Pasta at Grasso

When growing up, pasta was a (twice, maybe three times?) weekly staple. Any shape or size, from farfalle to fettuccine, and pappardelle to penne, we knew our tagliatelle from our tagliolini. So it’s only right that on our menu, we include a handful of pasta dishes, some from our childhood, and others inspired by Italian New Yorkers.

Depending on the shape of the pasta and the sauce we make, we’ll use both dried and fresh, as we believe that some are better suited to some dishes than others. And all our sauces are made in house, and prepared daily using freshly delivered and imported ingredients from Italy.

Below we share a few notes on each pasta dish we have on the menu, how it’s made, and what it means to us.

And if you need any more information on allergens, then head over here.

full menu
A young boy with messy hair, covered in spaghetti sauce, sitting at a wooden table with a plate of spaghetti, a glass of orange juice, and various utensils. The boy is happily holding up a long strand of spaghetti.
A busy kitchen with multiple pots of tomato-based sauces on the stove, a person in an orange shirt and striped apron serving food onto a plate.

Freshly prepared pasta

Every morning, our mamma, Anna makes the journey into Grasso to get the hobs on, and the sauces cooking.

She makes around 100 litters of the base tomato sauce which we use in a few of our dishes. She does this by opening dozens of XL cans of imported Italian tomatoes, and slowly cooking them down with a variety of fresh herbs, a touch of slow cooked garlic confit, and a lot of love and patience.

We keep things simple, with four pasta options, Mom’s Spaghetti, lobster linguine, penne alla vodka, and lamb ragù rigatoni.

Full rundown of each dish, below.

Person grating cheese over a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, with a side salad nearby.

Mom’s Spaghetti

Mom’s Spaghetti (or, as we were growing up, ‘spaghetti and meatballs’) was a firm favourite when we were kids.

That’s photo at the top of the page is our big brother, James looking pretty excited with his spaghetti and meatballs back in the 1980’s, and the recipe we use at Grasso is the same as the one handed down through the generations to our mother.

The meatballs are prepared by hand, using a mix of pork and beef mince, our secret blend of herbs and seasoning, parmesan, breadcrumbs, and a lot of love.

We serve our meatballs with spaghetti, and our house pomodoro sauce.

Rumour has it you can order the meatballs as a side from the secret menu — just watch the vid to find out how.

A plate of leftover pasta with grated cheese, a slice of pizza on a side plate, and a spoon on the main plate, on a table with glasses of water and striped straws.

Penne alla vodka

The true origins of penne alla vodka are shrouded in mystery. Some say it was invented in a restaurant called Dante in Bologna, while others claim that it was born in New York.

Either way, most people agree, or seem to agree that like me, penne alla vodka was born in the 80’s.

At Grasso, our penne alla vodka is made with our pomodoro sauce, Parmesan, fresh cream (vegan available), vodka (you can order without!), and our homemade chilli oil.

And the boys from Bite Twice also gave it the thumbs up.

And it’s become that popular, that we partnered with The Saucerer to create a version of it that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
More about our vodka sauce over here.

Multiple pots and pans on a stove with various ingredients, including lobster, pasta, chopped celery, tomato sauce, and mixed sauces, indicating a busy kitchen preparing a meal.

Lamb ragù rigatoni

Our lamb ragù rigatoni is a bit of a fans favourite, and one for those who know.

We slow cook our lamb with anchovies, Italian tomatoes and fresh herbs for hours, until the meat is tender, falling apart, and ready to be enjoyed.

This is topped with Parmesan, resulting in a rich, warming, and flavouful bowl of home-style pasta.

Personally, we think this goes perfectly with a nice full-bodied glass of Italian red wine, and a good group of friends.

Plate of pasta with tomatoes and basil, side salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, cheese, and green sauce, and slices of flatbread on a dining table.

Grasso’s lobster linguine

Each morning, we receive a delivery of fresh, live lobsters, and we prepare them for cooking just as the order comes into the kitchen. This means they keep their flavour and texture.

The lobster is then halved, and cooked with our homemade red vodka sauce, and served with linguine.

Some might wonder if you can, or should eat vodka linguine with parmesan.

If you want to, we won’t judge. And neither should anybody else.

More from the menu

Along with freshly prepared pasta, we serve Italian-American classics including mozzarella sticks and Caesar salads, along with made-to-order pizza, and more. We also have a hand-picked selection of wines, draught beer, cocktails and low and no alcohol options. Full menus below, and a bit more on our own story.

A person preparing a salad in a restaurant kitchen, with another person squeezing dressing over greens in a large metal bowl.
food menu
Person in a red jacket pouring a drink into a glass at a bar counter with various glasses, bottles, and bar tools, and hanging wine glasses above.
drinks menu
A person in a colorful plaid shirt preparing food at a counter in a restaurant with two people in the background, one wearing glasses and an orange shirt.
about us

  • "Penne alla vodka was perfectly prepared and tasty. Highly recommend!"

    Narkis

  • "Would highly recommend the vodka pasta and the mozzarella sticks."

    Jennie

  • “The penne alla vodka which was incredibly tasty and the portion size was generous..”

    Jake

  • "Highly recommend the penne alla vodka, tiramisu maison and the Grasso spritz cocktail."

    Mogen

  • "The penne a la vodka another big highlight and you end the meal with the most amazing desserts."

    Tanya

  • "The foood was so so good! Still thinking about the mozzarella sticks and the penne alla vodka!!"

    Nidhi

  • "From New Jersey - this place hit home for me. Food was so amazing and big portions."

    Adil

  • "Vodka pasta and the ragu were my personal highlights!"

    LHSarah

  • "Super tasty food. Staff are so warm and friendly. Nice chilled atmosphere."

    Katie

  • "Atmosphere lively and fun. Highly recommend the penne alla vodka and the meatballs pizza."

    Jacopo

Pasta in Soho

 

If you’re in Soho and looking for pasta, then come and visit us at Grasso, on Dean Street.

We’re near a few Tube stations, including Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus, while Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are both just ten minutes walk away.

We’re also close to Oxford Street, Regent Street, Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Covent Garden.

You can get your pasta in Soho from Grasso five days a week, as we’re closed Sunday and Monday.

Grasso pasta FAQs

  • We can make our penne alla vodka with a plant-based cream and no parmesan, making it vegan!

  • We do have gluten free pasta available, and we cook this in separate water to the non gluten-free pasta.

  • We can make our penne alla vodka vegan friendly, just ask the team when placing your order.

  • We do think that our pasta is best enjoyed in the comfort of the restaurant, but if you pop in and ask, you can order for take away.

    If you would like to enjoy the vodka sauce from the comfort of your own home, then look out for our collab with The Saucerer, which you can find in shops and delis around the country.

  • No, we don’t deliver.

    That’s because we feel that pasta sitting in the back of a delivery bike as it continues to cook, getting knocked around, and eventually squashed and cold isn’t the best experience for our customers.

  • Yes, you can pop in for a bowl of pasa without a reservation!

    But we really do recommend that you book ahead, especially during evenings and weekends.

  • You can find us in Soho, at 81 Dean Street.

    We're near to Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus Tube stations, and a short walk from Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Fitzrovia, and Mayfair.

  • Everyone will have their favourites, but growing up, spaghetti and meatballs (mom’s spaghetti) were a firm favourite - we’d have them on special occasions like birthdays, and even once on Boxing Day (that was a bit heavy going after Christmas Day’s festivities!)