Gatti's

Like an old City chum, Gatti's offers one of the warmest welcomes in this part of town, and its generosity is appreciated by hordes of local workers who pile in for a quick bite – turning the place into a bustling lunchtime rallying point. The wood-dominated decor plays it very safe, as does the menu – calamari fritti, rigatoni arrabbiata, scallopine a limone and so on – but keep an eye out for the more interesting specials, which could feature the likes of asparagus gratin with Parmesan or fried monkfish with garlic, ginger and white-wine sauce. The wine list is heavily biased towards Italy, and good-value set dinner menus (£25/27.50 for two/three courses, including a glass of vino) are added reasons to be cheerful – as is the tempting dessert trolley, laden with creamy delights.