Bacco Restaurant

A veteran Italian restaurant in Richmond, easily reached from the station and not far from the botanic gardens north along Kew Road, Bacco offers an escape to Italy with few rivals in the greater London area. Bacco Restaurant has been run by the same family for fifteen years, and is considered a fixture in the neighbourhood for its attention to detail when it comes to translating age-old family recipes into handmade Italian pasta, focaccia and desserts. Maintaining close contacts with the bel paese, Bacco also boasts a wine list that divides its time between small regional producers and famous vineyards. Complete with a covered terrace and private dining area, Bacco is ideal for casual Italian dining or your next celebration.

Bacco Restaurant is about as authentic, family-run trattoria as one can expect in London. Richmond is far from the Mediterranean, but the good folks at Bacco offer a fantastic alternative to an actual journey in the form of fine food and drink. Sample some exceptional wines sourced from boutique wineries scattered throughout regional Italy, paired with equally exceptional dishes presented to diners on a classically-structured menu. Dining as a couple? Go for the salumi Italiani charcuterie and grilled vegetables sharing platter to start, the divine seared scallops wrapped in pancetta and served with a red beetroot puree, or the real show-stealer starter in terms of regional Italian fare that comes in the form of beef carpaccio with French beans, pine nuts, Sardinian pecorino cheese and a truffle dressing.

Pasta dishes at Bacco are generous enough to be considered for a main course, if you can’t be tempted by the fish and meat mains on offer. All are homemade, with highlights including the tagliolini with shaved black truffle in a crispy parmesan basket and the tagliatelle heaped with a Tuscan white veal ragout and truffle oil. Regulars to this Richmond Italian restaurant often opt for the daily grilled fish platter served with aromatic extra virgin olive oil – some of the freshest seafood in London, the roasted guinea fowl or the pistachio-crusted rump of Welsh lamb with a creamy mushroom and cherry tomato confit. Plus, if you’re after a host for a private dining event, you can’t go wrong with Bacco’s 27-seater Vinoteca area, one of the highlights of the restaurant’s gorgeously-appointed Kew Road premises.