You Get What You Pay For On Cecconi's Pizza Bar's £5 Menu
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Last Updated 01 November 2019
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The hours between 3pm and 6pm are always awkward when it comes to food.
You've missed lunch, but you're too early for dinner. Maybe you had a large one last night, woke up late and your eating schedule is out of whack. You know that trying to hold out until dinner means only one thing: suffering. So you need to have something. But not a full meal... you've got dinner plans.
That's where the cheap and easy 3pm-6pm menu at Cecconi's Pizza Bar comes in. It's simple. £5 for a pasta dish, £5 for a cocktail or spritz. There aren't many better deals at a proper sit-down restaurant to be found in Soho. On the Saturday we visit, we're not the only ones who've clearly been tempted by the prices. The place is bustling, and clearly has been able to lure away shoppers and tourists alike from the cacophony of Soho.
First the cocktails. We opt for a Negroni and a Hugo Spritz. Simple. Classic. Reliable. An excellent choice at such a reasonable price-point. Next the food. Cacio e Pepe Tonnarelli and broccoli pesto Cavatelli arrive at our table — or at least a few of them do. We're tempted to go full Oliver Twist on the waiter and break out our begging eyes, but come to the conclusion that small portions are the trade-off of the dishes' affordability.
Tastewise, the Cacio e Pepe delivers, making it all the more cruel that there's so little of it to enjoy. The Cavatelli is less consistent, under-seasoned, and lacking a punch.
A fiver for a cocktail is a strong deal. A fiver for the food. Meh. You're getting what you pay for.
Cecconi's Pizza Bar, 19-21 Old Compton Street, W1D 5JJ.
