i went here with some london locals - really loved it! really good food and nice atmosphere. from what i understand the restaurant is a part of a chain with another in Milano - so there were a good crowd of italians there. i got a slice of there pizza a brownie and their strawberry juice , as well a cream filled tube like pastry - all very good. i wouldnt go expecting a filling meal but if u like a busy atmosphere with great design and delicious food its a must go! enjoy! read more

Amazing lunch selection and of course a wide selection of "cakes"! Every time I am in London it is a must visit! It can get chaotic at the busy times and some folks are downright rude while looking for a table but this makes the experience all the more fun! read more

In the heart of Soho this popular lunch spot and bakery is a bit of real Italy in London. Eat In or Take Away Princi offers tempting forget-the-calories delights from their pieces of chunky pizza to their old world pastries. It is easy to see why people keep coming back and its laid back and stylish atmosphere makes for approachable informal dining. Or just come and buy from the bakery to take home -Their Canoli are fantastico! Around Christmas time they have authentic real Italian Panetone bread, so if you can't fly to Italy to get one, or you don't want to buy one in a cardboard box, you can pick up the real thing here at Princi. read more

Love the concept and the location. Perfect for a quick lunch. However, it is so chaotic in there! It is very confusing as to how to order, what to order, where to order, etc...and the workers expect you to know, and were not very happy that I didn't know. After hopping from station to station, I decided on a slice of pizza and a caprese salad. The pizza wasn't very good - I'm sure it would have been lovely if it was fresh and warm. But I could tell it had been sitting there for quite some time as the cheese started to harden on top and the crust was soggy. The salad was great - but it's not hard to do a mozzarella, tomato and basil salad wrong. The price was great for the portions, but I doubt I'd go back. read more

i walked past this restaurant several times while visiting london earlier this month and i passed it up thinking it was only a bakery. later in the week some friends suggested this place for lunch and my assumption was corrected. the seating is casual, and mostly at long tables (so you may well end up seated next to a stranger ... ). there are a few tall "tables" where you can stand and take your meal if you decide you can't wait for a seat to become available. we grabbed seats first and then organized food ...food is served buffet style, no significant waiting time (at least not for me). the offerings are chock full of carbolicious goodness (i'm a type 2 diabetic and i wish i could have adequately planned for this but as i was on vacation i took one for the team). very tasty pasta entrees ... my friends chose to have dessert and i forget what they had so i'll have to point it out in the dessert case next time i visit. this is a very busy restaurant ... lots of people and lots of staff going here and there ... and *very* noisy. this is not a place where you want to have a lunchtime meeting--you won't hear what's going on ... the woman seated next to me had planned to do this and was failing miserably. so: plan to have a good time, but don't plan to do business here ... this isn't a starbucks. also: their gents washroom is easily among the top 10 nicest restrooms i've ever used in a public place. i would definitely go here again. bring friends, and have a great time! read more

Okay, so the desserts here aren't incredible for what they cost, but the service is amazing enough to make up for it. My friend and I came to Princi after failing to find the Patisserie Valerie in SoHo. We'd seen it buzzing with customers when we went to Eathai a few weeks ago, so we figured it must be good. The place was once again packed, but we managed to squeeze our way in. The first time we entered we surveyed the options (all of which looked amazing, but a tad bit on the expensive side), surreptitiously grabbed a few pieces of bread, and left quickly so we could find dinner first. When we returned, the people at the door (bouncers? security guards? hosts?) recognised us and waved us inside with a good-natured, "Back again?" While we painfully tried to decide what to get, one of the guys behind the counter came up to us and started speaking Italian to me. I was caught off guard, After attempting to respond using my limited Italian (ciao, grazie, and scusi), he switched to English and asked me what I felt like eating, if I needed any help, where I was from, whether I'd been to Italy, etc. He recommended the cake with the peaches and the chunks of cake on top (I don't remember what it was called), which my friend ended up getting. I spent a long time deliberating over my choice, finally choosing the pear chocolate cake. After paying, I wandered back over to my friend, who was chatting with another one of the servers behind the counter. He kept trying to tell her she should have gotten the brownie, but she wouldn't have it and insisted that the pistachio/fruit mousse thing looked way better. He flatly told her he was wrong, and then told us he would prove his point by letting us try the brownie. We figured he would cut out two small sample pieces, but no -- he gave us an entire brownie AND a cannoli (which I'd been eying) that he reluctantly switched for one of the mousse things after my friend said she wanted to try it. As he handed our free baked goods over the counter, he jokingly warned us eating them would make us fat. At this point, we were so thrilled by the fact that we'd received £8 of free food that we giddily thanked him, told him he was amazing and that we'd visit the south of Italy sometime (he scoffed when I told him I'd visited the north), and promised we'd return. On our way out, the bouncers/security guards/hosts/whatever laughed at our flailing and bid us a cheerful goodbye. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back. (Oh, and the food was great. The baked goods were all light, moist, and delicious. Probably not worth £4, but oh well. Also, if they have bread in a basket out on the counter, try some. It's amazing.) read more

