Hidden in the heart of Soho, on Old Compton Street, Rustiko is an independently owned Italian restaurant and bar. Offering a range of delicious food and cocktails, combined with a blues playlist, it’s a welcome change from many Soho venues.
The all-day menu makes use of seasonal produce and includes weekly specials and regular changes to the menu. Rustiko focuses on classic Italian dishes, including pizzas, pasta and gnocchi, and does it well!
To start we had the Garlic Chilli Shrimp and Rustiko Bruschetta. The shrimp were deep-fried with chilli flakes, garlic and parsley and served with a green mayonnaise. Our waiter recommended eating the shrimp shell on which, after our initial squeamishness, was indeed delicious! The bruschetta was topped with a spicy pork pâté and roasted peppers. The pâté had a beautiful deep flavour and made a nice alternative to the usual bruschetta on offer in Italian restaurants.
Our mains proved a tough choice but we eventually opted for the Grilled Calamari, served with wilted leek, chorizo and a paprika vinaigrette, and the Prawn Linguine, with garlic, chilli and asparagus. Both were delicious, packed with flavour, the sort of food you hope to get in an Italian. The calamari, in particular, was great, it was perfectly cooked and complemented by the leek and chorizo, a combination we hadn’t really seen before!
To finish we had to try the classic – a tiramisu! Light and creamy, it was the perfect end to our meal.
Their new basement bar, The Shed, just opened in April offering a range of cocktails, Italian wines and Prosecco so we recommend you get down to Old Compton Street before everyone finds out about it and you can’t get a table!
THIS RESTAURANT HAS NOW PERMANENTLY CLOSED.
