Celebrated table

Leo’s

Chef Peppe Belvedere guides a Sardinian-inspired Italian kitchen in Clapton, earning a Good Food Guide recognition for steady execution and seasonal dishes.

The story

Leo’s | Italian Dining in Clapton, London

The chef and the kitchen

Leo’s delivers a refined Italian kitchen in London, steered by chef Peppe Belvedere following his tenure at Brawn. The establishment recently earned a Very Good rating in The Good Food Guide, a reflection of its steady execution and consistent standards. The kitchen draws directly from Sardinian tradition, treating seasonal ingredients with quiet respect rather than heavy manipulation. Produce moves through the pass whole and unadorned, letting simple techniques like grilling or raw preparation speak for themselves.

Plates and pasta

This approach to Italian food prioritizes simplicity over spectacle. A bowl of firm cavatelli tossed with aubergine, datterini tomatoes and ricotta affumicata shows how rustic elements are handled with precision. Raw scallops, cockles and mussels arrive in a chilled tomato dressing that feels built for shared tables. Grilled turbot on the bone or a lean lamb saddle follow the same straightforward standard.

The dining room

White tablecloths and wood panelling define the main hall, while yellow Formica tops give the bar a relaxed counterpoint. Daylight hours bring espresso service and fresh pizzette before evening settles into candlelit dinners. Vintage liquor posters line the walls as jazz plays softly through the space. Natural wines from Italy and France sit alongside Campari and local beers for those working through an aperitivo.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

2026
The Good Food Guide
Very Good

Details

At a glance

The Good Food Guide 2026 — Very Good
Cuisines Italian
Services Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Walk-in Only

History

On the record

2026
The Good Food Guide — Very Good

A selection of the day’s papers hanging from a rail in the front room is a reminder that this chic neighbourhood Italian does brisk business as a café by day, dispensing excellent espressos, croissants, pizzette and plates of superlative lasagne. In the evening, lights are dimmed, candles are lit, noodly jazz plays, and the vintage Italian liquor posters on the wall exert their influence, persuading the diner to at least consider an aperitivo. Campari and soda, Ichnusa beer and non-alcoholic Crodino are all in keeping with the Italian theme. In the kitchen, chef Peppe Belvedere (ex-Brawn) offers the full Italian works of snacks, antipasti, primi and grilled secondi such as turbot on the bone or lamb saddle, plain and unadorned. Well-heeled locals are certainly embracing the possibilities: some popping in for a glass of red and bowl of fettuccine with duck ragù, others putting on their glad rags for a fancy night out. The salad of cockles, mussels and raw scallops in a chilled tomato dressing that we sampled is ‘special occasion’ food, for sure, though even a more rustic dish of firm cavatelli pasta with aubergine, datterini tomatoes and ricotta affumicata is made with love and care. As a refresher, finish off with peach sorbet. Aside from aperitifs, beers and other libations, Leo's has a not-inexpensive wine list that divides its attention between Italy and France, with some beloved ‘natural’ producers on show (Nino Barraco, Bruno Duchêne, Le Coste etc). Not surprisingly, the place is popular, so be sure to book ahead if you want to enjoy the white tablecloths and wood panels of the main dining room. That’s not to say the yellow Formica-topped tables in the bar aren’t perfectly lovely too.

Established

Location

Find us

59 Chatsworth Road, Clapton, E5 0LH
London, United Kingdom
020 4559 8598
leosreservations@gmail.com
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Map showing Leo’s