London

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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



You may recall public outcry in Mayfair a few years ago when beloved local Italian eatery Babbo closed its doors. The owners swore the closure would only be temporary and at the end of 2024 they made good their promise to reopen, albeit in a new location &#8211; St John&#8217;s Wood in North London. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior2.jpg" alt="Babbo interior tables olive tree" class="wp-image-8232" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior2-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior2-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior2-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



It&#8217;s an all-day Italian dining affair, and a rather fine one at that. The modern, elegant trattoria has been raking in the plaudits for almost two months now, so it was high time to have a snoop around.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe">THE VIBE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCocktail.jpg" alt="Cocktail Babbo" class="wp-image-8239" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCocktail.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCocktail-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCocktail-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCocktail-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCocktail-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Babbo may claim to be founded around family traditions, but it doesn’t feel much like nonna’s kitchen (unless, of course, your nonna is a film star or a mafia boss). When we arrived at 8pm, there wasn’t a spare seat in the house and the whole dimly lit restaurant had an air of exclusivity about it, like we’d joined the secret club of Babbo initiates.



But it’d be fair to say it’s far from a secret. In fact, I overheard a group talking about Babbo in a pub in deepest darkest South London just two nights previously. The word is out, and it’s travelling fast.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Babbo interior" class="wp-image-8231" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboInterior1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As you enter, you pass the street-side heated terrace which seats up to 24 year-round (a perfect spot for some bijou people-watching). Inside, there are three sections &#8211; the main restaurant, a little bar area as you head towards the kitchen, and a snug semi-private lounge.



In short, it’s a suave, VIP vibe. The staff are generous and attentive, the decor&#8217;s carefully considered, and the food is very special indeed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</h2>



If you’ve been known to grate a little extra parmesan and surreptitiously hoover it up, then you’ll love the way things kick off here. We were shown to our table and immediately presented with a little bowl of parmesan blocks, straight off the wheel, to nibble on while we chose drinks. Salty, cheesy bliss, no subterfuge required.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCherryNegroni-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-8240" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCherryNegroni-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCherryNegroni-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCherryNegroni-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCherryNegroni-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboCherryNegroni-1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The nine ‘signature cocktails’ are the pride of the drinks menu, and the highlight of the round was the cherry negroni, a twist on the classic which incorporates cherry wine. The sweetness balances the bitterness without completely negating it – perfect for negroni wimps and die-hards alike.



But it’s the food that steals the show. The menu is a gripping read, and you’ll have some serious decisions to make – beef or veal carpaccio? Octopus with fava beans or the king prawn flambé? Will you resist the pull of the burrata?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboBurrata.jpg" alt="Babbo Burrata" class="wp-image-8229" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboBurrata.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboBurrata-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboBurrata-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboBurrata-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboBurrata-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



After some head-scratching, we went for the Babbo parmigiana (£14) and bluefin tuna tartare (£16) to start. The parmigiana was rich, tomato-ey and beautifully crispy on top, and the tuna’s zesty apple dressing was exactly sharp enough to feel like fine dining.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="794" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboTartare-794x1024.jpg" alt="Babbo Tartare" class="wp-image-8233" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboTartare-794x1024.jpg 794w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboTartare-233x300.jpg 233w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboTartare-768x990.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboTartare.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px" /></figure>



When it came to mains, there’s the choice of the primi (pasta) and risotto section (mostly £16-20, with a couple of lobster or truffle-based outliers) and the fish, meat and grill section. We both went for the latter, and there was one clear winner at our table: the sirloin steak.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboSteak.jpg" alt="Babbo Steak and Broccoli" class="wp-image-8248" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboSteak.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboSteak-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboSteak-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboSteak-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboSteak-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



So yes, it’ll set you back some £50, but hear me out – I have rarely (if you pardon the pun) tasted a better steak. Whatever they do to that 500g of lean sirloin in the kitchen, it comes out in tender slices with a gentle heat that just melt in the mouth. Sadly it was not me but my glamorous assistant who had the foresight to go for the steak, and even though my 12-hour slow-roasted ox cheek in a beef and red wine jus (£30) was a delight too, I did almost launch myself across the table at her plate.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboDessert-1024x683.jpg" alt="Babbo dessert ice cream and piccola pasticceria" class="wp-image-8241" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboDessert-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboDessert-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboDessert-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboDessert.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



We enjoyed our mains with a glass of Tuscan Caiarossa before finishing off with the piccola pasticceria (chef&#8217;s selection of Italian petit four including chocolate truffle, biscotti, hazelnut macaron) to share. Not my usual dessert order, but it went down a treat, and we wrapped things up with a little glass of limoncello. Happy as molluschi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about">OUT &amp; ABOUT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/stjohnswood.jpg" alt="Charles Street St Johns Wood" class="wp-image-8242" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/stjohnswood.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/stjohnswood-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/stjohnswood-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/stjohnswood-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/stjohnswood-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Instagram @aladyinlondon</figcaption></figure>



Been to St John’s Wood recently? It’s a little posh village oasis right next to Regent’s Park, walkable to Camden and perfectly connected on the Jubilee Line. There’s a range of designer and high street fashion retailers, premium skincare brands and luxury homeware stores – from big names like Joseph and Reiss, to rarer gems like Tara Jarmon and Shush London.



When you’re done shopping, take a stride around Regent’s Park, nip in to the zoo if you fancy, pay homage to the Abbey Road crossing, or just tuck yourself into Gail’s for a cinnamon roll. Oh, did I mention, there’s a choice of three Gail’s. Need I say more?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboFood.jpg" alt="Babbo food escalope pizza charcuterie mushrooms" class="wp-image-8230" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboFood.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboFood-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboFood-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboFood-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/BabboFood-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Good for: Any appreciator of La Dolce Vita. It’d be great for date night or catch-up with friends and, even though I haven’t yet seen it, I bet they do a mean brunch too.



Not for: If you’re headed there for dinner, I’d leave the kids with their nonna. You don&#8217;t want to break the sleek, suave vibe with tantrums plus the gastronomical subtleties might be a touch lost on them too. They’ll do just as well with your homemade spag bol.



The damage: With all the bells and whistles you’re looking at about £80 a head. It’s not cheap by any means, but you sure get your money’s worth.



<a href="https://babborestaurant.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Babbo</a>, 29-31 St John&#8217;s Wood High St, London NW8 7NH



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/Babbo1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Babbo frontage car in front of restaurant" class="wp-image-8228" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/Babbo1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/Babbo1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/Babbo1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/01/Babbo1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Words by: Joe Wald

Review: Babbo, St John’s Wood

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