Since 2001, Amalfi Lounge has taken its cue from the Amalfi Coast, sending out gnocchi alla Sorrentina, wood-fired pizzas and lemon cake with zingy sorbet. It's on Endell Street, a short walk from Seven Dials and the West End's theatres, which makes it a useful Italian restaurant in Covent Garden for eating before a show.
Start with dough balls and garlic butter or marinated olives for the table, then bruschetta topped with tomato, garlic and basil, a Caprese of fior di latte mozzarella and fresh tomato, or bresaola with shaved Parmesan and rocket. The mini arancini are handmade in the Sicilian style and filled with ham or spinach alongside mozzarella. Groups can share the antipasto platter, which lays out cured meats including Parma ham and bresaola next to grilled vegetables, mozzarella and olives.
Amalfi Lounge's pizzas run from a straightforward Margherita to the Padana, which pairs goat's cheese with caramelised onion and spinach, and the Diavola, given heat by pepperoni and fresh chilli. For something more regional, the gnocchi alla Sorrentina comes from just along the coast in Sorrento: soft potato gnocchi baked in tomato sauce with basil, under a layer of melted mozzarella and Parmesan. Lasagna Bolognese and penne arrabbiata cover the comfort end of the baked pasta list.
The wine list stays mostly in Italy, from pinot grigio and Gavi to Chianti, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Amarone della Valpolicella, with Prosecco by the bottle and Peroni or Moretti for beer drinkers. The house red and white both come by the glass, which keeps things simple for a quick pre-show meal.
To finish, Amalfi Lounge's lemon cake is the dish to order: lemon sponge with frosting and lemon sauce, served with lemon sorbet and suitable for vegans. Homemade tiramisu, made without alcohol, and chocolate fudge cake are the alternatives, and there's a two-course theatre set menu for anyone racing to make curtain-up.