The Good Food Guide’s favourite pasta restaurants
Published 22 October 2024

A dark frontage punctuated by full-length windows reveals a spare-looking café-like interior, a narrow room with plain white walls and a constantly changing chalkboard menu – in short, Artusi is a ‘perfect neighbourhood restaurant’. Down some steps at the back, there is a chef's table for eight, with views of the open kitchen. This is Italian dining, Peckham-style, and none the worse for it.

The infectious straightforwardness of the approach is reflected in a dinner menu that offers three choices at each stage, with a couple of intervening pasta options. Start, perhaps, with a pretty plate of roasted fennel, Russet apples, ricotta and walnuts before moving on to cod with butter beans, purple sprouting broccoli and preserved lemon aïoli or braised featherblade of beef accompanied by confit garlic mash and cime di rapa. Don't want to miss the pasta? Ravioli di erbette (stuffed with wild greens, ricotta and sage) may well have your name on it. The Italian way with carbo-desserts then produces an irresistibly toothsome pistachio and chocolate cake with crème fraîche.

Lunch is a simpler affair (but similar in style), while Sunday brings a great-value set menu. Wines are not exclusively Italian, but those represent the best way of entering into the spirit. They've also got some oranged-up Sicilian Catarratto, if Pinot Grigio now seems a little vecchio cappello. A second outlet is now open at the Underbelly Boulevard in Soho.

Run by a group of artists, this idiosyncratic Welsh take on a Venetian bacaro is all about off-the-wall nibbles backed by a prodigious line-up of obscure wines, craft beers and limited-edition ciders. The repertoire is constantly changing, so be prepared for crostini topped with the likes of candied spicy jalapeño, whipped ricotta and bergamot or goat’s cheese, chocolate and almond (great with a Starlino rosé spritz). Their version of the classic ‘sardé in saor’ (sweet-and-sour sardines) is served cold on polenta – perfect with a glass of Sicilian Grillo. Also nab one of their porchetta rolls doused in fennel sausage gravy if they’re on. Staff are lovely, and the affordability is ‘next level’. 

More spacious than the Covent Garden original, this Soho offshoot of Bancone has a lot going for it – including a semi-secret basement that doubles as a cocktail bar, a bevy of smiley staff and a menu that majors in faultless hand-crafted pasta. The Insta-grabbing ‘silk handkerchiefs’ of fazzoletti with walnut butter and confit egg yolk continue to impress, although the line-up of fresh, flavourful specialities might also run to tagliatelle with spicy pork and ‘nduja ragù or charcoal tagliolini accompanied by squid and pickled jalapeño. The main event is bookended by the likes of fried artichokes with romesco and desserts such as pistachio cannoli with candied orange. Keenly priced Italian regional wines too.

At the bottom end of Timber Hill in the centre of Norwich, this gem of an Italian restaurant looks nothing like the trattorias of yesteryear, but is instead a smart long room done in gentle teal, hung with pastel-hued paintings and furnished with unclothed, well-spaced light wood tables. Oliver Boon's menus reflect his lifelong love affair with Italian foodways, and highlighted names on his classy CV include Gordon Ramsay and Michel Roux Jr. Expectations are high and you won't be disappointed, with thrills turning up in every corner of the menu. Indeed, it's worth fitting in a couple of the nibbles before setting about the antipasti – perhaps creamy-rich croquettes of 24-month Parmesan or sweet-crusted garlic brioche with whipped garlic butter. Beef carpaccio with Harry's Bar dressing will whisk you off to Venice in a trice, but hake Kyiv with 'nduja, baccalà and coppa is more of a mystery tour. 'We couldn't resist it,' a reporter confesses, 'and I'm glad we couldn't.' Pasta is beautifully rendered, whether for bottone of ricotta with courgette, basil, chilli and puffed quinoa or black bucatini with bottarga and a Calabrian version of XO. Main-course meats such as lamb shoulder or Blythburgh pork are always top-drawer, while the garnish for roast salmon, tomato and clam panzanella – tempura-battered soft-shell crab – is a truly inspired touch. Does 'dulce de leche tirami-choux' sound like a bit of a mash-up? Au contraire, insists our correspondent who describes it as 'jaw-droppingly delicious'. Otherwise, a combination of yoghurt panna cotta with a cannoli of blackberries, sorrel and pistachio exercises quite a lure in itself. Drinks include cocktails and a short but serviceable selection of Italian wines.

With a warm welcome and classy cooking, this neighbourhood Italian honours the family behind Bristol’s successful and ever-growing Bianchis restaurant group. The unpretentious and relaxed dining room has a laid-back, lived-in look with a scuffed floor, low lighting, a 60s soul soundtrack and bottles of wine stacked on all available shelves. Comfy seating and damasked tables add to the sense that you are here to enjoy yourself and eat well. With a belt-busting four courses on offer, it is perhaps advisable to start with a light antipasto of, say, radicchio salad (with smoked ricotta, courgette, red onion and pumpkin seeds) ahead of, maybe, a bowl of gnocchetti nero in bisque with crab, kohlrabi and soft herbs. The pasta here is so good you may be almost reluctant to move on to a 'secondi' – grilled pork tenderloin with soft polenta and cime di rapa, for example. Be brave, it's worth it. Puddings are mercifully modest, though such is the density and richness of a chocolate and hazelnut tart served with intensely savoury crème fraîche that a little goes a long way. A fine selection of cocktails and an extensive wine offer, including ‘Aldo’s list’ of serious (and seriously expensive) vintages will lubricate your evening, while the chatty, informal but very efficient staff make you feel that you are dining among friends.

