Il Forno

Il Forno is pure, confident Italian, right down to the chatter of families & friends, the charming waiting staff & the buzzy open kitchen. It may look modern & in tune with the times, but at heart it’s still an endearingly old-fashioned trattoria with local loyalties. Pizzas from the showpiece oven are large, fresh & nicely crisp – try the classic margherita or diavolo – & the kitchen also does a strong line in homemade pasta (anything from ferretti with Italian sausage & pecorino to squid-ink tagliolini with swordfish & saffron). There’s a good selection of secondi too, including hearty veal shank braised with rosemary, seared tuna with a lasagnetta of vegetables & sun-dried tomato sauce or a 40-day corn-fed USDA rib-eye, all showcasing good ingredients cooked from scratch. Italian wines loom large on the global wine list.