Aglio e Olio

Forget checked tablecloths, O Sole Mio soundtracks & Chianti bottles in straw baskets, Aglio e Olio isn’t your average identikit trattoria. Customers are often packed tight in the utilitarian, metallic-grey dining room, where chefs turn out sunny Italian dishes from an open kitchen. The carte is a reliable & unchanging run through the likes of deep-red beef carpaccio, grilled sardines, linguine with clams & mussels or spaghetti with olive oil, garlic & fresh chilli, while a daily selection of specials offers some seasonal variety, & there are traditional tiramisu-style desserts to finish everyone off. Prices are very fair, & the all-Italian wine list is also designed to give top value across the board. Brisk service, a bustling interior & windows opening onto Fulham Road complete an exuberant little package.