Vasco & Piero's Pavilion

One of Soho’s best-kept secrets, Vasco & Piero’s Pavilion has been quietly serving regulars (including its fair share of politicians & TV personalities) for nearly 40 years. Nothing much changes: the ornamental pineapples & peachy decor remain, overseen by the bronze busts of Vasco & the late Piero, & the staff (Vasco in the kitchen, his son Paul front-of-house) are considered by fans to be ‘the finest in London’. The Umbrian cuisine never fails to please, with dishes kept simple to allow the flavours of ingredients to shine through. The handwritten menu changes twice daily & might include spicy cured ham with buffalo mozzarella or chicken liver pate with black summer truffles, followed by asparagus tortelloni with asparagus butter or sausages on a bed of courgette, peppers & tomato. A great all-Italian wine list is one more reason regulars aver that, ‘once discovered, it’s guaranteed to become a regular haunt.’