As the hurricane of voguish London dining whirls on, it is momentarily easy to forget how much of a gust of fresh air Bocca di Lupo was when Jacob Kenedy opened it way back in the distant land of 2008. If places can struggle to get noticed in the Soho bustle, Bocca suffered no such indignity. Getting in at all was more often the problem. It still delivers an infectiously dynamic ambience, the best seats being the counter perches facing the kitchen, while the menus still change fast enough to make yesterday vanish without trace. Home-baked bread is the business – focaccia and ciabatta are served gratis with olives and oil while you ponder. What the kitchen deals in is regional Italy, not just generic Italy, with ancestral dishes accorded their provenance, no matter how recent or ancient the tradition. Pasta is naturally everything you would expect: a generous plate of orecchiette in a vibrant green sauce of chard, garlic and pecorino, or even simpler rigatoni coated in a luscious cream sauce of nutmeg and more pecorino. Main-course proteins are hearty presentations of top-spec ingredients. A pork T-bone is grilled golden and neatly sliced, awaiting a side of, say, datterini tomatoes and borlotti beans, plus some glisteningly braised chard for good measure. Eye-catching fish dishes could include a collar of grilled amberjack with gremolata or bream baked in a 'sarcophagus' of salt. Bocca's famous salad of radish, celeriac, Parmesan, pomegranate, truffle and parsley still gets an outing, and is still worth trying as an object lesson in the combinatorial arts. Finish with the Gelupo ice creams (also starring just over the road), or something like crème caramel with rhubarb. Service could relax a little, and it could be a little more clued-up. A regionally discerning collection of Italian wines adds to the lustre. Prices at the more affordable end seem pretty reasonable for the location, with small glasses from £5.80.

Endearingly popular, Simona Di Dio and Harry Ryder’s determinedly low-key restaurant has become an established fixture on the Margate dining scene. An atmosphere of warm informality is matched by homespun southern Italian cooking inspired by Simona’s family recipes from Foglianise in Campania, which provides some produce for the kitchen (the rest comes courtesy of a carefully nurtured network of local suppliers).

The menu structure allows for nibbling as much as three-coursing it. At our most recent visit, we chose from a selection of small plates including a summery citrus-marinated trout with fried courgettes tossed in mint and vinegar, as well as a couple of cibo povero dishes that are never off the menu – namely grandma’s recipe for verdura e fagioli (greens and beans) and the delicious polpette di pane al sugo (sourdough bread balls, eggs and herbs cooked in tomato sauce). A small bowl of pickled vegetables was a perfect accompaniment.

There’s fresh pasta, as you’d expect, made each day with a blend of Italian semolina and organic flour from Nonington Farm in Canterbury. Look out for the likes of spaghetti with sea bass, cherry tomatoes, fennel seeds, lemon and toasted breadcrumbs, or ziti with pork sausage and 'nduja. Among the choice of desserts, the light tiramisu makes an indulgent finale.

The list of predominantly organic, biodynamic and natural wines heralds some of the best producers in Italy, and staff give good advice to those less familiar with low-intervention viticulture. Don’t forget to stock up on artisan Italian provisions at La Cantina, the restaurant’s deli a few doors down

Mixing a come-as-you-please vibe with upbeat cooking, loud music, a sense of fun and unquestionable value (note the £5 Negronis and spritzes) – the late Russell Norman’s formula for a good restaurant was always guaranteed to win over the local populace. Now run by Monique Sierra, Brutto is as popular as ever, with the checked tablecloths, Chianti bottles and typewritten menu (in Italian and English) summoning up the spirit of a traditional Florentine trattoria.

There is much to applaud here. A plate of anchovies with cold butter curls and St John sourdough is a good starting point, and we are big fans of the pork tonnato with caperberries. Elsewhere, there’s exemplary pasta (perhaps pappardelle with rabbit and lemon or maltagliati with oxtail ragù), plus a punchy, fall-apart beef shin and peppercorn stew, and an 800g Florentine T-bone steak that was shared by three contented diners and pronounced ‘fantastic’ – even the house red they washed it down with ‘was more than acceptable’. Brutto's roast potatoes are also 'something special', too. 

Desserts are no slouch either. We can recommend the tiramisu, but it's also worth looking out for the panna cotta with English strawberries or poached apricots with aged Parmesan. The young front-of-house team is superbly drilled, and there’s an attractive list of mainly (but not exclusively) Tuscan and other Italian wines.

*The restaurant is relocating to a new site at the end of 2025. Watch this space.*

Celentano’s is inspired but not constrained by Italian cooking and chef-owner Dean Parker is something of a food alchemist. He experiments with ingredients and preservation techniques while fusing different culinary influences into his own individualistic style. Don't be surprised to see kombucha and kimchi keeping company with classic coppa and carpaccio. Celebrating small, sustainable producers and with zero-waste values, the menu balances rustic authenticity, technical precision and an element of surprise. Standout snacks include the fried porcini lasagne and the rare-breed home-cured charcuterie. Follow that, perhaps, with an almost Venetian linguine, traditional surf clams embellished with cod cheek and kombu butter. The restaurant's ethos manifests itself in Loch Etive trout tail (perfectly baked on the bone with a simple whey butter) or a caressingly tender lower-carcass cut of local Dexter beef. To finish, an affogato gets the full 'comfort food' makeover with malted barley and chocolate crumb. The flexible format allows a mix-and-match approach, though careless choices might result in feeling either underwhelmed or over-faced. The multi-level, open-plan dining room sits within a quirky turreted building (formerly the Cathedral House hotel) and has a bustling but informal feel. A heated garden terrace overlooking an atmospheric necropolis might be the perfect spot for enjoying homemade vermouth or coffee liqueur in a signature negroni or espresso Martini.

Sitting modestly amid the hustle and bustle of Levenshulme’s frenetic Stockport Road, Cibus has grown from a market stall to a consistently popular neighbourhood restaurant. Indeed, when you enter you could almost be in the Italian tratt of your dreams – 'it’s always a good sign when one hears diners speaking Italian with the staff,’ observed one reporter. During the pandemic, Cibus delivered pizzas to the housebound and that community-minded service continues.

At first glance, the menu might seem like a roll call of trattoria standards but it also features regularly refreshed regional specialities, coupled with a level of cooking, sourcing and service that would shame many a fancier joint. Alongside top-class Italian ingredients, the owners support local suppliers, and can regularly be seen shopping in the nearby market. Their approach is flexible. You can pop in for a glass of wine and some cicchetti (perhaps aubergine arancini, baked portobello mushrooms with salmoriglio dressing or cod cheeks with peperonata) or settle in for something more substantial – including traditional roasts with a twist on Sundays.

The mainstays of the menu are the highly rated, crispy sourdough pizzas and interesting pasta dishes – ravioli stuffed with salt cod or orecchiette with meatballs and braciole ragù, for example. In addition, there's always a meat dish of the week (perhaps Italian sausages with goat's cheese, mash, onion gravy and greens) as well as a catch of the day. To finish, check out the salted doughnuts fashioned from little parcels of pizza dough – although the ‘gorgeous’ limoncello and Prosecco sorbet also comes highly recommended. Cocktails and digestifs have an Italian accent, likewise the well-chosen craft beers and wine list.

