Cecconi's City of London
Italian · Cheapside, London
Restaurant in London, United Kingdom
Book with PearlThe Read
Square Mile Italian
Chef
Francesco Bisceglie
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Cecconi's City of London is a practical City Italian for polished lunches, work dinners, groups that want broad appeal without a difficult booking. Choose it for convenience and room energy; cross-shop Luca for a more occasion-led Italian meal, Brutto for a more casual night, or Noci when value matters more.
About Cecconi's City of London
Cecconi's City of London is an Italian restaurant in London. It offers Italian cuisine, features chef Francesco Bisceglie, has a smart casual dress code, opens late on most days. It also has Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe recognition, including Recommended status for 2026 and a #653 ranking in 2025.
A London Italian restaurant with clear practical signals
The case for considering Cecconi's City of London is clearest when the brief is Italian food in London with a smart casual standard. Chef Francesco Bisceglie gives the restaurant a named point of accountability, the venue's Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe recognition provides an external quality signal without needing to overstate the restaurant as a rare or highly formal destination.
Use it as a practical Italian option rather than as a claim-heavy destination restaurant. If you are comparing London choices, Brutto offers another route, while Luca is also worth considering for a different booking.
Who should book, who should go elsewhere
Book if the group wants Italian food in London, a smart casual dress code, opening hours that run late on most days. The published hours are Mon 12 PM–12 AM; Tue 7 AM–12 AM; Wed 7 AM–12 AM; Thu 7 AM–12 AM; Fri 12 PM–12 AM; Sat 12 PM–12 AM; and Sun 12–11 PM.
Look elsewhere if you need a specific format, price point, menu style, or service detail that the restaurant does not provide. For wider comparison, Cafe Murano, Noci, Lina Stores, Brutto, Luca are natural names to consider alongside Cecconi's City of London.
How to use it well
The safest way to frame Cecconi's City of London is as a London Italian restaurant with a smart casual dress code, named chef involvement, long published hours. Avoid assuming details such as a particular seating format, bar setup, price level, menu structure, or dietary accommodation unless the restaurant confirms them directly for your booking.
For broader planning, compare it with other London dining options and confirm any operational details that matter to your visit. The short version: consider Cecconi's City of London when Italian cuisine, London location, smart casual expectations, the published hours fit the plan.
Located inside
HotelNed's ClubFull hotel guidePlanning details
- Location
- 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ, United Kingdom
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- thened.com/london/restaurants/cecconis
- Phone
- +44 20 3828 2000
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Cecconi's City of London sits in a grand Victorian Baroque shell that immediately sets a formal, historic tone. High ceilings, hard surfaces and shafts of mid-afternoon light give the dining room an architectural clarity: this is a polished, classic space that reads as serious rather than fussy. Service and design land in a low-key luxury register — comfortable without ostentation — and the overall feel balances the City’s no-nonsense energy with the warm familiarity of well-executed Italian cooking. It’s an experienced, urbane dining room that suits frequent business traffic as much as returning locals.
Best For
This Cecconi’s is primarily geared toward daytime trade: 45-minute working lunches, client meetings and after-work catch-ups among finance, law and professional services. Lunch is the busiest shift, with quick, well-executed pastas and antipasti that fit tight schedules; dinner exists but is a quieter, more intimate secondary trade. The room’s polished-casual service and credible Italian classics make it a reliable choice for business lunches, client dinners and midweek gatherings where efficiency and solid cooking matter more than formality.
Ordering Tips
Menus tilt toward pasta and antipasti rather than tasting menus, so prioritize quickly executed classics if you’re on a tight schedule. Start with a selection of antipasti to share, then order a signature pasta — the lobster spaghetti is a standout — for a satisfying main in one course. For something heartier, the veal Milanese offers a traditional, substantial option. Avoid multi-course tasting menus at peak lunch if you’re time-pressed; stick to composed plates and pasta to get the best balance of speed and quality.
