Vapiano — Restaurant in London

Vapiano’s- a fast casual restaurant chain honing in on classic Italian dishes putting a modern twist of customisation as its selling point.

First time coming to any Vapiano’s establishment and had high expectations. Did make a reservation however it was not needed as we were able to sit straight down at a table of our choosing.

In terms of seating not what I expected, some nice high tables that you see at fast causal restaurants however where we sat there was a more laid back sort of lounge area. Whilst it didn’t feel out of place it can catch some off guard if you have never been to Vapiano’s or at least to this one. Anyways onto the food:

My order: Gamberetti e Spinaci Tagliatelle with a free portion of Parmesan cheese (14.95) & Tiramisu Cheesecake (£6.35)= £21.30 however came to £17.52 due to student discount (20% off)

Garlic Bread: was pretty good, if you go wrong with this then there’s something wrong with your establishment.

Gamberetti e Spinaci Tagliatelle: creamy, pasta goodness. My gosh what a dish. The tagliatelle (pasta I chose) works so well with the pesto and cream sauce and the prawns. It really ads depth and flavour to the dish. I didn’t want it too spicy because sometimes it can throw off the enjoyability and balance of the flavours. It got the ‘Italian-ness’ of this dish right- simple yet beautiful depth and quality of the dish.

Downside: the portion was not big enough for myself personally, for 14.95 whilst the quality is up there, it’s very steep for the portion size.

Additionally the spice could have been more infused with the cream sauce or prawns than just sitting at the bottom of the dish. You can’t have a really delightful bite of pasta and then an un sudden heat comes, ruins the flavours dancing on the mouth.

Tiramisu Cheesecake: ordered this due to being a teetotaller but still wanted to try the classic Tiramisu elements for the first time. Very small portion for over £6- again the quality was good but shortfalls for the size, it was a skinny slice of dessert, it has to be better the portion sizing of Vapiano’s.

The actual taste: off putting aftertaste and very strong coffee taste and as someone who doesn’t like coffee, this is a warning for people like me, if you don’t like coffee, you won’t like this. Even though the balance was really off, strong coffee and not enough of that ‘cheesecake’ came through and so left a very bitter taste on the tongue, having to drink water to wash it off. I love desserts and want the flavours to leave a party on my tongue but this didn’t happen.

Very disappointing and won’t be getting this again at Vapiano’s. I don’t know if it’s just this establishment or if it’s a brand recipe but needs to be better at balancing the flavours and making it a bit sweeter to counter such bitterness. Still finished it because I paid for it but yeah not the best dessert experience.

Overall experience: Service: very minimal only brought food to our table so cannot rate it higher than a 3 star. If you are gonna have guests order from their phones make staff more engaging to check on them as you lose that initial service element when servers go to tables to take orders

Atmosphere: whilst I love the open kitchen, hearing the clanging of pots isn’t nice and can be disruptive in conversations. Also there seemed to be a lot of smoke so whilst open kitchens can be tasteful just seemed at least on this visit was a bit off putting. Also would have loved a more ‘Italian’ experience, some Italian music in the background, not enough to just have the modern interior with pasta and Italian flags. Going with a friend does make the visit a lot better and we did have a very good chat even after we finished eating.

Vapiano Great Portland Street makes its mark as a leader in fast causal Italian restaurant. Gamberetti e Spinaci is expertly made however portion size to price does need some reworking. If there could be more unique service/atmosphere it would take the chain to newer heights.

Will go to more Vapiano restaurants! If you want a modern twist on...

Hadn’t been to Vapi’s for ages and it was an awesome treat to be able to revisit a place that brought my my university experience memories back to life. The restaurant was buzzing and since covid it is now a table service whereas usually you queue up where the chefs would be making your food live infront of you, you couldn’t ask for Italian any fresher than this honestly!!!! My friend only eats halal meat so we had to double check it was and we had a lovely waiter come over and serve us his name was Saidi I hope l got that right but he was so patient and understanding and he helped us make our ordering experience very enjoyable. It was my colleagues first experience snd it nearly went south as her starter the cheesy garlic bread went well, it was ace but her main came slightly undercooked to begin with and l thought oh no she wasn’t going to love it as much as I did. They swiftly came over and took the meal back and brought over a fresh new serving for her. One of the ladies that took the food she wasn’t as warm as our main waiter but he did come back to rescue the day as they hadn’t given her Parmesan in her new serving which he ran over to do and we hadn’t been given our bread to go with my serving and he swiftly went and sorted that out too. I know I’ve remembered his name wrong but as a waiter he showed he was passionate about ensuring the customer experience is fulfilling and is an absolutely credit to the branch at Great Portland as it’s not everyone in retail who actually makes you feel their passion and care for you as a customer. My dish was luscious as l always have remembered it to be l always go for the Gambretti Spinachi with spaghetti and extra serving of prawns always and extra cream. I have never to this day tasted anything as good as Vapianos pasta and I am generally not a pasta fan at all. We had ours with a coke and Diet Coke with lemon each and by the time we finished l had to carry take away which they give you the signature Vapianos red and white container we couldn’t move honestly coz we were so full. By the time we left it was hectic and busy with a queue outside for people waiting to come in. Everyone needs to try Vapianos without a shadow of a doubt and if you like spinach and prawns you have to got to try...

Italian Comfort Food with a Twist (London)

We recently visited Vapiano, an Italian restaurant in London that serves handmade pasta, pizza, and a wide range of Italian dishes. The place is spacious and has a welcoming vibe. No reservation was needed, and even on a busy evening, we got a table without any wait.

🍽️ Starters (Antipasti)

We began with: • Cheesy Garlic Bread – Honestly, this one didn’t live up to expectations. It lacked the rich, cheesy punch we were hoping for. • These were a pleasant surprise. The dough was soft and fresh, and the dip that came with it was flavorful and unique.

🍝 Pasta

We skipped pizza and instead ordered three pasta dishes for five people. The portion sizes, especially the large ones, were generous enough to share. Marry Me Chicken Pasta – ⭐ Highly Recommended! This dish stood out with a perfect balance of spice and creaminess. Bold flavors, well-seasoned, and comforting. Chicken Alfredo – Decent, but slightly underwhelming compared to the Marry Me Chicken. It wasn’t as creamy, but still tasty overall. Pesto Basil (Veg) – This was a bit dry initially, but when we asked for extra sauce, they happily obliged—and that made a big difference. Great service here!

🍰 Dessert

The dessert menu was limited during our visit. We were hoping for tiramisu, but it was sold out. We settled on: • Cheesecake – Creamy and well-made. A nice end to the meal. • They also had brownies, but we didn’t try those.

🍹 Drinks

We tried: • Mojitos • Peach-based mocktails • And a few other refreshing drinks. Everything was good and complemented the food nicely.

💡 Customisation Is Key

One of the highlights of Fappiano is how flexible the menu is: • You can customise your pasta from scratch—choose the type of pasta, sauce, veggies, and proteins. • This “build your own pasta” approach is perfect for people who like their food made exactly their way.

It is a great place for anyone craving Italian food with bold flavors and customisable options. While it might not be 100% traditional Italian, it’s definitely a hit for those who enjoy fusion-style Italian—especially Indian food lovers looking for that spicy, creamy comfort food twist.

✅ Spacious ✅ No reservation needed ✅ Friendly staff ✅...