Despite its central London location, this useful Italian joint just off Portland Place offers everything you might crave for in a local restaurant – a warm, friendly atmosphere and good, familiar food. The menu is traditional and enormous; pick you favourite Italian dish (except pizza) and chances are it will be here. A meal might open with calamari alla brace (char-grilled squid with lemon and fresh chilli) or prosciutto with buffalo mozzarella, before continuing with classic pastas and then veal scaloppine alla Milanese, or perhaps grilled swordfish steak from the ‘pesce’ list. If you still have room, finish with a classic tiramisu or pannacotta. The wine list, like the menu, is designed to suit all comers (it’s mostly Italian, but not religiously so), and the coffee takes no prisoners.