‘I love the authentic Italian flavours and the creative dishes made with fresh, quality ingredients,’ is just one ringing endorsement for this ‘small and super-stylish’ eatery. Counter seats bring you up close to the action, with enthusiastic staff buzzing about, slicing hams and pouring drinks while the chefs can be seen cooking pasta al dente and roasting prime cuts of meat and fish. Alternatively, there are some high tables at the back if you want something less frenetic.

Light and aromatic rosemary focaccia delivers the goods, and you should be prepared to share the seasonal small plates because that’s the deal here. Crisp, moreish arancini are a fixture (Venetian duck ragù with parsley and garlic emulsion, say), salads are fresh and zingy, and handmade pastas could range from rigatoni with flaked chalk stream trout, mussels, kale and spiced sofrito to tortelli of sweet potato with truffle sauce, amaretti and sage. If you fancy something meatier, how about Sussex beef rump and a rotolo of slow-cooked shin with Gorgonzola, spinach and roasted shallot, all in a rich beef sauce.

To finish, tiramisu or a Piedmontese chocolate, caramel and amaretti pudding compete with a trio of Italian cheeses. The five-course ‘chef's menu’ is an opportunity to take a more traditional path through the repertoire (with separate gluten-free and vegan options), all offered with optional Italian wine flights drawn from an impressive, knowledgeably assembled list.   

Quite the ace to have up your sleeve when you’re looking for somewhere casual, this dramatic double-height space, a former banking hall, houses a true urban eatery, an all-day Italian caffè. While busy and buzzy, the room feels classy: soaring pillars, ornate ceiling, grey walls, striking bright-pink dangling lampshades, massive central chandelier, and a lively baroque fresco covering part of one wall.

It ‘feels special’ and feeds the mainly Edinburgh crowd from breakfast to dinner, whether snacking, just having a drink, enjoying one dish or more. Any time and any dish will do, whether it’s a plate of trofiette pasta with sausage, cremini mushrooms, dried porcini, fresh cream, rocket and Parmesan, or rump of Highland lamb with cannellini purée, pan-fried puntarella and salsa verde.

If you’re into the sweet side of things, Contini’s tiramisu is the ultimate soothing treat, although other equally indulgent temptations beckon – from panettone al forno to gelati and sorbetti. Liquid refreshment covers all bases too, with the good-value all-Italian wine list opening at £25.

A cosy bolthole with a great atmosphere in the centre of Bristol, this wine bar and kitchen feels more informal than sister restaurant Pasta Ripiena on the same street, while offering impeccably sourced, beautifully cooked Italian food of the same quality. Originally La Sorella (a deli and aperitivo bar), then Bar Ripiena, plans to reimagine the space as a lasagne bar were knocked off course by the pandemic. Cotto emerged in early 2022. The old wine bar, with its countertop seating and high tables for two running along one side of the narrow room, now flows into next door where larger groups can eat in a slightly less atmospheric dining room. While you can still pop in for just a glass from their wide-ranging, carefully chosen selection of Italian and other European wines, it's easy to be tempted by the short, daily changing menu of keenly priced culinary delights. Small plates of, say, panzanella with buffalo mozzarella are large enough for two, while a large serving of rigatoni cacio e pepe or chicken cacciatore with pappardelle is a satisfying and sophisticated meal for one. Order another glass of wine to complement a scoop of gelato or a savoury finale such as homemade 'carta da musica' flatbread with mustard fruits and an oozing slab of Taleggio. The welcome is as warm as a ray of Italian sunshine.

Opened in November 2023, this neighbourhood Italian in Hackney puts the emphasis on home-style cooking with a little transatlantic input from the partly Canadian heritage of the chef. You'll need to head over to Instagram if you want to see a menu in advance, but rolling up and taking pot luck works quite well – how about red mullet crudo with sea purslane and tomato dressing. The decor is as simple as can be (creamy white walls, small café-style tables), while the food puts on little in the way of airs and graces. A cuttlefish and chickpea salad won over a first-timer a treat (the bread handy for mopping up the dressing), while a trio of anchovy and tomato fritters was big on crisp, well-seasoned umami. Classic Italian 'primi' and 'secondi' are rendered with impressive panache, as in perfectly formed, delicate ravioli of nettle and ricotta strewn with pine nuts, or a jade-green wild garlic risotto enriched with squacquerone soft cheese. Away from pasta, also expect the likes of lamb chop and belly with wild mint and roasted potatoes, while a chunky side dish of quartered marinated tomatoes in olive oil and basil is reliably worth a punt. A serving of snow-white ricotta flooded with saba grape syrup is a more enterprising way of finishing, if perchance the fabled tiramisu has sold out. There are pedigree Italian wines to accompany.

Clare Lattin and Tom Hill, once of Ducksoup in Soho, have migrated to the sub-Dartmoor stretches of south Devon and pitched camp on the T-junction that more or less is Ashburton. It's a small room with an agreeable buzz and square tables (some for sharing) supplemented by wicker stools at the counter and window that are probably best reserved for younger, more resilient backsides. Just add a thrifty, serenely industrious kitchen, plus a wine-store (for retail) half-hidden behind a curtain, and a frequently changing menu that works within its own modest capacities to produce contemporary, Italian-inflected small plates and mains. The special of the day on our lunch visit in the long linger of late winter involved chunks of sublime red-rare hanger steak in a mound of roasted Tropea onion with salted ricotta, capers and oregano. Others were scarfing up the broad-ribboned pappardelle with a ragù of ox cheek and black olives, as well as marinated gurnard in an aromatic livery of golden raisins, almonds and saffron. Appetisers are a little more prosaic (a couple of splots of white Gorgonzola with lightly pickled pear; shaved pickled fennel in oregano and chilli) but there is good charcuterie, and even the minimal choice of two desserts will provoke agonies of indecision. The dark chocolate mousse with ginger and oat crumb looked the business, but altogether flawless was our blood-orange and pistachio tart with crème fraîche. Only a select few of the wines emerge from behind the curtain onto the list, but they are enterprising and interesting Italian regional stars: a tobaccoey, Merlot-based Gambellara, perhaps, or a skin-contact Sicilian from Grecanico-Inzolia. Aperitifs run to a take on the Bellini earthed up with rhubarb juice.

