Guidos is one of many, many, many, lunchtime eateries based in and around Holborn and unfortunately, like many of them, doesn’t do too much to ensure repeat visits. It’s fine if you’re hungry. That’s it.

The Venue
Guidos is a little spot that looks busier than it is on account of its diminutive size. The cute cartoon-like signage and large blue canopy help to attract the eye – and business come lunchtime when the competition for customers heats up. Inside, there’s little to it. A large counter area, complete with big glass display units showing off pasta and sandwich fillings, deals with the lunchtime crowd and a couple of small tables sit tucked out of the way for anyone looking to eat in. In the summer, outdoor tables do make it a more enticing place as it becomes one of the few spots in the area where you can soak up the sun whilst tucking into a sandwich.

The Atmosphere
Frantic at best, blunt at worst, you may feel a little like you’re on a conveyor belt at Guidos as you place your order and sit and wait, and wait. The staff are friendly enough but they do seem keen to keep those tables turning and this is a little sandwich shop, not Claridges. At lunchtime, the crowd is mainly made up of hungry office workers looking to grab what they can in the short time they have – who takes an hour for lunch these days, after all? And so takeaway is their biggest business here.

The Food
The food at Guidos is well portioned and is good enough quality for a filling lunch. They have a good selection of pasta dishes, priced at the £7-£10 mark, including a selection of spaghetti and penne dishes. Their spaghetti bolognaise is actually pretty good for a cheap and cheerful lunchtime spot with a generous portion of bolognaise made from surprisingly good quality beef and a pleasant sweetness from the tomato atop an al dente pile of spaghetti. However, how hard is it to get spaghetti bolognaise right? As well as the usual sandwiches they also offer a selection of panini and ciabattas and you can pretty much build them into what you want courtesy of their decent selection of sandwich fillings, which is more than you can say for the same old high street sandwich chains. And at similar prices, it’s worth checking out once in a while for something a bit different.

The Drink
Diet Coke, anyone? The selection is a little lacklustre in the drink department but as a lunchtime eatery that’s probably to be expected. They do have a good choice of juices and soft drinks as well as a couple of wines, tea and coffee so at least they have all of the bases covered.

The Last Word
Guidos serves it purpose but does little to encourage the loyalty required for frequent repeat visits in an area filled with lunchtime options.

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