Restaurants

Very much a Golders Green institution, L'Artista is a cheerfully unreconstructed eaterie, decorated with streamers of flags and framed photos of celebs. The menu offers traditional trattoria fare, majoring in pasta and pizza. On a hot summer's day, we opted to eat al fresco in front of the restaurant, rather than within its cavernous confines, but with traffic and trains rumbling overhead, this wasn't the quietest spot in which to dine. Enormous portions of pasta arrived promptly: linguine con gamberone and rucola (pasta with prawns and rocket) was very good indeed, studded with juicy king prawns, while bucatini puttanesca packed a salty anchovy kick. We rounded off with crème caramel and a featherlight chocolate sponge. Great value food, efficiently served; this is why L'Artista has a loyal following.

Time Out Cheap Eats in London Guide 2007