Set up as a pizza home-delivery service during lockdown, this well-liked informal eatery (from seasoned London restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas) feels like the very definition of a neighbourhood Italian restaurant. The short menu offers food that is comforting and classical, with generous plates of pasta as a strong suit. Fans have singled out the tortelloni cacio e pepe, although we couldn’t resist the orecchiette with anchovy and cime di rapa, topped with crispy sourdough crumbs and Parmesan.

The kitchen is also renowned for its deliciously light, crisp pizzas. Our pizza bianca with porchetta, mozzarella, salsa verde and rocket was a perfect example of how the 'white ones' should be done. Readers have also enthused about the version topped with 'nduja, Gorgonzola and hot honey. 

A serving of mozzarella di bufala opened our meal, lifted by grated lemon zest and partnered by roasted crown prince squash and crispy sage, while a portion of zesty lemon polenta cake rounded off proceedings. The restaurant also does terrific gelati, including varieties in a waffle cone – the salted caramel variety is ‘especially good’, by all accounts. The admirable front of house team make everyone feel at home, and the set-up also comes with a pretty covered garden, a great playlist, cocktails and a short well-priced wine list tailored to the menu.

* The restaurant has closed as of February 2025. The two Forza Wine sites (in Peckham and at the National Theatre) continue to trade as normal. *

Back to life after its previous iteration (in a Peckham warehouse) was cancelled by the first lockdown, Forza Win (without an 'e') is an utterly comfortable and welcoming spirit-reviver in its own right. If you don't feel good about focused Italian flavours, Sicilian wine on tap or cool-but-kindly service, better check your pulse. Behind peachy arches overlooking Camberwell Church Street, the kitchen wears its technique with ease; for every serving of breezy spaghetti with clams and mussels, there's a bowl of fluffy Florentine topini with the intensity of mushroom stock and morels, or a masterfully breaded and fried lamb cutlet draped with anchovy fillets and served with chunky salsa verde. The selection of four secondi might range from a summery green vignarola (Roman vegetable stew) to a piece of pork belly sliding gently into its accompanying chickpeas with San Marzano tomatoes and capers. Such a satisfyingly compact menu will always be seasonal, although the house 'custardo' is non-negotiable – an affogato made with custard rather than ice cream. For more heft, the chocolate and apricot cake (shades of Sachertorte) or a blowsy take on tiramisu both deliver.

At heart, tiny Giulia is a neighbourhood restaurant, one where Endris Kerbizi’s bold, assured Italian cooking draws back locals again and again. A passion for quality runs through every aspect of the place, and the menu embodies the capital's take on Italy – a pared-back aesthetic, a short, regularly changing repertoire and a light, contemporary touch. ‘Never had a duff dish,' just about sums it up.

Seared octopus with cauliflower, creamy potato and 'nduja sauce is a never-off-the-menu must-order, but in season the baked courgette flower filled with ricotta and served with a courgette salad is not to be missed. To follow, there’s plenty of love for the veal cotoletta alla milanese, while the roast lamb rack with braised shoulder, peas and asparagus is reckoned to be as good as anything in London. And if you're craving some handmade pasta, the seafood paccheri is a standout.

Focaccia and gelato (both made in-house) have been praised, while one fan insists that 'they have the best tiramisu I have ever tasted (and I’m Italian)’. However, we have a soft spot for the lemon tart with caramelised apricot. Giulia Quaglia heads the small front of house team, a ‘smiling, friendly presence’ who always finds time to chat and talk food. To drink, there are some classic cocktails and a short list of affordable all-Italian wines.

Poppy Cartwright and Matthew Shelton's supper club in the tiny basement of their terraced house was a hard-to-book hot ticket, so the move to Hebden Bridge's main street has given locals more of a chance to bag a table. The couple have created a really stylish, pared-back space – all white walls, scrubbed floors and exposed beams, plus an open kitchen with Carrera marble worktops. The furniture is Ercol, the tablecloths crisp white linen and the music smooth – Hebden has got the stylish, elegant restaurant it didn't know it needed.

Poppy's background as an ex-fashion student then lecturer at the Royal College of Art may explain her near-forensic attention to detail in the kitchen; Matthew deftly presides front-of-house. The old supper club ethos has been carried over, so expect a fixed-price set menu with a strong nod to the Italian 'Slow Food Movement' as well as Poppy's Sicilian heritage: a pork and fennel ragù, for example, sings of a long, slow cook although it's leavened by a dollop of ricotta shot through with lemon zest. The non-meat choice might be pappa al pomodoro with herb tordelli. Butternut squash velouté with pickled squash opened the menu on the night we popped in, while dessert was Madagascar vanilla panna cotta (with precisely the right wobble) served with strawberry gel sorbet and a lacy tuile.

There are two sittings on Friday and Saturday, while the excellent-value four-course Sunday lunch includes the likes of beef shin and Chianti ragù followed by blossom-honey parfait. The all-Italian wine list is short but carefully curated.

It opened in 2021 but La Terra has the feel of a long-established Italian restaurant, with faithful regulars welcomed as friends and cooking rooted in chef Alessandro Scola's family traditions. He and business partner Vito Scaduto (front of house) worked in some of the locality’s more renowned establishments before teaming up for this project – and it runs like a well-oiled machine, from the on-point service to the thrum of the open kitchen at the back. The interior is light and airy, the pale walls and cool grey of the marble-topped tables warmed by vintage wall lights and red padded seating.

Scola's cooking combines traditional Italian recipes and ingredients with contemporary creative flair. A starter of lamb shoulder croquettes with kumquats and jus lacked crunch but was meaty, full-flavoured and satisfying, while exceptionally good burrata (from Puglia) was fittingly paired with sweet pear, bitter chicory and crunchy, buttery pine nuts. Sourcing is impeccable: a pearly piece of Brixham plaice, cooked just-so and served with fregola, salty-garlicky bagna cauda and earthy Jerusalem artichoke purée was a high point of our visit, while a plate of traditional Roman gnocchi was equally delightful – made with semolina, pan-fried until burnished and served with crispy fried guanciale, sprightly wild mushrooms, butternut squash and unctuous pan juices.

To conclude, an Amalfi lemon posset with curd and burnt white chocolate offered a novel spin on a classic recipe. Wash it all down with well-sourced, mostly Italian wines, including a decent selection by the glass.

