Osteria dell'Arancio

Tom S. ( 30s, Male, United Kingdom )

It is possible nowadays to walk down any high street in the country and find an Italian restaurant, however I would suggest that 98% of these would leave you thinking that the only food to come from Italy is pizza and pasta and, while these can be wonderful, these establishments do not generally leave you thinking so. Therefore, finding good, genuine Italian is always great fun.

Sadly, in my experience, good Italian food in London comes at a price that would best be described as ‘steep’, and although good, has left you feeling that you will have to work overtime for the next 6 weeks to pay off the bill! Osteria however is a combination of that all that is good about the cuisine and the Italian people, yet delivered at a price, that while not a giveaway is, at least, not eye-popping. My wife and I have now eaten here on a number of occasions both a lunchtime and dinner. At lunch we have taken my 17-month old and enjoyed a simple one course delight with a glass of wine, and in the evening have enjoyed a more sophisticated 4-course feast with a good bottle, with the babysitter allowing us some adult time. On neither occasion has the food, wine, service or ambience let us down.

I think this is an excellent restaurant and definitely worth the walk. The food is freshly prepared and always of good quality, and the ability to buy good wine by the glass is a real bonus, particularly when you are either eating something quite different from your partner, or are in the company of your child and do not wish to polish off a whole bottle. Their fresh pasta is invariably excellent, particularly with the venison ragout, and the recent samples of wild salmon (wife) and lamb cutlets (me) are also to be recommended.

Long may it continue.