64 Old Compton Street opens its doors in Soho, London

New Soho restaurant, 64 Old Compton Street

Italian restaurant 40 Dean Street is a Soho institution, having been family-run for the last 20 years. Now, owner Nima Safei – himself a much-loved local legend – has opened a new sister restaurant just a two-minute walk away. Here’s everything you need to know about 64 Old Compton Street.

Having only opened its doors in July this year, 64 Old Compton Street – like its famous sibling – transports diners to the heart of Italy with its thoughtfully crafted, purse-friendly dishes.

That being said though, each restaurant has its own very distinct personality, which Nima draws light on: “40 is the urbane older brother who’s been around for a while and knows where the party’s at, while 64 is the cool little sister who’s new on the scene but intends to make her presence felt. I hope people will love them equally!”

Guests are greeted with a bold red exterior design that hints at the mischief within. Making your presence known in an area as buzzing as Old Compton Street is no easy feat, but it’s something 64 has achieved already in a very short space of time.

The dining room, with its dark blue hues and antiques, half hidden from view by a café curtain, is intimate and a little decadent, rather like Soho itself. After all, imitation is a form of flattery, as they say!

The star attraction here, however, is of course the food. And as it should be when it comes to Italian cuisine. The menu is divided into three sections: cold, fritti and baked; pizzas and salads; and pasta, risotto and oven.

The restaurant, which is experiencing fully booked evenings already, has noticed favourites among the locals and visitors. The rich and indulgent pappardelle beef ragu is an Italian classic, and the dish here is full of flavour and nostalgia. This is elite comfort food.

The other pasta dish we can’t recommend highly enough is the classic spaghetti carbonara. For a savoury lover, this is a perfectly balanced dish between the saltiness of the pancetta and the silky texture given the pasta from the egg yolk.

Diners are also loving the creamy spinach ravioli with ricotta truffle and mushrooms, as well as the indulgent white pizza with wild mushroom and truffle.

For starters, we’d recommend the pork and beef meatballs which come in a rich tomato and basil sauce, with some focaccia to round it off.

This gorgeous fare is complemented by an equally carefully curated cocktail collection, featuring both in-house creations such as Refuel Martini – a beguiling blend of watermelon juice, sugar syrup and Stolichnaya – as well as all the classics. A concise but mighty wine list, meanwhile, focuses primarily on Italian vintages.

Less than two months old at the time of writing but already making a name for itself, 64 Old Compton Street is an address-cum-dining destination you won’t forget in a hurry.

Welcome to the neighbourhood little sister!

Find out more