In season · 6 minute read
Let the market write the menu.
A useful seasonal menu keeps its identity while allowing the vegetables, weather and appetite to change.
A menu to imagine, not an order form
The dishes below describe our Roma Pasta Café concept rather than current restaurant availability. Prices are indicative London café prices in pounds sterling, shown as illustrative consumer totals with VAT included where applicable. There is no booking, checkout or live kitchen behind this website. Use the guide to plan a meal, compare styles or find inspiration for your own table.
Seasonality here follows a broad UK growing calendar, interpreted through Italian cooking. Weather and sourcing shift the exact weeks. Good canned tomatoes in January are often a better choice than disappointing fresh ones. Seasonal thinking is about flavour and suitability, not pretending every ingredient must be harvested nearby that morning.
Spring: green, tender and lightly dressed
Imagine tagliatelle with asparagus, peas, lemon zest and a small amount of butter, priced around £15.50. Blanch the asparagus stems briefly, adding the tips later so they retain texture. Frozen peas are a practical, consistent option outside a very short fresh-pea window. Lemon zest supplies fragrance without the sharpness that a heavy squeeze of juice can bring.
The egg ribbons give this dish body, so it does not need a thick cream sauce. A final spoon of cooking water brings everything together. Conventional ingredients contain wheat, egg and milk. To make a plant-based interpretation, choose verified egg-free semolina pasta and olive oil, then omit the dairy finish rather than merely removing a garnish.
Summer: tomatoes deserve the spotlight
Casarecce with slow-cooked tomatoes, basil and extra-virgin olive oil might sit at £14.50. The curled shape catches a loose sauce without needing it to become a heavy purée. Cook part of the tomatoes down for sweetness and add a few ripe pieces towards the end for freshness. Tear basil just before serving and avoid frying it until dark.
A spoon of stracciatella could be offered as a £2 addition, but the base dish should feel complete without it. An egg-free pasta and dairy-free preparation can suit vegan eating, subject to ingredient and kitchen checks. Tomato sauces may look simple, yet stock, butter or cheese can appear in recipes; always ask rather than infer.
Autumn: richness with a little restraint
Roasted squash ravioli with sage butter and toasted hazelnuts suggests a more involved plate, around £18.50. Roast the squash until excess moisture evaporates before mashing it for the filling. A wet filling softens the seams and dilutes the flavour. Nutmeg should be barely noticeable, and finely grated hard cheese should support rather than overwhelm the squash.
The sweetness needs contrast: browned butter contributes toasted notes, sage brings savouriness, and a little lemon can lift the finish. Hazelnuts add crunch but also a significant allergen. A nut-free variation requires more than picking them off a finished plate; separate preparation and cross-contact controls would need to be confirmed by the actual kitchen.
Winter: comfort without heaviness
Pappardelle with mushroom ragù and cavolo nero could be priced at £17.50. Brown mushrooms in batches so they roast rather than steam, then build the sauce with softened onion, garlic and a little tomato paste. Finely chopped mushrooms give substance; sliced ones offer a more distinct bite. A small amount of soaked dried porcini adds depth, with the soaking liquid carefully strained to remove grit.
Remove tough kale stalks and cook the leaves until tender before folding them through. A vegetable stock may contain celery, so it belongs in the allergen discussion. Wine is optional; if used, do not promise that cooking removes every trace of alcohol. Mushroom ragù can be satisfying without dairy, although conventional pappardelle usually contains egg.
Portions, extras and dietary questions
| Item | Price | Recipe considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Rosemary focaccia | £4.50 | Wheat; check shared preparation |
| Bitter-leaf salad | £5.00 | Dressing may contain mustard |
| Classic tiramisù | £7.00 | Wheat, egg, milk; caffeine, possible alcohol |
| Espresso | £3.00 | Caffeine; decaf availability varies |
A main portion might use 100–125g uncooked fresh ribbon pasta, with filled shapes portioned differently according to filling and accompaniments. Appetite, not a marketing label, should guide your order. Share bread if you want it; skip it if dessert matters more.
These notes are not an exhaustive allergen declaration. Fresh-pasta kitchens handle airborne wheat flour, and gluten-free pasta does not automatically make a meal suitable for coeliac disease. Ask about separate water, utensils and work areas. For a serious allergy, seek a clear answer from the responsible food business before ordering.