Emilia's Crafted Pasta (Canary Wharf) — Restaurant in London

There’s a certain romance and comfort one hopes for when stepping into a pasta restaurant—especially one perched on the glossy, freshly scrubbed banks of Wood Wharf. Emilia’s, with its quaint branding and promises of "authentic Italian comfort," should have delivered a warm, flavor-rich hug in a bowl. Instead, what we received was something closer to a shrug.

The interior, much like the food, is painfully utilitarian. Wooden benches, bare tables, and a playlist that sounds as though it was lifted from a discount retail store in Naples—circa 2012—do little to conjure any semblance of ambience. For a venue with waterfront aspirations, Emilia’s feels oddly landlocked, culturally and culinarily.

We sampled generously—three pasta dishes, two antipasti, and a pair of desserts—each offering a new take on disappointment. The Truffle Cacio e Pepe was sadly reminiscent of a creamy instant pasta packet left too long in the microwave. The Beef Shin Ragu came with a whisper of meat and a shout of salt. The Pesto Genovese, arguably the safest bet, was disarmingly bland. The antipasti lacked brightness, the burrata felt like it had been sulking in the fridge for hours, and the desserts—one tiramisu, one panna cotta—might just as well have been peeled from supermarket packaging.

In a city brimming with casual pasta spots vying for authenticity and elegance, Emilia’s feels like a missed opportunity. It's the kind of restaurant where you begin to wonder if the marketing team has outpaced the kitchen by several kilometers.

Two stars—one for effort, another for the location. But unless you're desperately carb-deprived and nowhere near a Waitrose, you'd be better off...

Dear Email’s Craft Pasta Team,

I wanted to take a moment to share my absolutely sensational experience at your establishment. From start to finish, everything about my visit was a culinary and service masterpiece.

First, let me rave about the carbonara—it was simply divine. The pasta was cooked to perfection, with a rich, velvety sauce that balanced creaminess and saltiness so harmoniously it was almost poetic. Every bite was like a warm embrace of authentic Italian flavors, leaving me completely speechless.

And then came the tiramisu—oh, where do I even begin? Each layer melted in my mouth, with the perfect hint of espresso and a creaminess that felt like pure indulgence. It was the kind of dessert that lingers in your memory, a dessert you measure all others against.

As incredible as the food was, it was the service that truly elevated the evening. Barbara Peter, and Maya provided a level of care and attention that was nothing short of extraordinary. They were warm, welcoming, and so wonderfully intuitive. Their passion for hospitality was evident in every detail—they anticipated every need before it arose, engaged with us in such a genuine and delightful manner, and made us feel like the most special guests in the world.

Email’s Craft Pasta isn’t just a restaurant; it’s an experience. I left not only with a satisfied appetite but with the kind of joy that comes from being treated to something truly extraordinary. Thank you for creating such a magical evening—I cannot...

Couldn’t book online so walked in for a table of three. Waiter said we could only have the table for 6-7:20. Perfect for us as we had ice skating at 7:15 and intended to leave within the hour. 10 minutes in and we ordered our drinks and then food. Ordered one starter which came fine. Then it all went downhill. Our mains did not arrive after waiting for 40 minutes, which is pretty much unacceptable at this rate. Asked several waiters and one had the cheek to say that she had just spoke to the chefs and they were getting it ready. This was a lie! We called down another waiter at 7pm at this point - an hour later, and he spoke to the chef and came back. Told us there was a mix up and our food would be ready within 5 minutes. I told him we were supposed to leave now for ice skating and he gave our mains for free. To be honest, it’s not the money at all but if it was, our entire meal should have been free for making us wait more than an hour for our food. The mains actually came 10 minutes later and as soon as it came we had to ask for the bill to leave. Such a a waste of time. Staff are inefficient and slow. Very slow and do not acknowledge you. It’s such a shame that great food is tarnished by its people serving it. I do not recommend the chefs working there as they are clearly incompetent and incapable or making three pastas within one...