Pumpkin ravioli, black squid ink pasta and Negronis in a corner of 1960s Sicily on Old Compton Street
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and 27 Old Compton Street is open until 1am that night. Our small pasta bar is styled after 1960s Sicily, with an open kitchen upstairs where fresh pasta is cooked the minute you order it. That makes it a short trip to Italy in the middle of the busiest night in Soho. Come in for a plate of pasta before the party, or drop in later when you want something hot and fresh to keep the night going.
Pumpkin ravioli for Halloween in London
Pumpkin is the taste of Halloween, and our pumpkin ravioli is the dish to order on the night. Fresh pasta parcels filled with sweet pumpkin come in a buttery sage sauce with a touch of amaretto, an almond liqueur that brings out the sweetness of the filling. It is warming on a cold October evening and filling enough to set you up before you head out to celebrate. Pumpkin ravioli is a speciality of northern Italy, where it is often finished with sage and butter in the same way.
How Sicily celebrates the end of October
In Italy, the bigger celebrations come in the days after Halloween. The 1st of November is Ognissanti, or All Saints' Day, which is a national holiday. The 2nd is the Giorno dei Morti, the day of the dead, when families remember relatives who have passed away.
Sicily gives the tradition a sweeter side. Children are told that departed relatives leave them presents overnight, and bakeries fill their windows with frutta martorana, which is marzipan shaped and painted to look like real fruit. Next to them sit crunchy biscuits called ossa dei morti, meaning bones of the dead. With our 1960s Sicilian styling, 27 is a fitting place to raise a glass to all of it on Halloween night.
Black squid ink pasta and autumn risotto
The black squid ink lobster ravioli is the most striking plate we serve, jet-black pasta filled with lobster meat in a rich tomato and basil sauce. It looks as if it was made for Halloween. For something earthier, the porcini and truffle risotto tastes of autumn in every mouthful.
We work as a tavola calda, which means hot table in Italian. Each plate is made fresh to order and brought to you fast, so it reaches the table hot. The full menu has the rest of our pasta, plus the sweet gnocchi filled with pistachio paste for dessert.
Negronis and spritzes for a Halloween night
Our drinks list is Italian from top to bottom. For pre-drinks before you go out, a Negroni is the natural Halloween order, deep red and pleasantly bitter. The Aperol Spritz is a lighter choice if the night is going to run late. There are alcohol-free versions of our cocktails too, along with an all-Italian wine list to go with the pasta. Have a look at our cocktails before you come in.
What to do in London on Halloween, from a Soho pasta bar
Soho is one of the busiest parts of London on Halloween, with costume parties, late bars and the West End theatres all a few minutes from our door. A table for two runs for up to an hour, so you can eat before a show or a party and still arrive on time. We stay open until 1am on Saturdays, which also makes 27 the place for a late plate of pasta on the way home. Walk-ins are welcome all night.
Finding 27 Old Compton Street
You will find us on Old Compton Street in the middle of Soho, a short walk from Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road. Saturday 31 October will be busy, so for an evening table at a set time, book through our book a table page. Full directions are on our locations page.
