Why Eating Near Olympia Takes a Bit of Planning
Olympia isn’t just an exhibition hall anymore.
After a £1.3bn transformation co-designed by Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC, the 14-acre site now mixes trade shows with a music venue, hotels, offices and new public spaces, and its operators expect around 10 million visits a year once everything is open. That’s a lot of hungry people arriving in the same small corner of West Kensington at the same time.
So what does that mean for dinner? On a busy show day, the restaurants closest to the halls fill up fast, and walk-in tables can be hard to find between 6pm and 8pm. If you’re attending a big Christmas show or a concert at the British Airways ARC, it’s worth deciding where you’ll eat before you leave home, and checking the official guide to getting to Olympia London so you know how long the journey between table and venue will take.
The good news is that Olympia sits within easy reach of Earl’s Court, Kensington and Hammersmith, and those neighbourhoods have plenty of Italian options. You don’t have to settle for whatever’s closest to the exit.
What Makes an Italian Restaurant Worth the Trip
Most Italian menus in London look alike at first glance. Pizza, a few pastas, tiramisù. But the better kitchens tend to share a few traits that are easy to spot once you know what to look for.
A clear regional identity
Italy doesn’t really have one cuisine. It has dozens of regional ones, and the best restaurants usually lean into one of them instead of trying to cover everything.
Take Bologna. The city is famous for ragù, but it’s a very different thing from the “spaghetti bolognese” most British diners grew up with. In Bologna it’s traditionally served with fresh egg tagliatelle, and in 1982 the Accademia Italiana della Cucina even registered an official reference recipe with the city’s Chamber of Commerce. Tortellini served in a clear broth, mortadella and Parmigiano Reggiano are part of the same food culture. When you see dishes like these on a menu, you’re generally looking at a kitchen that knows where its food comes from.
Fresh pasta made in-house
Dried pasta isn’t a bad thing. Plenty of Southern Italian classics are meant to be made with it. But stuffed pastas like tortellini and tortelloni really do need to be made fresh, and a restaurant that rolls its own is usually putting in effort elsewhere too.
Honest sourcing
Cured meats and cheeses are where cutting corners shows most. Look for named, aged products, such as 24-month Parma ham or Parmesan, rather than vague descriptions like “Italian ham”.
Independent Trattorias vs National Chains
Not every meal near Olympia needs to be a special occasion, and sometimes you just want a reliable pizza before a gig.
National chains like PizzaExpress and Zizzi have branches across West London, and they’re a fair choice when you want something predictable, quick and easy on a budget. You know roughly what you’ll get, and for a group that can’t agree on anything, that’s useful. Speed counts too when doors open at 7pm.
Independent restaurants are a different experience: menus are usually more regional, portions and recipes vary more, and there’s often a family or founder story behind the cooking. If you’re visiting London for a trade show and want one memorable Italian dinner rather than a chain meal you could have at home, an independent trattoria is generally the better bet.
A Closer Look at Bolognese Cooking in Earl’s Court
One good example of the trattoria style near Olympia is Cacciari’s, an independent London restaurant group that opened its first site in South Kensington in 2009. According to the group, the concept was modelled on a typical “trattoria Bolognese”, and its Italian restaurants focus on the cooking of Emilia-Romagna alongside pizza and broader Italian favourites. These days the group runs four Italian restaurants across London, plus an Asian sister restaurant in South Kensington.
The group’s Cacciari’s Earl’s Court restaurant sits at 82 Pembroke Road in W8, which puts it within reach of Olympia whether you walk, hop on a bus or take a short cab ride. And the menu leans firmly into its Bolognese roots. You’ll find tagliatelle alla bolognese with a slow-cooked pork ragù, homemade tortellini in chicken broth, traditional lasagna with béchamel and Parmesan, and garganelli alla romagnola with Parma ham and asparagus. There’s even a “Bologna” pizza topped with mortadella, burrata and pistachio crumble, which is a fun nod to the city’s best-known cured meat.
Cacciari’s also says it prepares fresh pasta, doughs and sauces in-house each morning and sources its cheeses and cured meats from artisan Italian producers. The charcuterie board on the menu reflects that, with 24-month Parma ham, Sardinian salami, mortadella and Sicilian Primo Sale cheese.
A few practical details matter for Olympia visitors. According to the restaurant’s website, the kitchen is open from noon until 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. That’s handy if a show runs late. Gluten-free pasta is available; there are vegetarian and vegan options (including a vegan pizza and aubergine rolls made with vegan cheese), and a 12.5% discretionary service charge is added to the bill.
Worth knowing: the menu states that severe allergies can’t be catered for because of the range of products in the kitchen. If that applies to you, speak to the team before booking.
Getting There Without the Stress
Transport around Olympia can be confusing, especially on weekends. Kensington (Olympia) station sits right next to the venue and is served by the London Overground’s Mildmay line and Southern services, but the District line link from Earl’s Court mainly runs at weekends. On weekdays, the simplest rail option is to change at West Brompton for a two-minute Overground hop. Before you set off, check Olympia’s own travel page for current station advice, bus routes and parking restrictions.
Several daytime buses, including the 9, 27, 28 and 49, pass the venue. And if you’re having dinner in Earl’s Court or Kensington, a bus or taxi back towards Hammersmith Road usually takes only a few minutes outside rush hour.
Driving? Think twice. Olympia is inside the ULEZ, and nearby streets have very strict parking rules.
Tips for Booking Around Events
A little timing goes a long way here.
- Book early on show days. Big consumer shows can bring thousands of visitors into the area at once.
- Eat before or after, not during the rush. A 5:30pm table or a 9pm sitting is often far easier to get than 7pm.
- Ask about private dining for teams. Exhibitors hosting clients usually do better with a dedicated room than a long table in the main dining area. Cacciari’s, for instance, offers private dining at its Earl’s Court, South Kensington, Portobello and Islington sites.
- Check the closing time. Not every local restaurant keeps its kitchen open late, so confirm before a late concert.
- Mention dietary needs when booking. It saves time on the night.
Is it worth travelling a little further for a better meal? For most people, yes. A ten or fifteen minute trip can be the difference between a rushed plate near the halls and a relaxed dinner you’ll actually remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there Italian restaurants within walking distance of Olympia London?
Yes. Olympia has its own on-site dining, and the surrounding areas of West Kensington, Earl’s Court and Kensington have several Italian restaurants, with some a short walk away and others better reached by a quick bus or taxi ride.
What is the best way to get from Earl’s Court to Olympia?
It depends on the day. The District line runs between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia) mainly at weekends. On weekdays, you can change at West Brompton for a short Overground ride, or take a bus, a taxi or walk. Olympia’s official getting-here page has the latest advice.
Do I need to book a restaurant near Olympia on event days?
Generally speaking, yes. Large exhibitions and concerts bring a lot of extra diners into the area, so booking ahead is the safest option, especially for early evening tables.
What should I order at a Bolognese-style Italian restaurant?
Look for the regional classics: tagliatelle with ragù, tortellini in broth, traditional lasagna and dishes featuring mortadella or Parma ham. These are the dishes Emilia-Romagna is best known for. Fresh, egg-based pasta is a good sign.
Are there gluten-free Italian options near Olympia?
Many Italian restaurants nearby now offer gluten-free pasta or bases. Always confirm with staff if you have coeliac disease, as kitchen practices vary.
Which Italian restaurants near Olympia are good for groups?
Restaurants with private dining rooms tend to work best for corporate dinners or exhibitor teams. Ask about room sizes, set menus, and minimum spends when you enquire. Booking a few weeks ahead helps during busy show seasons.
