Aperitivo

At Aperitivo Italian food gets the tapas treatment. It’s a relaxed, friendly operation, with little tables crowded into a long, narrow room painted a cheerful orange. Two to three plates per person should be enough & range from the popular sgabei con salsiccia (Tuscan bread filled with sausage & red onion) to rotolo di pasta (homemade pasta with aubergine, mushrooms, radicchio & Gruyere). Be sure to look out for weekly specials such as octopus salad with asparagus & black olives or grilled tiger prawns & peppers with sauteed courgettes. There are classic puds (pannacotta, tiramisu), well-made cocktails & a decent Italian wine list (try the 2000 Terrerade by Sella & Mosca, a full-bodied Sardinian), all adding up to a nice, reasonably priced night out in Soho.