6 months ago
1993: Clinton was sworn into office. Meat Loaf’s ‘I’d Do Anything for Love’ was No.1. Skorts were all the rage. & Eco arrived in Clapham.
On average a London restaurant will survive between 8 to 10 years. Of course, there are always exceptions; Rules in Covent Garden was established in 1798 making it the oldest in the capital, and there are others that are as fleeting as the sun in April. But the majority of restaurants can expect to live for just under a decade before closing their doors for the next restauranteurs to take over.
We have one such exception right here in SW4. Eco has stood the test of time and has been open on Clapham High Street since 1993. Since then this friendly Italian has served its pizza and pasta to generations of people and this year (on the 23th October) it celebrated 30 years in operation. On the day they changed all their menu prices to reflect what they would have been when they opened, which meant happy customers were walking away having spent just £4.50 on a pizza- pretty much unheard of in 2023. For the whole month they’ve also reinstated their opening menu so it’s been featuring forgotten dishes like the oven-baked, tomatoey Fiorentina, their focaccia sandwhiches and their smoked salmon and spinach pizza. All as retro as they are delicious.
Despite 3 decades in the biz, Eco is still holding on to a 4.2 star rating on Google reviews which is impressive considering the discerning tastebuds of ready-to-criticise Londoners. So what’s Eco got that the majority of other restaurants don’t? We’re glad you asked. After many, many visits here’s what we think…
A trip to Eco is good for anyone. You can roll up solo in jeans and a t-shirt after a long Wednesday at the office when you can’t face the stove. You can bring the whole motley crew. You can bring a date and sit at a secluded candlelit table. Whoever you bring, it’s going to be about as comforting as it gets. It’s family run, family friendly and completely unfussy.
They’re open (basically) all the time. At weekends the breakfasts will sustain you after Park Run on the Common or revive you after a big night out at Infernos. Wood oven eggs, frittatas or English classics like a fry up or granola. Later on their regular menu kicks in and they’re as ready to serve you a mid afternoon pizza when you’re WFH during the week and need a carby pick-me-up as they are to shake you up a late night cocktail.
And finally, the food. The food is simple but it is so good. The pizzas here are big, delicious and cooked right in front of you, the pastas are always fantastic and their prices aren’t mad- the bill at the end won’t make your eyes water. It’s exactly the kind of food you want to be served when you’ve a craving that needs itching. There’s always loads of it and there’s always loads of cheese. But Eco have moved with the times too, it’s all freshly made in house and they cater very well for any dietary requirements which means anyone and everyone can come down and enjoy a meal there.
So if you ask us, Eco has got the art of restaurant-ing down to a fine art. We can’t wait for many more years (and many more pizzas) at this institution on Clapham High Street. Happy Birthday Eco!
