Thursday 23 October 2008

Gluten-free pizza, pasta, gnocchi, garlic bread...

So after a recommendation from Rochelle (thank you, Rochelle!), some friends and I visited Italian restaurant Cotto on Westminster Bridge Road for dinner on Tuesday night. As I'd read in many reviews, the welcome was as warm as you could hope for in a restaurant and I felt transported back to when I lived in Florence. It is a family-run, small Italian restaurant that has good food at its heart - and boy, is it good! The owner (who is originally from Naples but has lived in London for years) has been Coeliac for 20 years so he totally understand allergies and there are more g-f things on the menu than I've found anywhere else so far!
I had a pizza, which, although it was a bought base - so smaller and thicker than homemade, it was just so nice to be able to have a pizza in a restaurant and not worry about it! The toppings were delicious and it was such a treat. The non-g-f pizzas looked amazing too. Two friends had gnocchi which they said was absolutely delicious (and they're fairly picky about their Italian food, believe me!) and the other had crespolini (which weren't gluten-free) which were also winning apparently.
For pudding I had tartufo nero which was again, brilliant - and amazing to have more choice than just plain ice cream or sorbet.
Next time (it will be in the very near future, definitely!), I'm definitely going to give either the gnocchi or pasta a go - and try some of the g-f bread they offer too. It really is a lovely place and everyone there was so lovely. I couldn't recommend it more. Plus, if you're visiting, it's really near things like the London Aquarium etc so a great place to pop in and have some g-f, warming lunch.

9 comments:

Mike Eberhart said...

Too bad I missed that restaurant while in London last year. Sounds great! Next time (if/when I get over there), I will make it a point to stop there.

Sue said...

Hi Lizzie,

I have been to Cotto's twice now whilst visiting London. The pasta is great - haven't tried the pizza yet. Unfortunately, when I have been there hasn't been any gf desserts left - only ice-cream. Hope there is a dessert next time (might not be til next year though) What sort of tart is that which you had?

Nutritious and Delicious said...

Hi Sue,

Tartufo Nero is a frozen dessert of zabaione covered in chocolate ice cream, so it's not a tart unfortunately... Was very good though, and it has a spongy consistency so is quite like having a normal pudding!

Lizzie

Sheona (Drossa) said...

Hi Lizzie,

Just come across this board and your postings.
The BBC Good Food Show will take place at London's Olympia from Friday 14th November until Sunday 16th. For the very first time ever there will be a GLUTEN FREE... and Delicious Section with 11 companies offering a really wide range of gluten free and delicious foods from more than 10 countries - including Italian Gnocchi, Award Winning gf Pizza Mixes, Sauces, Pestos, Pastas, Pickles and much, much more.
If you are thinking of coming to the show there is a special reduced rate available for Coeliacs and their families (contact your local Coeliac UK group for the code number). Additionally, if you use a specific link to go to the on-line booking page Coeliac UK will receive £1 for each ticket purchased (this refers to a specific link only).
Hope that you may visit us at the show.
Sheona (Drossa)

Daniel said...

GF Italian restaurant and pizzeria!
Dear all,
Me and my girlfriend are italians, and my gf is GF(GLUTEN FREE!)
We discovered a great gluten free italian restaurant, where the food is amazing. They do GF pasta, amazing GF PIzza and delicious GF desserts.
We had a birthday party there and you could hardly tell the difference between GF food and not...
The only downside is that it's in Kingston upon thames, but you can take a chance for a nice sunday in kingston (which is a nice centre) for some xmas shopping and then pop in.
Staff is very friendly too!
So the place is called BRuschetta
http://www.thomsonlocal.com/Bruschetta-Restaurant/0342708400206489000/map/companyinfo.html
try it to believe it!

Nutritious and Delicious said...

Hi Daniel,

Thanks so much for posting about Bruschetta - it sounds great! Will definitely have to make a trip to Kingston to try it out...

Lizzie

Alexander QuiƱones said...

Awesome. This is on the way to work!

Unknown said...

thanks to you fab blog i went there today for lunch! best food ive evr had in my life! the gnocchi was amazing! im still thinking about it! i think im going back tomorrow for dinner!!!
thank you!!!

Nutritious and Delicious said...

Hi Carissa,

Am SO glad that you enjoyed Cotto - it's brilliant, isn't it?!

Enjoy your second experience there!

Lizzie