There’s a lot more competition than when Lardo first opened its doors in 2012, but this industrial-chic venue remains a favourite among the local families and well-to-do professionals of London Fields. While the pizza oven is busy turning out blistered-crust beauties, the kitchen demonstrates 'ristorante' skills with dishes like pig’s head croquette, soft ricotta gnudi as well as creative vegan options. Classic Italian desserts include affogato, tiramisu and panna cotta, while a short, stylish wine list starts with tempting bottles from £28.

A converted warehouse in the shadow of Tower Bridge is an unlikely spot for a small, independently owned Italian restaurant, but Legare 'punches above its weight,' according to one well-satisfied visitor. Inside, it’s all white walls and stone flooring with tightly packed tables and a centrepiece open-plan kitchen delivering a seasonal, regularly changing menu that’s sensibly short and bolstered by blackboard specials. Chef/co-owner Matt Beardmore honed his craft at Trullo in Islington and we were impressed by the exemplary hand-made paccheri (large pasta tubes) served with a ragù of braised cuttlefish given heft with a touch of chilli and a topping of bottarga. We kicked things off with a dish of cured chalk stream trout, pickled kohlrabi, dill and mustard seeds as well as delicious grilled mackerel with shaved fennel and orange, while our 'secondi' was accurately timed roast quail which arrived in company with onions, sultanas, Kalamazoo olives, pine nuts and pink fir potatoes. The fresh-from-the-oven focaccia seasoned with roasted garlic and oregano is not to be missed, while dessert might promise cannoli with Marcona almonds (priced by the piece) or, perhaps, white chocolate cremoso with passion fruit. Beardmore's business partner Jay Patel (ex-Barrafina) heads a tightly knit front-of-house-team. The wine list comprises some 38 natural tipples sourced from small Italian producers, with a dozen offered by the glass. 

A selection of the day’s papers hanging from a rail in the front room is a reminder that this chic neighbourhood Italian does brisk business as a café by day, dispensing excellent espressos, croissants, pizzette and plates of superlative lasagne. In the evening, lights are dimmed, candles are lit, noodly jazz plays, and the vintage Italian liquor posters on the wall exert their influence, persuading the diner to at least consider an aperitivo. Campari and soda, Ichnusa beer and non-alcoholic Crodino are all in keeping with the Italian theme. 

In the kitchen, chef Peppe Belvedere (ex-Brawn) offers the full Italian works of snacks, antipasti, primi and grilled secondi such as turbot on the bone or lamb saddle, plain and unadorned. Well-heeled locals are certainly embracing the possibilities: some popping in for a glass of red and bowl of fettuccine with duck ragù, others putting on their glad rags for a fancy night out. The salad of cockles, mussels and raw scallops in a chilled tomato dressing that we sampled is ‘special occasion’ food, for sure, though even a more rustic dish of firm cavatelli pasta with aubergine, datterini tomatoes and ricotta affumicata is made with love and care. As a refresher, finish off with peach sorbet.

Aside from aperitifs, beers and other libations, Leo's has a not-inexpensive wine list that divides its attention between Italy and France, with some beloved ‘natural’ producers on show (Nino Barraco, Bruno Duchêne, Le Coste etc). Not surprisingly, the place is popular, so be sure to book ahead if you want to enjoy the white tablecloths and wood panels of the main dining room. That’s not to say the yellow Formica-topped tables in the bar aren’t perfectly lovely too.

Visitors consistently praise the ‘welcome and engaging’ service at this laid-back pasta emporium that has come a long way since its days as a pop-up. Watch owner Chris Davis beatifically shaping a seemingly endless ribbon of pasta in the restaurant’s shopfront window workspace. Inside, the lived-in decor of rough wood floors, bare tables and salvaged chairs, plus high shelves housing trailing plants and bottles of wine, creates a relaxing vibe.

The short menu naturally showcases Davis’s freshly made pasta, though starters could be anything from monkfish carpaccio with orange and shallot to a wonderfully moreish white bean, fennel and sausage ragù with chive butter. Mains are expertly crafted, precisely cooked and lavishly dressed delights, say a generous plate of half-moon casoncelli stuffed with roast celeriac and Parmesan and bathed in honey, butter and chopped pickled walnuts or tagliolini with prawn-head sauce, chilli, basil and butterflied prawn. After such a high, desserts (including traditional favourites such as tiramisu and affogato) can be a bit of an anti-climax.

To drink, a modest list of almost entirely Italian and French wines offers a decent selection by the glass. Visit Tuesday to Friday lunchtime to take advantage of the great-value set menu (three courses for £26 at the time of writing).

Originally conceived by the owners of the Clove Club, this ‘Britalian’ restaurant is almost as well-known for its bar as its restaurant –so it was with some reluctance that we bypassed the Negroni-based fun in favour of the dining room. Until we clapped eyes on the space itself, that is: a stunning covered garden worthy of a Roman palazzo. Seating is divided between an attractive cosmopolitan room and a terrace complete with a fireplace, cobbles and foliage (you can specify where you sit when you reserve). For the Luca-on-a-budget experience, try the bar, where lunch is currently £32 for two courses. Otherwise, those with cash to splash can knock themselves out with four courses, Italian-style, and a bottle or two from the impressive Italian list – specialist subject Barolo (sub-£50 bottles are few). Vitello tonnato may now be ubiquitous in London but we’ll never tire of it when it's as satisfying as this. The veal is more well done than is fashionable – a good thing – but is tender and flavoursome beneath a generous spoon of tonnato mayonnaise and a frisky celery, artichoke and lemon salad. Terrific stuff. Fresh pasta is a standout: mezzi paccheri with a pork sausage ragù gains depth from anchovy and freshness from mint, while green and yellow variegated ribbons of tagliatelle with rabbit, lardo and green olives are comforting and luxurious in equal measure. Secondi at inspection include Hebridean lamb with caponata, Hereford beef fillet and short rib, and a dish of John Dory with mussels, mousserons, Jersey Royals and a frothy lemon verbena sauce. Tiramisu, like your nonna might make, is a bravely unfancy finish; vanilla panna cotta with Yorkshire rhubarb is a nicely executed pairing, if lacking the ‘Luca’ signature that characterises the restaurant's best dishes. Overall, a confident operation. Credit, in particular, for setting a tone as conducive to business as it is to pleasure.

