Padella Borough Market

Padella is a pasta restaurant on the edge of Borough Market, opened in 2016 by Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda, the team behind Trullo in Islington. The idea is to serve short menus of fresh, hand-rolled pasta at accessible prices, cooked simply and well. It quickly became one of London's most popular restaurants, known for long queues outside, and it now has further branches in Shoreditch and Soho.

The menu is short and changes with the seasons, with a handful of small plates and around half a dozen pasta dishes. The best known is pici cacio e pepe, thick hand-rolled noodles with pecorino and black pepper, which the restaurant describes as the dish it is famous for. Pappardelle with a slow-cooked beef shin ragù is another long-standing favourite. Portions are designed so that you can order two pasta dishes each if you are hungry, and a short list of Italian wines and simple desserts completes the meal.

Padella suits couples, friends, solo diners and anyone looking for a good-value meal near Borough Market and London Bridge. It is lively and quick rather than a place for a long, lingering meal. Seating is spread over two floors, with counter seats overlooking the kitchen and a small outdoor area. The maximum group size is six; larger groups are directed to the Shoreditch or Soho restaurants.

Padella does not take reservations. Instead, guests join a virtual queue by scanning the QR code at the door or using the Dojo app. For lunch, the queue opens at 11:00 for tables from 11:30, and remote joining opens at 11:45. For dinner, the queue opens at 16:30 for tables from 17:00, and remote joining opens at 17:15. Lunch runs daily until 15:45, and dinner until 22:30 Monday to Saturday and until 21:00 on Sundays. Hosts can help anyone without a smartphone. Arriving early is the best way to avoid a long wait.

The restaurant is on Southwark Street beside Borough Market, next to the Borough High Street exit of London Bridge Underground station. Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral and the Thames are on the doorstep, and Shakespeare's Globe and Tate Modern are a short walk west along the river.