Burro, a new Italian restaurant in Covent Garden, has been on my radar since before it opened, thanks to chef-owner Conor Gadd's track record. His first restaurant, Trullo in Islington, has been a top recommendation of mine for about 15 years, often suggested for birthdays, proposals, or impressing clients. While trends came and went, Trullo remained a proper, grown-up restaurant.
Now, Gadd brings some of that authority to a more touristy area, a few minutes from Covent Garden tube, off King Street in a hidden courtyard. Burro's menu leans elegant but hearty, with highlights like Venetian chicken liver pâté on bruschetta, fried artichoke with bottarga, and glossy focaccia. The primi include tagliarini with clams and strozzapreti with pork and chilli, while secondi feature whole lemon sole in prosecco sauce and a breadcrumbed veal milanese. Braised beef shin on polenta is pure comfort food.
Burro is big but not brash—an oasis of sanity in a postcode full of buskers and Guinness hats. The decor is elegant and serene, with real tablecloths and knowledgeable staff. The highlight is the fettuccine with duck and porcini ragu, a spin on Trullo's classic beef shin ragu, possibly one of the best dishes in this pasta-stuffed area.
Central London hardly needs more Italian restaurants, but Burro earns its place. The tiramisu comes in doughnut form: warm ricotta dough with sugar and blitzed ladyfingers on coffee cream with marsala—a delightful twist that marries Blackpool promenade with Bologna.
