ALFI Italian Restaurant Spitalfields Market

A vibrant atmosphere, friendly service and the smoothest chocolate mousse you’ve tasted. What more could you want from lunch in East London?

Located in the heart of Spitalfields Market, ALFI has been serving its contemporary Neapolitan pizzas since December 2023, and it’s easy to see why it appeals to local professionals, families and groups of friends alike. Approaching the restaurant through the market, the open kitchen is the focal point of the terrace, with pizzas being prepared and cooked in full view of diners and passers-by. The atmosphere is laid-back and sociable, with a menu centred around Italian favourites and most importantly, pizza.

Given it’s their speciality, the pizza is the obvious place to start. ALFI uses dough with 80% hydration which, put simply, means it contains a LOT of water relative to the quantity of dry ingredients. Combine this with the fact that the dough is given 36 hours to develop before being baked, and the result is a light and tasty pizza that is devoured all too quickly. For those who prefer more sauce than cheese on a pizza, ALFI absolutely delivers. There’s a generosity to the tomato base without the toppings becoming too heavy and the airiness of the dough makes the pizzas surprisingly easy to digest.

Whilst pizza is very much at the heart of ALFI’s offering, it’s by no means the only reason to visit. The menu also includes a selection of sharers, grills and pasta dishes all following the same uncomplicated approach. The tenderstem broccoli and stracciatella deserves a particular mention: the broccoli’s distinctive charred flavour harmoniously balanced by the cool creaminess of the stracciatella. It’s simple Italian food, well-presented and designed in a way that lends itself naturally to ordering a few dishes for the table.

We also shared the ox cheek ragu with pappardelle and bone marrow panko. The ragu had a rich, deep flavour to be expected from a slow-cooked meat sauce, while the scattered bone marrow panko brought crunch to an otherwise soft dish.

And then there’s pudding. The sorbets were refreshing, sharp and ideal after pizza but the chocolate mousse completely stole the show. The word I would use to describe it is complete. This isn’t simply a bowl of airy chocolate. The mousse itself is creamy, smooth and rich but not so rich that finishing it becomes a challenge. Think less airy mousse, more whipped, silky mountain of soft milk chocolate.

What really makes it though, are the accompaniments. Hazelnuts add crunch, cherries bring a little sourness and the pièce de résistance, flakes of sea salt sprinkled over the top intensify the chocolate flavour. It is clear a lot of thought (and likely plenty of taste tests!) have gone into getting this pudding just right. Add a little raspberry sorbet to the same mouthful for an extra hit of tartness and it becomes something extra special.

The same attention to detail carries through to the drinks menu. On the reverse of the main menu, you’ll find an impressive list of Italian wines, with the region each originates from clearly highlighted around a map of Italy. It’s a small detail but one I really appreciated; rather than simply presenting a long list of bottles, it provides a little more understanding of what you’re drinking and where it has come from. The cocktails are equally appealing: colourful and beautifully presented and very much in keeping with the fun, sociable feel of ALFI.

And that sense of fun becomes even more apparent when you look beyond the table. Its Spitalfields location naturally attracts local professionals, but the family-friendly food and relaxed environment of ALFI mean families and groups of friends feel equally at home. The outside terrace adds another element entirely, with a photo booth, table tennis table and pool table providing entertainment for older and younger generations alike. It brings a quirky, fun feel to the space and would also make ALFI an ideal option for a relaxed work social or team event.

The restaurant has taken that sociable side a step further with a programme of activities and events. Pasta-making workshops offer the opportunity to join ALFI’s ‘Pasta Club’, where the Italian team guides guests through making two different pasta shapes, while Paint & Sip events can either be booked privately or enjoyed as part of one of the regular group classes. Rather than feeling like extras bolted onto the restaurant, they make sense here. ALFI clearly wants to be somewhere people come to spend time, rather than simply eat and leave.

ALFI is a restaurant that fits its Spitalfields setting particularly well: lively without being overwhelming, relaxed without feeling overly casual and with food that is both accessible and full of flavour. Yes, the pizza is light, tasty and worthy of being the restaurant’s speciality but there’s more personality here than simply another pizza restaurant in London. The Italian wine list, sharing dishes, games, events and relaxed atmosphere all contribute to somewhere that feels genuinely sociable and fun. Come for the pizza, challenge someone to a game of pool or table tennis, and whatever you do, leave room for the chocolate mousse.

The Details

ALFI Italian Restaurant Spitalfields Market, 3 Crispin Place, London, E1 6DW, England.

Website: www.alfi.ltd

Email: spitalfields@alfi.ltd

The closest underground stations are Liverpool Street Station, Shoreditch High Street and Aldgate East, which are all within 10 minutes’ walk of the restaurant. ALFI is open Tuesday to Friday from midday to 11:00pm, Saturday from 11:30am to 11:00pm and Sunday from 11:30am to 6:00pm. It is closed on Mondays.

Type of Restaurant: Independent Italian Bar & Restaurant

Price Band: Medium

Insider Tip: Order the chocolate mousse for pudding!

Reviewer’s Rating: 8/10

Author Bio:

Sam Mead is a freelance writer and entrepreneur specialising in family travel and memorable food experiences, seeking out destinations, hotels and restaurants shaped by personality, story and a meaningful sense of place.

Photographs courtesy of ALFI