If there was ever a ranking of our favourite dishes to come out of Italy, we have a feeling that pasta and pizza will top the charts. While we have celebrated the pizza here, it is now time for pasta to claim its due. Agreed, a lot of places in the city have added more than a twist of Indian flavours to the dear old pasta. But what to do? It still tastes pretty darn good and we can’t seem to get enough of it. Check out these places to satisfy your pasta cravings.
A favourite, particularly with the vegetarians (they are pure veg), this restaurant’s pasta menu is speckled with familiar, comforting and delicious flavours. The Pasta Al Forno, where the pasta is baked in a creamy Bechamel sauce, and the Pasta Al Sole Di Sicilia, that includes fresh mozzarella, capers, olives, and parmesan, are bestsellers here.
Other Pastas We Love: Classic Puttanesca with tomatoes, capers and basil and from their contemporary menu, the fancy Rigatoni Finnochio made with a truffle porcini cream, roasted fennel, saffron and pinenuts.
Price For 2: INR 1,600
The pasta menu at Olive Beach is peppered with delightful flavours. There’s the Fusilli Calabrese that’s made with Ricotta and Goat Cheese folded into fusilli and then sauteed in a spicy, piquant tomato sauce. There’s also the Parisienne Gnocchi Olio E Pepperoncini that has gnocchi mixed with peas, asparagus and garlic, pan seared. But the pasta that’s after our heart is the Ravioli of Mushrooms, that’s stuffed with assorted mushrooms, ricotta cheese and topped with baby arugula and tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce.
Other Pastas We Love: If indulgence is the goal of the meal definitely splurge on the Handcut Saffron Chittara with Prawns and the Lobster Risotto.
Price For 2: INR 2,400
Pasta Street, the name says it all! You’ll be spoilt for choice at this eatery when it comes to pasta. Go with the Rocket Fuel, that comes in a red sauce and with a generous dose of chilli, or the Creamy Pesto if you are a vegetarian. For the meat lovers, there’s Pollo Venezia, where chargrilled strips of chicken are cooked in a white wine sauce. There’s also a Chicken Carbonara version.
Other Pastas We Love: Their Homemade Ravioli is as fresh as it gets. There are many vegetarian and non-vegetarian filling and sauce options to choose from
Price For 2: INR 1,500
There’s a nice mix of the familiar and the not-so-familiar at Toscano. You can go with a warm Spaghetti Pomodoro (tomato sauce, olives, and basil) or the Fettucine Pollo alla Fiorentina (pasta with chicken, spinach in truffle lapped by a chive cream sauce). These are just two from a long list of options ranging from signature pasta and artisans pasta that you can indulge in.
Other Pastas We Love: Vegetarians swear by the Lasagna Vegetariana made with fresh seasonal veggies. The Risotto con Pollo alla Cacciatore with saffron and chicken is another delicacy here.
Price For 2: INR 2,400
Go Italiano at this restaurant with bowls of delicious pasta. If you are feeling indulgent go for the Fusilli al Salmone (fusilli with smoked salmon in a creamy tomato and vodka sauce). The Lasagna Campania is another hit here. They also have low carb, diet pasta options for you to indulge in, guilt-free. For the vegetarians, they have the Spaghetti Alla Siciliana that has ricotta cheese, eggplants and tomatoes.
Other Pastas We Love: Seafood lovers, the Risotto de Frutti de Mare is excellent of vibrant fresh seafood cooked in a tomato bisque. Vegetarians, something for you to try would be Tortellini Tartufo Patata which translates to handrolled tortellini stuffed with truffle potato and served in a brown butter & walnut sauce.
Price For 2: INR 1,500
Another crowd favourite, Sunny’s pasta lineup includes the usual suspects – lasagnes, aglio olios, bolognese, and carbonara (highly recommended). But if you’d like to experiment, there’s also spaghetti in caramelised onions, cheese and garlic, black pepper fettuccine served with wild mushrooms, and angel hair pasta paired with succulent shrimps.
Price For 2: INR 2,100
One of Bangalore's favourite and go-to Italian restaurant, Chianti has a wide array of pasta that one could indulge in. Order the Spaghetti Alla Napoletana which is filled with the classic tomato sauce and basil with spaghetti. Try their Linguine Al Amatriciana made with bacon and tomato sauce. There's plenty of options for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians to choose from at Chianti.
Other Pastas We Love: The rich Pappardelle Ragu with Tuscan-style pork ragu and Gnocchi Al Forno are to die for too!
Price For 2: INR 2,000
There would have to be a mention about this place and its al-dente pastas, ranging from fettucine, farfalle to gnocchi and ravioli. With a wide array of options for vegetarians and non-vegetarians, we fell in love with their pasta offerings, especially the Tortellini Di Bologna stuffed with mascarpone cheese and sauteed with diced Italian bacon, sausage and a meaty tomato sauce. We also recommend the Penne Al Pesto for you vegetarians that has the goodness of traditional Italian basil pesto.
Other Pastas We Love: Handmade Fettuccine Al Amartriciana with roasted bacon, parmesan and basil in a tomato sauce and the classic Spaghetti Alio Olio with Mushrooms.
Price For 2: INR 1,600
The place has a cozy welcoming vibe and we would highly recommend the place's Lamb Bolognese Pasta that has minced lamb in a hearty tomato sauce. We also loved the Cottage Cheese Pasta that is cooked in a rosemary scented tomato sauce. For those of you pink sauce lovers, try the Sundried Tomato Creamy Pasta that has the tart sun dried tomato simmered with your choice of pasta in a creamy white sauce.
Other Pastas We Love: The Just Veg pasta is also a discovery here, it isn't traditional but has delicious mix of sweetcorn, haricot beans, broccoli and mixed bell peppers. If you don't want to get too experimental, stick to Spaghetti with Meatballs.
Price For 2: INR 1,300
Lush, open and besides the pool at the famous Conrad hotel, Tiamo isn't just known for its breathtaking ambience but also for its pasta. We're talking about the Homemade Spinach And Ricotta Ravioli that comes with parmesan flakes and a tomato-basil emulsion. Their Sundried Tomato Tortellini with tomato mousse and saffron-sage buttered sauce doesn't just sound good, it also tastes sublime.
Other Pastas We Love: They do the simple things well here, like a killer Alio Olio and Forest Mushroom Risotto.
Price For 2: INR 2,500
Quattro Ristorante's pasta menu is not all bells and whistles but what it certainly is, is homely Italian fare that will remind you of nona's cooking. They have all the popular classic choices only - Pomodoro, Arabiata, Alio Olio, Alfredo, Pesto Genovese and Pink Pasta. You can pick the kind you enjoy most and zhoosh it up with a host of toppings vegetables and cheeses.
Price For 2: INR 1,400
Want something a bit more than pasta? Try out these places for the best Italian fare in the city. Oh and here's a bunch of specialty seasonings to help you cook up an Italian feast at home. Serve it in these beautiful Pasta Bowls.