Venue details
Ambiance
1930s art-deco style with cosy banquettes, verdite columns, white tablecloths, and a buzzy atmosphere enhanced by live music.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Large
Signature Dishes
- lobster spaghetti
- veal milanese
Planning details
Location
27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ, United Kingdom · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to Book If This Is Not the Fit
If the brief is a more celebratory Italian dinner, book Luca instead. If the group wants a cheaper, more casual pasta-led meal, start with Noci or Lina Stores.
Restaurant context
How It Compares
Against Brutto, Cecconi's City of London is the more polished City choice, while Brutto is the better pick for a casual Italian meal with more neighbourhood character. If the meal is a work lunch or a group dinner near Bank, choose Cecconi's; if the priority is value and a looser room, Brutto makes more sense.
Luca sits higher on the occasion scale and is the stronger splurge when the dinner itself is the main event. Cecconi's is easier to justify when location, timing, broad Italian appeal matter more than ceremony. Cafe Murano is the closest middle-ground comparison: approachable Italian, useful for mixed groups, less formal than Luca.
For value, Noci is the smarter lower-spend alternative, especially when the group wants pasta without a City-room premium. Lina Stores is better for a faster, more casual Italian plan. Cecconi's wins when ambience, centrality, a more grown-up setting are the reasons for booking.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Cecconi's City of London guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Cecconi's City of London
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cecconi's City of London | London | Italian | 2026 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended2025 OAD Casual in Europe Ranked · #653 | ; |
| Brutto | London | Italian | 2025 Good Food Guide 100 Best Local Restaurants · 2026Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2026The Good Food Guide 20252025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand | ££ |
| Luca | London | Italian | 2026 National Restaurant Awards Top 100 · #97Star Wine Lists 2026Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 20262026 Michelin Plate2025 National Restaurant Awards Top 100 · #95The Good Food Guide 20252025 Michelin 1 Star2024 Michelin 1 Star | £££ |
| Cafe Murano | London | Italian | 2025 OAD Casual in Europe Ranked · #4362024 OAD Casual in Europe Ranked · #3852023 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended | ; |
| Noci | London | Italian | 2026 Michelin Plate2025 Michelin Plate2024 Michelin Plate | £ |
| Lina Stores | London | Italian | 2026 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended2025 OAD Casual in Europe Ranked · #8352023 OAD Casual in Europe Recommended | ; |
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How Cecconi's City of London compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cecconi's City of London good for a special occasion?
It can be a fit if the occasion calls for Italian dining in London with a smart casual dress code. Recognition includes Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe Recommended status for 2026 and a #653 ranking in 2025, but it is not a tasting-menu or chef-table venue.
Is lunch or dinner better at Cecconi's City of London?
The operating hours are Mon 12 PM–12 AM; Tue 7 AM–12 AM; Wed 7 AM–12 AM; Thu 7 AM–12 AM; Fri 12 PM–12 AM; Sat 12 PM–12 AM; and Sun 12–11 PM. Choose the time that fits those published hours, confirm current service details directly with the restaurant.
Can I eat at the bar at Cecconi's City of London?
Confirm bar seating directly with the venue. Cecconi's City of London is an Italian restaurant in London with smart casual dress and late published hours on most days.
What are alternatives to Cecconi's City of London in London?
Other London dining options to compare include Cafe Murano, Luca, Brutto, Noci, Lina Stores. Cecconi's City of London is the one to keep on the list when the brief is Italian cuisine in London, smart casual dress, chef Francesco Bisceglie, the published opening hours.
Can Cecconi's City of London accommodate groups?
Information on group accommodation is not provided, so confirm directly with the restaurant for party size, booking terms, availability. The published hours may help with planning, but specific group policies should not be assumed.
What should a first-timer know about Cecconi's City of London?
Go in expecting a London Italian restaurant, not a venue offering a specific menu format, seating style, price point, or bar program. Key features are Italian cuisine, chef Francesco Bisceglie, smart casual dress, published hours, Opinionated About Dining Casual in Europe recognition.
