Feb 4, 2026
Vodka pasta has had a moment. What was once a dish tucked away on Italian-American menus has become one of the most talked about pasta dishes in the world, thanks in part to social media and a certain celebrity recipe that went viral. But vodka pasta isn't new, and it didn't come out of nowhere. It's been around since the 1970s, and the reason it works comes down to chemistry and the way alcohol interacts with tomatoes.
Where Vodka Pasta Came From
The origins of penne alla vodka are disputed, and depending on who you ask, you'll get a different story. Some say it was invented in Bologna, others claim it came from Rome, and there's a popular theory that it was created in New York by Italian immigrants looking to put their own spin on the red sauce dishes they grew up with. What most food historians agree on is that the dish emerged somewhere in the 1970s, and there's a chance it started as a marketing push by vodka companies looking to expand into the Italian market and associate their product with la dolce vita.
Regardless of where it started, vodka pasta caught on because it tastes incredible. The vodka itself doesn't add a boozy flavour or make the sauce taste like a cocktail. Instead, it acts as an emulsifier, helping the tomato and cream come together into a silky sauce that clings to every piece of pasta. It also releases flavour compounds in the tomatoes that you wouldn't get from cooking with water or wine alone, which is why vodka pasta has a depth that's hard to replicate with other ingredients. The alcohol burns off during cooking, leaving behind a sauce that's rich, smooth, and unlike anything else on a traditional Italian menu.
The Science Behind The Sauce
Tomatoes contain flavour compounds that are alcohol-soluble, meaning they only release when they come into contact with alcohol rather than water or fat. When you add vodka to a tomato sauce, it unlocks these compounds and creates a depth of flavour that you can't achieve any other way, which is why a splash of vodka transforms a good tomato sauce into something more complex. The vodka also prevents the cream from separating when it hits the acidic tomatoes, which is why vodka pasta has that distinctive creamy-but-bright quality that keeps people coming back for more.
The key is not to add too much, because a splash is all you need to get the chemical reaction started. The vodka should enhance the sauce and let the tomatoes shine, not dominate the dish or leave any harsh aftertaste. And because the alcohol cooks off completely during the process, you're left with all the flavour and none of the burn.
The Viral Moment
Vodka pasta exploded on social media when Gigi Hadid shared her recipe in 2020, and suddenly everyone was making it at home while restaurants around the world saw demand for the dish skyrocket. The viral version, with its heavy cream and mountains of parmesan, became the reference point for a whole generation of home cooks who had never tried the dish before. But that interpretation is only one way to make it, and in Italy, vodka pasta tends to be lighter and more balanced, letting the tomato and basil shine through rather than drowning them in dairy.
At 27 Old Compton Street, our Maccheroni Vodka follows the Italian approach rather than the Instagram one. Tomato, basil, and a little chilli for heat, with a touch of vodka to bring it all together and create that signature silky texture.
Vodka Pasta at 27 Old Compton Street
We're a family-run Italian restaurant in the heart of Soho, and our menu is built around the Tavola Calda tradition, which means we accept walk-ins, and the food comes out fast but delicious. The pasta is made fresh every day by our chefs, and the Maccheroni Vodka is one of the dishes our regulars keep craving and coming back for.
The restaurant is open until 1am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, which makes us one of the few places in Soho where you can get a proper plate of pasta after midnight when most kitchens have already closed. Whether you're coming for an early dinner, a mid-evening meal before a show, or a late-night bite after drinks, we'll have a table for you.
27 Old Compton Street sits right in the middle of Soho, and the atmosphere has that buzzy, relaxed energy that the area is known for. It's intimate enough for a date but casual enough that you can pop in on your own for a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine without feeling out of place.
Visit Us
If you're searching for vodka pasta in London, come and try our Maccheroni Vodka. Book a table or walk in and grab a seat.
27 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JS