Lovely semi-cafeteria style Italian food, from pizza to lasagna. They also have a massive counter of beautiful desserts. I got the passion fruit cheesecake and a cappuccino, which were both delicious. Although more on the expensive side, the quality was definitely worth the price, and it all felt very authentic. Would like to come back to try their savoury food. read more

The food here was good, but service really wasn't on point. We were seated at a table but they switched is to sit by the pizza making place where there was ashes flying all over the table. When we asked for a discount they barely compensated us anything - when you come please make sure you're sitting at a table not by the cashier! read more

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Princi. The sit-down and take-out are both great. The English Breakfast was so flavorful and rich with taste. The Neapolitan pizza was very artisan and the desserts were exceptional. I truly loved the croissants and the pretzels. A must try in the Soho district read more

A variety of savoury dishes as well as a vast selection of desserts and pastries. It's perfect for a quick catch up with friends and a spot of afternoon cake or even pre-theatre dinner. Don't expect to get much personal space or private area though as the seating is mainly canteen style, we had to queue for quite some time eating at the restaurant area. read more

The place could be nice, food is good but expensive for what it is, quite pretentious which makes the experience of a "posh cafeteria" less enjoyable. Staff at the take away section and cashier guys are oh so rude. I'll give it a miss next time! read more

When you enter, you are welcomed by the nicest doorman. You have the option of sitting down and ordering from the menu or ordering from their cafeteria style, ready to go meal options. We decided to sit and order, the space was bit pinched, but intimate. Great decor and lighting. I ordered the margherita pizza, which consisted of tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and parmesan for £5.50. The price was right. Once you've ordered, you can see two Italian guys, in the middle of the restaurant, tossing pizza dough in the air and having fun. Loved it! The pizza looked amazing when it arrived. The crust was perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It was thin crust, which is the best for Italian pizza, but the sauce was too saucy and made the crust slightly soggy in the middle. The flavours was good. I just wished the sauce was slightly thicker. They have lots of other options on their menu that I wouldn't mind trying next time. read more

Princi - Margherita - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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Super chic and very Milanese. I had a chamomile tea, which is pretty standard, but I really liked the teapot it was served it. Sometimes it's the little things in life. Also had a sample of my dining partners cannoli, which was light, creamy and lovely. Would love to go back and try some of the pizza, because it looked delicious! read more

I had the worst pizza of my life on the restaurant side. The crust was both soggy and burnt. The cheese was chewy. I would have sent it back but we were with our young child so time was of the essence an his tastes are not discerning. Go there for coffee or pastries. Don't go to the restaurant for pizza. read more

Princi - Soggy pizza burnt on the bottom. - Italian Near Me - London, XGL

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I love this place. But I go early at lunchtime to avoid the crowds and assure getting a seat. The desserts and bakery are authentic Italian and there are always interesting salads and mains to choose for a fast lunch. The food is tasty - a nice change from some other places in the neighbourhood. I go back because there is so much to choose from and I still have yet to try their pizza. read more

One of my favorite London/Soho joints to take a break from pounding the streets of London. Large ish and naturally contemporary styled place with rows of communal tables serving Italian bites, coffees, bakery items and, Dolci. Most items are prepared and staged behind glass counters so just point, pay and eat!! read more

If you are desperate to try this place, try to avoid peak eating times. You will enjoy the food immensely if you can eat it at your leisure. The madeleines with lavender, amazing. Everything is a feast for the eyes. The set up is long tables with stools and can be a bit of a wait to get seats together. read more

Came here to get a meringue the size of soccer ball. It was supposed to taste like raspberry, however, it just tasted like a vanilla meringue. Mildly disappointing but nothing to affect this review. It's mostly a sit and sip and some pastries. Fair prices and good customer service. read more

