absolutely right! My friend kindly let me trade in a few bites of her pappardelle for some of my fettuccine, and quite frankly, it was one of the best trades I’ve made in a while. The meat was moreish and flaky, doused in a light, yet flavoursome sauce. It was one of the best ragu dishes I’ve tasted in London and is setting the bar high for any future ragu rivals.

Tiramisu – £9

7.8/10 – If there is Tiramisu on the menu, I’m undoubtedly ordering it. Admittedly, we were quite full at this point, so we decided to share just one dessert… and thank goodness we did! This is a hefty portion, so if you’re a sweet, not savoury, kind of diner, make sure to leave some space. While this didn’t have the same wow factor that the other dishes had, it was still incredibly tasty. Plenty of caffeine and a well-balanced cream – it was everything you’d expect from a Tiramisu!

Thank you for reading! For more London foodie plans made easy, please make sure to subscribe to CalendarGirl.blog and head to my socials through the links below.