Vapiano London Review
If you combine the convenience of a takeaway, with the quality, atmosphere and satisfaction of a top Italian restaurant – the result is Vapiano. This innovative addition to Great Portland Street, which arrived in May 2008, gives the customer complete control over their dining experience. Theatre-goers will benefit from the speedy service; shoppers can find respite after a day’s spending at nearby Oxford Street, and couples wanting a long, relaxed evening, will be pleased at the no-rush feel.
Vapiano works on a card system; whereby each customer is given a card on arrival that becomes your method of payment until you leave. For every item you buy, you’re prompted to swipe your card on a machine – much the same as an Oyster card – and at the end, you take your card to the till and pay your bill. No waiting to catch the waiter’s eye or stressing over splitting the bill if you’re in a large group, as you’re completely in control of the pace and length of your visit.
The vast two-storey glass-fronted building, combined with the clean, unfussy décor – a mix of red, white and wooden floors - gives Vapiano a spacious feel that prevents it from feeling crammed at busy times, unlike many other central London eateries. On the ground floor there’s a mix of seating choices; high bench tables and stools, quirkily decorated in the middle with a fresh basil plant and condiments, and cosier cushioned red seats nestled around little round tables. In addition, there’s a step down, ambient, sofa area which gives the air of someone’s living room. An open plan kitchen curves around the left side and far end, showing the chefs in action as they whip up a range of dishes to the customers’ specifications. Upstairs is similarly laid out, though without the kitchen.
My friend and I visited Vapiano at 7.30pm on a Friday when the place was already buzzing with a mixed bunch of suits, shoppers, couples, first-daters and groups. We chose a small candle-lit table upstairs and sipped on a Caipirinha cocktail while we casually perused the menu. The reasonably priced selection is split much like the cooking stations, Antipasti & Starters, Pasta, Pizza and Salads with something to satisfy all palates and diets. The mains, separated into price bands from A to D, range from £5.50 to £8.50. Pastas and salads are made while you wait and for pizza, you’re given a buzzer which goes off as it comes out of the oven, so you know exactly when to collect it.
We settled on the Piatto Antipasti – a platter of parma ham, salami, parmesan shavings, mozzarella, roasted vegetables, tomatoes and bruschetta. I went downstairs to collect it and watched it being freshly prepared in a matter of minutes. The result tasted fresh, authentic and a generous amount for two.
For main, I choose the Tocciano Piccante – chicken breast, orange-chilli sauce, pok choi and bell peppers, with my choice of pasta and a sprinkling of parmesan. My friend went for a pasta dish of Filetto di Manzo e Rucola – which consisted of perfectly tender strips of beef, fresh chilli, mushrooms and rocket. Both dishes were quickly whipped up while we waited; including the pasta – which we chose from a picture guide to meet our tastes. To accompany our meal, we supped on a bottle of full bodied Chilean Cabernet-Sauvignon red wine, chosen from the vast selection of Italian and worldly whites & reds, juices and beers on offer.
Finally, we topped it all off with a dessert of Tiramisu and Crema di Fragola – a wonderfully light mascarpone cream layered with fresh strawberries.
With every dish on a par with top restaurant standards and the self service method giving you the freedom to eat and drink at your own comfortable pace, Vapiano is a definite must-try, even for traditionalists.
Gabrielle Sander (20 10 2008)
Vapiano London Description
If You Love the European Lifestyle You Will Love Vapiano. Somewhere between the nicest of fast casual and hippest of casual dining restaurants is Vapiano.
Defining the future of fresh casual - a new and refreshing niche in the restaurant industry - Vapiano is an innovative European concept serving made-to-order fire roasted pizzas, fresh, house-made pasta and hand tossed gourmet salads. An established concept with more than 30 worldwide locations and another 100 in development in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Vapiano puts a new spin on the dining experience with its urban upscale Italian decor and its modern customer service.
Vapiano is a fast casual restaurant with a twist - customers use a "chip card" to personally order their food or drinks from the bar or from the individual fresh pizza, pasta or salad stations. With this new innovative technology, Vapiano is going to change the way restaurants do business!
Customer Reviews for Vapiano
The following customer reviews are not endorsed by Fluid London and are simply those of users who wish to publish their independent experiences of Vapiano.
“Me and my friends went here for a quick bite before we went out and ended up staying longer than we thought! The food here was great and the drink selection, and with really good prices we stayed longer and got more for our money! What I also found impressive was that the food was cooked fresh "In front of you"! You know exactly what you're getting here. I recommend the Carbonara!”
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[ Unknown ], London (1 years 9 months 24 days ago)
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Additional Information
- Cocktails
- Dancing License
- DJ
- Food
- Security
- Cuisine Type: Italian
- Average Price: £35.00
- (Unknown)
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