I stumbled in here after having a few drinks around Soho. It's open late and the pizza was freshly pipin' hot. For the typical drunkard like me on a Saturday night, I was grateful not having to resort to Mickey D's or the typical kebab. Yes, it is a little expensive but it's so nice and shiny! (I suppose I wouldn't expect any less in Soho!) Second time here I stopped by in the afternoon for coffee and cakes. It was delightful but it is busy. Get ready to use those elbows! I'll definitely be back for more. read more

popped in here for dinner with some pals. my friend recommended as she works in the area and was intrigued by the open space and hustle bustle of it all. there's a doorman, which is funny for a buffet like set up. luckily we were able to snag a table as two couples got up to. for a space so big, i'm surprised that there isn't more seating. there are high tops where a few can stand and eat. suppose it's better for digestion? i went ahead and got the salad platter for £7.50, which i picked the chicken apple and avacado salad, bow tie tuna pasta and some roasted pumpkin. i enjoyed the chicken, but was a bit creamy. the bow tie pasta was quite al dente. the food was filling, and the food was good enough, but not stellar. also, thought it was strange that i had to pick up my beer from the bar separate form paying for my meal. overall, interesting space and some tasty food stuffs. read more

Only had the passionfruit cheesecake but it was amazing. The reason it's 4 stars and not 5 is because I felt that the dessert was a bit overpriced at £5 but would've been more accurately priced at £3. read more

I've been here two or three times already, for coffee and lunch. I've tried the thin bread with olives, one salad with roasted pumpkin and another with aubergine (really good), some pizza al taglio, the espresso macchiatto (they don't charge extra for soya!)... Everything was great, but I have to give this place 3 instead of 4 stars for two reasons. First, I find really annoying the no-queue queuing system. You never know who arrived before you or when you're supposed to be served and the result is that when it's very busy, someone will be rude or angry with you with a high probability. Second, it's usually so crowded that eating here becomes a stressful and unpleasant experience. Either you wait ages until you find a table, after fighting with someone for it, or you eat standing anywhere, with your coat on and everything. I know this is not Princi's fault, but still it's something that influences my opinion of the place. Oh, and I've also tried the tiramisu and the passion fruit cheesecake. I didn't like the last one, which was very disappointing given all the rave reviews about it. Tiramisu was fine, but overall I think the desserts are a bit pricey for what they are. read more

i really loved princi. every time i walk past here you can't help but be drawn to it - it's always so busy and buzzing inside, and everyone looks to really be enjoying themselves. i visited with my parents and boyfriend, and we wanted to sit down and enjoy a proper meal. it was quite early on a saturday evening, around 5.30pm, so we only had to wait about 10 minutes (and thankfully, inside), although on busier evenings or at a later time, you're looking at a longer queue and a wait outside in the cold, so bear that in mind. you could of course choose to pick something from the counter and eat at the more canteen style seating at the other side of the place. i really love this idea for a more casual dining experience and i'm sure i'll be back to try it out at some point. as to our food and experience - we all had pizza and it was so delicious. i had the d.o.c and i'm still thinking about it days later. i think it was £12.50, but for a massive pizza and good quality, fresh ingredients, i thought this was reasonable value for money. all the serving staff were lovely, and very efficient and like i mentioned before, there is a fun, buzzing atmosphere. loved it. it's firmly on my good places to eat in soho list! read more

Quite posh, but a nice place to get a coffee and catch-up with friends

cute little store, it was late night and we couldn't find a place to eat so we came here ! loved the little water fall thing at the seat / bar. Loved the lasagna ! was so yummy ! read more

Food is just ok. The location is good in the heart of Soho area. BUT It feels like a cafeteria (not in a good way). The staff has an attitude problem. Won't return. read more

Food quality is good, but service is awful resulting in both our coffee and breakfast arriving at our table lukewarm to cold! There is NO coordination between the waiting staff, kitchen and barista. For example, the barista placed coffees on the counter for staff to collect and it was random whether they were collected straight away or sat there for 5 minutes! The staff were more focused on taking orders than serving, and the servers were random in what they appeared to focus on. The staff showed no interest when we pointed out the meal and coffee were cold. Clearly they have a management and culture issue. read more

The desserts here are really amazing, especially the cannoncini. It usually sells out before the afternoon so go earlier if you can. I wouldn't recommend the ready-made food here as it sits out all day and tastes quite stale. read more

