Harden's survey result
Summary
This “time-warp classic Italian trattoria” – a Bloomsbury fixture for more than 35 years – is “fun, bubbly, and has food as Mama would have made it” (somewhere between “delicious” and “not bad”). “The buzzy atmosphere makes you feel like you’ve stepped in off the streets of Rome”, and with its “1970s food at 1990s prices, the place deserves a medal” for value. Top Tip – “charming with young children”.
Summary
This “ever bustling traditional Italian” has brought an affordable taste of ‘la dolce vita’ to Bloomsbury for 35 years. The “standard” food “is pretty good for the reasonable price”, “but is not really the point”: it’s “very cheerful” with a “superb buzz”. “Perfect for a family get-together with children.”
Summary
“The perfect trat’” is a typically affectionate tribute to this “merry” Bloomsbury Italian, where “the food is not spectacular” but “unbelievably good value” and served in “an ambience reminiscent of 1960s Fellini and Antonioni films”. “It was my staple when I was poor and first moved to London, then I got marginally richer and moved on, but I recently went back and was reminded how great it is”.
Summary
“Chaotic and charming” (like Boris Johnson, for whom apparently it’s a favourite) – this “full-to-bursting”, “old school Italian (like stepping back into the ’70s)” in Bloomsbury is the epitome of a “cheap ’n’ cheerful” trattoria. It’s the “verve and enthusiasm” of the staff and “slightly manic atmosphere” that stand out though, rather than the “family-sized portions of simple classics”.
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £23.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £2.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £2.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
86-90 Lamb’s Conduit St, London, WC1N 3LZ
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑11:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
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