A stylish, welcoming St John's Wood Italian with strong pasta, desserts, generous hospitality and a few meaningful service and set-lunch inconsistencies.
Preliminary Grade: This restaurant has only 32 reviews, which is below our 100-review minimum for reliable grading. This grade should be considered preliminary until more reviews are available. Cent Anni delivers solid food quality and attentive service that anchor a reliable neighbourhood experience, yet inconsistent execution, particularly in set-lunch offerings, prevents a stronger showing.
Cent Anni feels like a polished local comeback: a refreshed St John's Wood dining room with a fireplace, terrace and a warm, residential feel. Reviews describe the atmosphere as “classy and homely,” while repeat Café Med customers say the new identity still preserves the welcome that made the old favourite dependable. It is also clearly comfortable hosting celebrations, from family parties to weddings. The cooking leans toward accessible Italian classics rather than experimental dining. Fresh pasta, carbonara, gnocchi, calves liver and tiramisu attract the strongest praise, with generous portions and a reportedly excellent-value £20 two-course lunch helping explain the local following. Still, the menu’s Italian boundaries are debated, and the set lunch has drawn criticism for small portions and uneven execution. Service is usually a major strength, though a few diners report poor reservation handling or a troubling disputed wine charge. Families should find the relaxed atmosphere, familiar pasta and generous portions workable, and reviews specifically mention family meals and celebrations. There is no supplied children’s menu, however, and the food is Italian restaurant fare rather than dedicated kids’ dining; picky eaters may be happiest with the simpler pasta options. Reserve ahead, especially for terrace seating or events.
The strongest orders range from spaghetti carbonara and calves liver to a standout tiramisu, but the £20 lunch comes with a portion caveat.
Expect a warm, occasion-friendly room and recommended advance booking, but keep an eye on lunch portions and the final bill.
The setting combines a fireplace, terrace, and polished residential warmth, making it as suited to celebrations as to local dinners.