Nico Pasquali has been serving excellent Roman pizzas, pastas and pastries for over 10 years, and even though his homely little all-day trattoria is now located in the incongruous setting of an industrial estate, there is still a steady flow of customers who persevere and find their (slightly bemused) way here.  A wooden extension has doubled the number of covers, but it’s still limited and worth booking ahead.

The vibe is friendly, unfussy and unpretentious, although Nico’s regulars also come for his precisely cooked traditional dishes made with prime ingredients flown in from Italy or fresh from his allotment. They are the perfect antidote to the standard Anglo-Italian repertoire, and the glitzy but vacuous styling of most high-street chains. Popular (and reasonably priced) dishes might range from rigatoni with guanciale, chilli and pecorino to arancini, suppli (deep-fried pizza balls) and Roman Jewish artichokes. There's also a list of specials that may feature orecchiette with Italian fennel sausages and romanesco broccoli, as well as whole baked sea bass cooked with cherry tomatoes and olives. 

To drink, there's a modest collection of artisan Italian wines, as well as cocktails and Italian beers. The coffee also receives rave notices, but it’s the X factor that makes Lupo stand out: 'It's rare these days to find someone who not only runs the place but also takes the time to chat with guests, share stories and make sure everyone feels at home. And the food – wow.' 

Frequent queues stretching out of the door are testament to the daily popularity of this trendy modern Italian, which is marked by an ornamental boar's head suspended above the entrance. Manteca is that sort of place, a Shoreditch resource named boldly after a variety of fat – lard, to be precise. Ground floor seats offers views into the open kitchen, while downstairs refrigerated cabinets of home-cured charcuterie whet the appetite (salumi and prosciutto are tip-top and not to be missed). An infectious buzz animates the whole restaurant, augmented by piped tunes that some may find passably funky.

The kitchen is deadly serious about sourcing from the best suppliers, menus often change several times a day, and the chefs have the autonomy to put new dishes together on the fly. The result is a much less formulaic repertoire than is often the Italian case. A plate of line-caught sea bass crudo dressed with green strawberries was a seasonal treat on our most recent visit, while a dramatic swoop of rich, silky duck liver parfait was served with black date jam and a pile of craggy chargrilled bread. Hand-rolled pasta stars in fazzoletti with duck-fat pangrattato or tonnarelli with brown crab cacio e pepe, ahead of mains from the wood-fired oven – perhaps John Dory, plaice or a premium cut of longhorn beef. Finish with a doorstop helping of almond cake with stone-fruit and vanilla gelato.

A minimal-waste approach sees some of the beef fat turning up in the fudge with coffee, while the copiously unusable bits of globe artichoke might eventually find their way into the house cynar liqueur. Service is temperamentally patchy – mostly hail-fellow, occasionally glum. However, eminently kind pricing earns the places bonus points, especially as Italian wines on tap start at £5.50 a glass. Adventurous imbibers, meanwhile, should home in the sections of the list entitled ‘down the rabbit hole’.

Brixton has a reputation for exciting startups and on-trend eateries, so it’s curious to find a traditional Italian neighbourhood restaurant in this part of town. The venue itself is done out in minimalist style (think exposed concrete, mirrors and dark wood accentuating a couple of large-format artworks) and named after the Maremma, an unspoilt region in the south of Tuscany famed for its sparkling seasonal produce (and its luscious Super Tuscan wines).

The kitchen shows its mettle with a repertoire of classically prepared dishes that are ‘deeply Italian’ rather than ornamental. Pasta is a good call, and it's done to a high standard, from pumpkin pansotti with butter and sage or chestnut tagliatelle with cavolo nero, chilli and new season’s olive oil to pappardelle with a velvety wild boar ragù. Elsewhere, rare-breed meats feature on the specials board and there’s prime seafood in the guise of, say, seared rosemary-encrusted tuna with rocket and aged pecorino. Desserts also offer temptations galore, from Stockwell honeycomb gelato to an ‘epic tiramisu’, while cheeses are artisan Italian beauties served with chestnut honey.

You can see the chefs at work, and everything is served without pretension by a knowledgeable, welcoming team. Reasonably priced Italian cocktails are well worth sipping at the counter, and the all-Italian wine list offers some ‘fantastic selections at affordable prices’. The owners also run Il Maremmano, an ‘apericena’ bar just round the corner on Tulse Hill.

A fixture of the local restaurant scene since 1984, Reuben Murray’s personally run neighbourhood eatery, wine shop, bakery and deli is just a short jaunt uphill from Clevedon’s pretty Victorian pier, at the top of a pleasant shopping street. The large glass frontage, silver-birch wallpaper and high ceilings give the place a light, airy feel that chimes perfectly with a menu of authentic Italian food featuring local and imported artisan produce.

Excellent pizzas and temptingly filled sandwiches satisfy the lunchtime crowd, alongside more sophisticated dishes such as a cicchetti-style starter of roast Delica pumpkin with chilli Clevedon honey, caciocavallo cheese and sage crisps or a pasta course of wild boar tortelloni with red pepper sauce. Substantial secondi might feature roast chicken leg with braised harissa chickpeas, potatoes, red onion and mint yoghurt, while desserts are traditional staples such as coffee panna cotta or warm Sicilian pannetone bread and butter pudding.

Fixed-price pizza/pasta deals liven up Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and there's a traditional Sunday roast too. On weekend evenings, the courtyard garden turns into an ‘enoteca’ with its own menu of cicchetti and antipasti to accompany choices from an impressive list of Italian wines, many of which you can also buy to take home from the adjoining deli.

When Ombra opened its doors by the banks of the Regent's Canal back in 2011, today’s gentrification was a long way off. Now this former retail site is custom-built for a taste of Venetian-style bacaro cool. Drop by on spec, have a drink and a snack with some fresh bread from the owners’ bakery Forno – whatever you fancy. It's the perfect setting with its edgy but wonderfully whimsical interior design, tinted floor-to-ceiling windows and heated terrace for alfresco socialising.

Chef Mitshel Ibrahim (ex-Clove Club) conjures up some rare inventions, taking his cue from the traditions of regional Italian small-plates grazing, but adding flavours that are all his own – how about Carlingford oysters topped with startling cherry mustard? As for his light and crispy crostino topped with the most translucent home-cured pancetta, it ranks as ’one of the singularly most delicious mouthfuls I have ever tasted,’ drooled an inspector.

