Claygate Averna — Restaurant in Elmbridge

After a long, rewarding hike at Box Hill, we were seriously craving some comforting carbs—something warm, local, and Italian. Averna in Claygate hit the spot. It’s cosy, welcoming, and serves food full of heart and flavour.

Starter: Garlic Bread Packed with garlic flavour and beautifully crispy. If you have any leftovers (unlikely, but possible), save them. It makes a perfect dipper for the leftover lemon beurre blanc from the sea bass or even the oil from the carbonara. Game-changer.

Grilled Octopus Hard to describe… in a good way. It’s surprisingly balanced, featuring beans, olives, tomato, and chorizo, without any one element overpowering the others. The pepper isn’t spicy, just aromatic. A really well-rounded and thoughtful dish.

Main: Seared Fillet of Sea Bass Cooked perfectly with crispy skin and tender flesh. The veg and potatoes underneath soak up all that delicious fish oil, adding an extra layer of flavour. The lemon beurre balance sauce is bright and buttery, and if you dip your leftover garlic bread in it… You’re winning.

Spaghetto alla Carbonara Just yes. Creamy, salty, perfectly seasoned. Simple, classic, and comforting, exactly what you want after a hike.

Dessert: Traditional Tiramisu This is on par with the one I had near Seven Sisters, an accurate benchmark for me. Freshly made to order, light, and rich without being heavy. I don’t think I can enjoy another tiramisu in London unless it’s made fresh like this. Spoiled now.

Averna is a local gem that delivers classic Italian food done really well. Whether you're stopping by after exploring nature or want a reliably delicious meal, this spot deserves a visit. Warm vibes, solid flavours, and portions that...

Unfortunately I needed to go gluten free 3 months ago and in that time I haven't had great experiences of going out. I was so excited to hear that I could pretty much have anything on the menu, I had prawns to start, as did my hubby and it was wonderful as usual (we have visited many times pre my need to go gluten free). I then had a gluten free pizza which was amazing, I will definitely try their gluten free pasta next time and of course all of the meat dishes can be ensured to be gluten free. They have someone who is coeliac in the team which gave me the confidence that they knew what they were doing. I also found out that they have a great vegan menu, I'm not vegan myself but thought it might interest others. I asked Mario what desserts were "safe" and he came back with an amazing mango sorbet, served beautifully in a martini glass with fresh fruits. My family had a great night and enjoyed the fresh homemade bread, stunning pastas and desserts. It is absolutely a family favourite of ours and most importantly for me no adverse reactions, they know what...

First visit which is criminal as I've lived in the area for 4+ years. A great atmosphere, welcoming and I guess you may say "very Italian"! And that is, a great atmosphere, welcoming and warm, with some really very good food indeed.

It's a fairly lively restaurant hence the atmosphere, but the staff never forget why they're there - to be accommodating, appropriately attentive, and for all the vibrancy, they provided just the right level of service, never missing a beat. If you want a pause between courses, then no problem - you're not rushed in and out at all (I don't get the odd comment on here about that!).

We didn't go for pizza as although I'm sure its great, as there's a lot more to Italian food. We had a few of the mini starters to share, all of which were great, with sea bass and the lobster spaghetti for our mains.And really don't skip the starters - Buratta, Bruchetta, Chorizo... we could've had a whole load more frankly!

I can't recommend it highly enough and definitely be...