A little taste of Italy, right in Soho
Step through the door at 27 Old Compton Street and the room takes hold of you straight away, with its 1960s Sicilian styling, the open kitchen turning out fresh pasta and the warm hum of an Italian dining room in full swing. For Father's Day on Sunday 21 June, it offers something close to a day trip to Italy without ever leaving Soho. For a dad who loves Italian food, or has a soft spot for the country itself, an afternoon here is a small escape dressed up as lunch. It is an intimate restaurant and one of our busiest Sundays, so a table is one to book ahead.
A room that feels like southern Italy
The whole place is built to carry you somewhere else. The styling nods to 1960s Sicily, all warm colour and vintage detail, the open kitchen sits at the centre of it all, and the sound and smell of pasta cooked to order fills the air around you. It is the sort of setting that makes an ordinary Sunday feel like a holiday, and it gives Father's Day a backdrop with real character rather than a standard table for the occasion.
Fresh pasta, made to order
27 takes its cue from the Italian tavola calda, a hot table where fresh pasta is cooked to order rather than left sitting and waiting, so every plate reaches you at its best. The bucatini cacio e pepe is cheese and pepper done beautifully, the mafalda with beef ragu is rich and slow-cooked, and the black squid ink lobster ravioli is the one that turns heads as it crosses the room. Save space for the sweet gnocchi filled with pistachio paste, warm and made to share at the end. There is more to discover across the full menu, with fresh pasta running right through it, so Dad can pick the plate that tempts him most.
A Soho stop that feels like a trip away
Tucked along Old Compton Street, 27 sits right in the heart of Soho, which makes it easy to fold into a fuller day in town. The compact size is part of its charm, close and full of atmosphere, the sort of room where a family celebration feels personal rather than lost in a crowd. Come for lunch and the rest of the neighbourhood is waiting on the doorstep for afterwards.
Book ahead, the room is small
27 is an intimate restaurant and Sunday 21 June fills up fast, so booking is the way to be sure of a table for the family. Reserve your Father's Day spot ahead and give Dad a little taste of Italy in the middle of Soho, no flights required.
