Il Convivio

In an area not short of Italian restaurants, Il Convivio is many people’s pick of the bunch. The dining room puts on a suitably convivial face thanks to tasteful red & gold colour schemes, while the bright conservatory room at the back is an all-year suntrap with its retractable roof. Both make suitably relaxed settings for ‘immaculate’ Italian food, which has a light, modern touch & a bias towards seasonal ingredients. The well-thought-out menu changes regularly, but black spaghetti with lobster & spring onion is a standout dish; also try the fillet of sea bass with shellfish broth, & make sure to leave room for the bergamot & almond tartlet or the fantastic selection of organic Italian cheeses. Service is unobtrusively efficient, but Il Convivio’s trump card is its reasonable prices – a rarity in this grand part of town. In short, ‘fantastic food at the right price’.

Wine List: Il Convivio’s list is an expertly selected mid-sized all-Italian affair. It kicks off with a decent range by the glass, & the absence of half bottles means you will need to concentrate on these to match food & wine successfully. Bottles are presented by grape variety, giving an idea of each wine’s style but, perversely, regional information is missing; so unless you’re a real buff, you will have no idea whether the Merlot you are ordering is from Sicily or the north. Best Buy White 2007 Kerner, Abbazia di Novacella, Alto Adige, Italy, £27.50. Best Buy Red 2004 Grotta Rossa, Santadi, Carignano del Sulcis, Sardinia, £31.50.