Other prize nibbles might range from a ‘cauliflower mushroom’ (sparassis) with Calabrian chilli and egg yolk to cured mackerel tartare with fennel and blood orange, although you must leave room for some silky hand-rolled pasta. Tagliatelle with well-judged anchovy butter and a generous amount of shaved truffle is a ‘triumph of less is more’, while crab tortelloni with crab ragù and hen of the woods brings delicacy as well as flavour to the table.

The menu also includes a couple of heftier ‘secondi’ too (a show-stopping dish of melting sweetbreads in perfectly balanced pea and mint velouté, say), while classic ‘dolci’ could herald panna cotta with poached pears or chestnut and roasted quince semifreddo. Since ‘ombra’ is Venetian dialect for a weeny glass of wine, it’s no surprise that drinkers have a ‘really interesting’ choice of Italian low-intervention tipples to sample. There are cool spritzs and aperitifs too.

Intimate and informal, with small, closely packed, square wooden tables ranged along either side of the dining room, this cool, modern Italian offers a short, daily changing menu of fresh stuffed pasta dressed in moreish sauces. The chefs in the open kitchen conjure magic from simple ingredients, say the ox cheek ragù that's used to fill casoncelli parcels (served on a bed of celeriac purée, garnished with bresaola and Parmesan). Antipasti includes fantastic sourdough focaccia and a salad of Italian tomatoes, ricotta, balsamic vinegar and deeply flavoured grass-green virgin olive oil. Dessert might be a perfectly wobbly panna cotta of pistachio and more of that wonderful olive oil; otherwise, opt for a generous slab of Italian cheese with homemade flatbread and mustard fruits. Though not quite as popular as big brother Pasta Loco, booking is advisable, especially if you want to take advantage of the extraordinarily good-value fixed-price lunch. The dozen or so reds and whites on the carefully chosen wine list showcase Italian vintages, although France, the New World and even Essex get a brief look in. 

Housed in the Tardis-like basement of a Whiteladies Road townhouse, this is the latest and largest venture from the Bianchis Group, replacing the much-loved Pasta Loco round the corner. Aficionados of Loco and its sister Pasta Ripiena will recognise the brown paper lampshades, white walls adorned with monochrome photos, slatted wood ceilings and numerous shelves groaning with wines, tinned tomatoes and other Italian delights. Ask the ‘attentive and knowledgeable’ waiting staff for a table in the back if you want to watch the chefs at work in the large open kitchen.

The promise of a list of global ingredients to point up the light, fresh and immaculately sourced modern cooking is lightly honoured – say, with a drop of cider in a dish of bucatini with braised cuttlefish, cream and agretti. Otherwise, it’s Italian all the way, from a snack of oyster mushroom fritti to a beautiful blush-hued radicchio insalata with mustard fruits, hazelnuts, apple and stracciatella. The short selection of desserts might include a perfectly wobbly limoncello panna cotta paired with rustic, crumbly rosemary and pistachio shortbread.

A predominantly Italian wine list is helpfully divided into light, medium and heavy, with a handful by the glass or 500ml carafe, plus ‘Nonna’s list’ of budget-blowing bottles. Cocktails are on special offer on Monday nights, and there are excellent-value fixed-price lunches from Tuesday to Friday.

With its rough-hewn brickwork and bare café tables, Jon Lawson's small but jumping joint off Old Street suits Shoreditch down to the ground. There's a Moorish, as well as moreish, air to some of the dishes, backed up by rock-solid Italian credentials founded on pasta made fresh in-house each day. Upstairs is a more conventional restaurant setting, but the counter seating on the ground floor, with chefs in the thick of it right before your eyes, is where the beating heart of the action is.

Up-to-the-minute flavours are strewn across the menu, from grilled tenderstem broccoli with egg yolk and pecorino to Dorset crab salad with merinda tomatoes and bottarga. High rollers might opt for seared tuna steak with Umbrian lentil and rosemary dressing or grilled ribeye accompanied by celeriac, cavolo nero and horseradish, although it would be a mistake to ignore the pasta – perhaps agnolotti with pork cheek and porcini butter or gnudi bianco (‘naked ravioli’ of ricotta and cavolo nero sauce).

Finish with burnt Basque cheesecake and baked apricots or honey panna cotta with rose-petal advieh (a Persian spice mix). The short wine list includes the expected clutch of skin-contact whites and a bevy of high-octane Italian reds.

You wouldn’t guess it from the name, but Sonny Stores is a charming neighbourhood Italian, set in a former corner shop amid the terraces and bay windows of Southville. Out front, a blackboard advertises takeaway pizzas, but inside you’ll find no trace of Leaning Tower or Ponte Vecchio chintz: the interiors are bright and contemporary, with Fellini-esque terrazzo flooring, a smattering of potted plants and a sunflower painted over the door – indeed, it ‘feels like you’re in someone’s living room.’

The name ‘Sonny’ is borrowed from the son of owners Mary Glynn and chef Pegs Quinn (ex-River Café) – it's clear the restaurant they run together is also a labour of love. Antipasti are thoughtfully assembled – check out the excellent fat Nocellara olives and the much-loved (though admittedly not Italian) Cantabrian anchovies (chunky specimens doused in salt and oil). Starters might take inspiration from across the peninsula – there are northern Italian notes in a dish of crispy beef tongue with salsa rossa, though deep-fried whole quail with hot honey and crème fraîche on the side is more of a departure.

Pasta dishes might include looping pappardelle with rich chicken-liver ragù, parsley and Parmesan – though our standout dish was a main course of poached cod in a rich broth of clams ‘acqua pazza’, resting on bruschetta that absorbed the flavours. Some might round off with pear ice cream, brown sugar and walnut; others go for a generous slab of tiramisu. Also look out for the good-value weekday set lunches.

