Restaurants

Competition’s tough on Exmouth Market, with superlative Spanish restaurant Moro mere paces away and worthy Modern European restaurant the Ambassador bang next door. But Santoré draws a good crowd, surviving thanks to its excellent pizzas. Spun in an open kitchen at the rear, the pizza bases are so springy you feel they might bounce if dropped. The usual combinations are joined by interesting Naples-inspired specials such as spaccanapoli: goat’s cheese and mortadella on a base that’s already had a blast in the oven. Sharers can combine pizzas to create half- or full-metre monsters; results are served on wooden platforms. Supplementing all this are eight or so pasta dishes, plus a few meaty options; we enjoyed a perfectly thin and crisp veal milanese. A starter of marinated baby octopus chunks was too big to finish, though the dressing was nicely tangy. The spacious site is wide but not very deep; when the glass front is open to the elements (as it is throughout the summer), most tables have an alfresco feel. Wine bottles line a high shelf that skirts the room; a well-sourced list of a dozen reds and whites should please most tastes.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008