Forty Dean Street

Located in the heart of bustling Soho, this family-run restaurant has been serving up hearty Italian fare for nearly 20 years. The decor is slightly dated yet charming, with a cosy candlelit atmosphere in the evening.

The menu includes the usual Italian staples of pizza, pasta and seafood. A starter of pan­fried tiger prawns was served piping hot and cooked to juicy perfection, while the gnocchi main – complete with wild mushrooms, smoked mozzarella and about five litres of truffle oil – proved a tasty way to sabotage one’s waistline. A generous portion of lobster ravioli was equally as filling, if a bit dry. And for those craving more, there are a variety of homemade desserts available, from a zingy lemon tart to a silky­-smooth vanilla panna cotta.

But the real star of the show here is the set menu. Available all day, every day, it offers filling Italian fare at great value (the price differs by the day – go early in the week), making Forty Dean Street an ideal destination for hungry Londoners on a budget.