I wish they had this bakery/restaurant in LA. LA lacks in good bakeries. Anyway going back to my review for this place, it was my second time here. First time was a few years ago when I still lived in London. Second visit was on a Wed night last week. Both times it was very crowded but it's definitely worth the wait. Everything from the desserts, bakery items to the pizza served in the main restaurant area was great. So authentically Italian! Even all the staff in here seem to be from Italy. And you hear a lot of Italian (language) spoken amongst the clientele too. I guess it is a good thing this place is far from home as I will be a fat b*tch eating so many good desserts. Yum. read more

Love these Italian bakeries / cafes that are so authentic right down to the Italian baristas and make you feel like you have been transported to a busy cafe in Milan. This place had great ambience and cakes. We had the blackberry tart and the pear/ chocolate cake with a latte - all very decadent, rich and Italian. Place was full and you may have to wait to get a table but creates a great ambience - will be back to try the food read more

I spend little time in the centre of town, more trying to avoid it in fact. So this special journey was really special- destination: princi Italian Bakery on Wardour Street. My friends are raving about it, my mother is raving about it, lordy! everyone is raving about it. And here's why. Bread is bread right? Nope- not when it stops you in your tracks. Try the soft fresh bread sticks laden with green olives. That's all I need say. It's good, it's so good. I could tell you about the boutique interior, full to overflowing with hungry punters, the great coffee and the choices of fresh pizza and pasta. But best you just go see for yourself and add your rave review to this already long list. read more

This location is ideal for post-theatre snacking as long as you stick to the savories and avoid the overwhelmingly sweet desserts and surprisingly weak cappuccino. Ordering your food can be somewhat chaotic - people seem to gather at the counter en masse rather than wait in an orderly queue - and once you've paid it can be tricky finding seats together at the communal tables or along the rear wall of water during peak hours (which seem to be all day, every day). The aubergine parmigiano and zucchini fritters and cauliflower in bechamel sauce were excellent, but the bland tiramisu and dry pistachio cheesecake with a very sour berry topping were major disappointments. Prices are remarkably low, especially for this area. read more

Two sides! The right is "buffet" style in terms of ordering your food right the counters and waiting to seat yourself. Left side is sit down "dinner" style. Wait in a line outside and yes, watch everyone inside eat their pizza. Delicious! Good wine and lots of desserts at the bakery. read more

Great atmosphere but food is a tad mediocre. Would not recommend the quattro formagio too stodgy or tiramissu the biscuit base needed work. Good coffee read more

Stopped in for a quick snack and had the sliced pizza. It was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Beautiful sauce and perfect crust. I can't wait to go back. read more

Absolutely wonderful staff and delicious selection of Italian sandwiches, entrees, and pastries. Ended up here two nights in a row for dinner - incredible! read more

Good pizza, fresh salads, nice desserts, nice place to just pop into and have a quick bite with a friend. We pop into Princi often either before or after Evening College at Hillsong in the Dominion Theatre. Very refreshing after a long day at work and an evening at class! Great for students or after work meal! read more

YUM! I scarfed down a piece of ham and cheese pizza here between pubs and it was pretty fantastic - will definitely be back to try it properly. There was a nice buzzy atmosphere around 9pm but we were served quickly and the pizza slices were packed into little trays and paper bags, making them very portable. Can't wait to return. read more

What I liked the most about this place was that everything tasted as if it was done with care. So scrumptious. From the pastas, to the pizzas, the biscotti to the passion fruit cheesecake... All was delicious. And the prices were surprisingly low. And you can't be authentic Italian servers and staff. Loved it!! read more

Get ready, get set, lunch! Ok.. So you kind of have to been in the mood to come here. It's definately worth a visit, but do know in advance; it's a loud, bustling, fast paced quick serve restaurant. You place your order at the counters and then go find a seat. At 3:40 in the afternoon, it was BUSY. I almost forgot I was in London for a moment too - the employees had thick Italian accents (which I suppose is a good sign for an Italian place). There is SO much to choose from on the menu, make sure you come hungry or with friends so you can try a few different things. If you get caught with your mouth open, salivating over all the tasting pastries cakes and sweets, you better be ready when they ask what you want to order. I tried two side salads - the Chicken Garbanzo and Pumpkin Ricotta for just 6 pounds. They were delicious. This is the kind of place you'll have to come visit more than just once so you can try a few different things. I know I'll be back. Tip: They are open late and serve great, coffees and teas! read more