Stresa at the Ramada Hotel & Suites London Docklands

The Ramada hotel’s in-house Italian is a pleasant surprise at the eastern end of the Royal Victoria Dock. Dark-brown bentwood chairs, bottles of olive oil & neat little plants on every table give it a contemporary, urban look that’s funked up just a tad by clusters of trendy Moooi lights. It’s a good-looking restaurant, if a rather quiet one. Start with garlic & rosemary-spiked pizza bread, crisp calamari or beef carpaccio before exploring mains such as duck breast with honey & pomegranate or anchovies in courgette flowers with chips & tartare sauce (an Italian take on a fishy Brit stalwart). Classic pastas & pizzas are also available. The wine list generously stays well within a £25 budget, & champions Italy while making some space for interlopers from France & the New World.