Restaurants

The antithesis of affected Soho dining, this family-run trattoria has served up reasonably priced, decent Italian fare for more than 20 years. Eschewing current interior design trends and sticking to what works best simple decor, old Italian movie posters, cosy fires or air-con for year-round comfort has earned it many fans. Wood-fired pizzas are the main draw: good vegetarian or seafood toppings balance out the ham and salami options, and bases are reliably thin and crispy (weve never had a soggy-bottomed pizza here). Pasta rates equally well: visiting in asparagus season, our tortelloni featured a baby asparagus cream sauce so fresh and flavoursome we wished the little pasta parcels had been stuffed with that instead of spinach and ricotta. The spag bol is always spot-on; heartier dishes such as steak, calfs liver or spinach-stuffed chicken breast also satisfy. For seafood fans, swordfish comes as two meaty slabs, grilled simply with olive oil, herbs and garlic. Desserts, rather less impressively, include tiramisu and banoffi pie; we always go for the panna cotta. At peak times, book.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008