Ponti's Italian Kitchen - John Princes Street

Oxford Street is a great place to meet friends after work when everyone works in different parts of London but it is difficult to find a good place for a casual food and drink if you don't want to queue for hours for a table in a trendy Soho restaurant that don't take bookings (an EA's nightmare!). So Ponti's is a revelation as it is just behind H&M on Oxford Circus, literally the centre of the West End. I used to eat endless rounds of toast in the original Ponti's cafe back in the early 1990's when I was a student at the London College of Fashion over the road. The place has been updated and turned into a 'kitchen' but I'm glad to see that they still have booths as the original cafe did. There is something satisfying about a restaurant or cafe booth especially on a rainy evening when I last ate here that says 'I'm staying for the night, another bottle of wine please'. If there is a big group of you, ask for the round booth in the corner, although on a busy night the service isn't as good as elsewhere in the restaurant. The food is simple but good, pizzas, antipasti, perfect for sharing with friends. Wine selection is also reasonably priced and good quality. Good quality, reasonably priced food and drink but more importantly an excellent place to meet up with your chums and catch up on the gossip.