Dining
Every Big Mamma Restaurant in London, Ranked
All six Big Mamma restaurants in London, ranked by food, room and how hard each one actually is to get into.
In short: our top picks are Circolo Popolare, Gloria and Ave Mario. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Big Mamma built its name on maximalist Italian dining rooms, giant pasta stations and a booking system that tests your patience before you have even sat down. Six restaurants now carry the name in London, and they are not interchangeable: some are genuinely strong value, others are mostly about the spectacle. This is where each one actually lands, caveats included.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Circolo Popolare | Fitzrovia | £££ |
| Gloria | Shoreditch | £££ |
| Ave Mario | Covent Garden | £££ |
| Jacuzzi | Kensington | £££ |
| Carlotta | Marylebone | £££ |
| Barbarella | Canary Wharf | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Circolo Popolare
Why we pick itThe busiest and best value of the six, with a genuinely high hit rate on the pasta and pizza, though the room is loud enough that conversation across the table becomes a shout.
Worth knowingDishes arrive lukewarm or oversalted on the busiest nights, and with no bookings for most tables the wait can run past an hour.
Italian
-
Gloria
Why we pick itThe frescoed, greenhouse style dining room is still the most photogenic of the group and the cooking backs it up, but it is one of the hardest tables in London to get on short notice.
Italian
-
Ave Mario
Why we pick itDeliberately over the top, all disco balls and painted ceilings, and the food plays second fiddle to the theatre; better for a birthday or a big group than a quiet dinner for two.
Italian
-
Jacuzzi
Why we pick itFour floors and a retractable roof terrace make this the most dramatic setting outside central London, though the location means it is a planned trip rather than a passing drop in.
Italian
-
Carlotta
Why we pick itA quieter, more grown up register than the rest of the group, built around seafood and a vodka pasta with real fans, though some regulars miss the noise and spectacle that make Big Mamma worth the wait elsewhere.
Italian-American
-
Barbarella
Why we pick itThe newest arrival, a 1970s inspired room with the group's biggest cocktail list, but it landed in a corporate district that empties out once the working week ends.
Italian
Before you book
Book through the Big Mamma app roughly a month ahead for weekend dinners, or turn up right at opening for a walk in table; most branches hold back a handful of seats for people willing to queue.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Circolo Popolare is our editor's choice: The busiest and best value of the six, with a genuinely high hit rate on the pasta and pizza, though the room is loud enough that conversation across the table becomes a shout. Circolo Popolare, Gloria and Ave Mario lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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