Historical version 1 of Wildwood Kitchen, WC2H 8JB (view current version)

  • 020 7379 0198
  • 184 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 8JB
  • @WWKitchenUK
  • Mon-Sat: noon-11pm, Sun: noon-10.30pm

Small, relaxed Italian restaurant just north of Seven Dials in Covent Garden, serving pizzas, pasta and grills.

Situated between Shaftesbury Avenue and Monmouth Street, the restaurant has windows on both sides, giving the small space a roomier feel. The decor is a bit incoherent: upstairs there are framed prints of Damien Hirst's Last Supper, while in the toilets the walls have been covered with playbills from a 1929 issue of Stage magazine.

Kat visited with her parents on a Tuesday evening in March 2016. We'd booked a table online (no confirmation phone call), and most of the tables were occupied when we arrived at 7pm.

The food was pretty good (and generously-portioned) for the price: spaghetti carbonara was the right ratio of salty/stodgy. Lamb rump with gnocchi was great - tender and well seasoned. The spicy calzone wasn't particularly spicy, but otherwise fine. Tiramisu was light and fluffy (perhaps not quite as boozy as Kat likes it), banoffee cheesecake went down well too.

The bill came to £80 for three, including several drinks, but excluding service (there was an option to add this on the card machine). Staff were friendly and efficient, and were happy to check the fridge for non-alcoholic beer (they had some - Becks Blue).

Kat's verdict: nothing earth-shattering, but a decent mid-priced option for an after-work dinner - I'd happily return.

Accessibility: toilets are down a flight of stairs, with a handrail on one side and a turn at the bottom.

Last visited by Kat, March 2016. Opening hours taken from the website.
This is version 1 (as of 2016-03-23 13:30:59). View current version.