Fornata

Following in the wake of their smash-hit prima donna on Albermarle Street, the owners of Babbo have chosen Soho for their second venture. Referencing the Italian word for oven, Fornata serves all-day food with a southern accent in a deliberately rustic setting spread over two floors. Expect an upbeat, Italian-speaking welcome & a difficult time choosing from two-dozen small plates, followed by an equal number of more substantial dishes from the kitchen & wood-fired ‘forno’. You might try some bread-based nibbles: sausage bruschettine, beef carpaccio on piadina, or rosemary & olive oil schiacciatina, for instance. Otherwise, the menu runs to deep-fried mozzarella, San Daniele ham, chicken salad with artichokes, & ‘incredible’ tiramisu cheesecake. The styling is attractive & commercial, tinged with retro, & the appeal is likely to be all-round.