Hackney, Italian Restaurant Guide

“An interesting menu with dishes you don’t find elsewhere” (for instance Puntarelle and skate wing salad, and Passatelli al ragu di Faraona) pique interest in this two-year-old corner café, whose Hackney site became well-known under its wine-driven former occupants (Peg and Legs, both RIP). Looks-wise, it has the air of a superior Italian café – with its tablecloths and trad creamy styling – and the overall formula creates a pleasing environment that’s “packed and very lively”.