If it was a toss-up between Stuzzi’s Harrogate original and its more recent Leeds offshoot, readers confirm that the younger, West Yorkshire sibling would win every time. It might not look much from the outside (blacked-out windows, gold signage and a message announcing 'importers and purveyors of fine Italian stuff’), but step inside and head up to the attractive attic room, where delights aplenty await. Against a backdrop of concrete floors, contemporary bentwood chairs, rustic arches and shelves of wine bottles, visitors can dip into a roster of Italian small plates in the modern idiom. The restaurant’s name is short for ‘stuzzichini’ (the little dishes served with drinks in osterias and bars across Italy) and the kitchen delivers. Highlights from the day’s 12-dish menu might include anything from Stuzzi’s famous deep-fried pig’s head terrine with chilli, lemon and 'nduja aïoli to Puglian burrata with roasted artichoke, focaccia croûtons, pistachio and sorrel pesto. Local ingredients also get star billing, be it Harewood Estate venison tartare or chargrilled Yorkshire asparagus wrapped in home-cured chilli lardo with crispy wheat and confit lemon. For afters, treat yourself to a panino gelato (a homemade choux bun filled with Yorkshire rhubarb, vanilla gelato and Stuzzi gin). The lengthy wine list wends its way exhaustively through the Italian regions, with plenty of prestigious labels on show and prices from £25 upwards.

The low-key, glass frontage doesn’t give much away, but Trentina is truly a local diamond, a cheerfully informal addition to Birmingham's vibrant Jewellery Quarter scene. Inside, it looks and feels sparsely contemporary. Here you will find big flavours on a short menu that leans heavily on the daily use of the pasta-roller. Dunwood Farm beef bolognese with pappardelle or Devon crab and ricotta ravioli are simple, satisfying and good value. Courgette fritti with aïoli or Cobble Lane fennel and garlic salami could open proceedings, while dessert choices are limited – say a creamy tiramisu or various soft-serve ice creams. A brief, reasonably priced all-Italian wine list offers just one option by the glass/carafe.

Opened in 2021, Tropea is a love letter to Italian regional cooking, set within a clean-lined space that has recently extended into the building next door, with more covers and a bar/counter offering drinks as well as the full restaurant menu. The feel is of modern refettorio with a sleek navy-blue frontage and a cool, softly lit interior with hints of bronze and orange tones (there are tables outside, too). Reporters praise the exceptional staff, and the sharing ethos of the menus, which encourages much happy mixing and matching.

The bidding opens with inspired antipasti selections such as sea bream crudo with lightly pickled apple, monk’s beard and olive oil or gnocco fritto (fried dough) with 30-month DOP prosciutto di Parma. Pasta is a sure-fire hit (casarecce with beef-cheek ragù or tagliatelle with sautéed morels, and mushroom duxelles, for example), while the robust approach to principal dishes might embrace poached stone bass in ‘acqua pazza’ with datterini tomatoes and pickled fennel or BBQ lamb rump accompanied by Tropea onions, Jersey Royals and salsa verde. 

Anyone leaving without having bitten into one of the bombolone (filled doughnuts) has missed a trick – they are a textural sensation. Alternatively, a mighty serving of tiramisu or crisp deep-fried cannoli decadently stuffed with cream, salted caramel and chocolate sauce might fit the bill. Not surprisingly, Italy is the reference point for an approachable wine list with plenty by the glass or carafe – also, check out the prestigious ‘cellar list’ of notable regional vintages dating back to 2010.  

Warmth 'with a capital W’ is one of the prime assets at this Islington crowd-puller, which has been hitting all the right notes since opening in 2010. Matching a glowing interior and pleasing comfort with homely but vivacious Italian food, Trullo is a neighbourhood winner – whether you’re seated in the pleasingly modest ground floor (bare boards, velvet banquettes, cream walls, cheffy photos) or settled in an alcove in the atmospheric, low-lit basement. The whole place exudes a happy vibe, helped along by calm, cool, clued-up staff. On offer is a menu of unfussy yet finessed cooking with hand-rolled pasta as one of the star turns – from silky pappardelle with a deeply rich, long-cooked beef ragù to textbook pici cacio e pepe (the comforting squidge of perfectly cooked pasta, the sharpness of pecorino, the heat as you crunch into the cracked black pepper). Paper tablecloths mean you can get messy without embarrassment. After that, the oven and charcoal grill come into play, doling out everything from Brixham brill with confit garlic to spiced duck leg with Marsala – its exceptionally crispy skin contrasting with the sticky, softness of stewed onion, endive and prunes. Details such as the salt-crusted focaccia with fruity, pleasantly bitter Le Ferre estate olive oil for dipping are much appreciated, and there’s no stinting on the booze when it’s tiramisu time. Drinks include a decent selection of vermouths and a comprehensive list of Italian regional wines.

Edinburgh’s Italian gastro-scene owes a great deal to members of the Contini dynasty, in fact their original deli and wine store remains ‘numero uno’ in the city with its treasure-trove of artisan provisions. Thread your way past the shelves of comestibles and regional wines to reach the jam-packed caffè bar at the back of the premises. Informal, all-day eating is the name of the game, and everything hinges on top-notch ingredients – including plenty of seasonal Scottish produce.

Drop by for breakfast (perhaps a signature ‘panetella’ sandwich with proper kick-start coffee) or call in later for some handmade pasta – spaghettini with palourde clams or orecchiette with cime di rape, anchovies and extra-virgin olive oil. Otherwise, share an antipasti platter or graze on a salad of fennel, orange and goat’s cheese. After that, move on to a ‘primi’ plate of, say, fritto misto or pistachio-crumbed lamb rump, before rounding off with V&C’s bombolone doughnuts, a delectable cake or some gelati.

The owners are wine merchants par excellence, and you can access their authoritative cellar by choosing a bottle from the shop; just add £8 to the retail price, and you're good to go. Alternatively, browse the short caffè list from your table; bottles start at £17, and everything is available by the glass.

Inspired by London’s bacaro-style eateries, the hands-on Leggiero brothers have brought some true Italian aperitivo spirit to this animated spot beside a busy road in suburban Leeds. Zucco certainly looks the part – high stools, subway-tiled walls, black-and-white chequerboard floors, filament bulbs dangling from a copper-panel ceiling – and its menu ticks all the boxes. With brother Michael overseeing proceedings, the kitchen turns out kindly priced Italian small plates and sharing dishes with bags of personality and all the right accents. Pizzette and pastas are always a good shout – perhaps spaghetti with polpette or baccala (salt cod) ravioli with sage and white wine – but other items also catch the eye. How about chargrilled octopus with saffron potatoes or pork belly stuffed with apricots, sun-blush tomatoes and capers? Meanwhile, sweet-toothed punters can revel in a line-up of all-Italian classics – affogato, sgroppino, lemon and polenta cake, ricotta-filled cannoli, (vegan) gelati and so on. Equally classic cocktails share the billing with a short list of Italian regional wines, including plenty by the glass or carafe.