Hatfield, Italian Restaurant Guide

This 16th-century tavern in Mill Hill is run by brothers Luca & Matteo Delnevo, whose heritage is evident in the Italian menus that are served here: “much better than the other local pub offerings” and “never disappointing”. (And now, “they also have some Asian-style dishes” as part of the offering.)

After working alongside Gary Rhodes and serving as Head Chef at Tom Conran’s Notting Hill venue The Cow, chef James Rix launched this smart Home Counties pub (replete with a large beer garden and heated gazebo) together with wife Bianca in 2004. Its rustic Italian- and French-inspired cuisine attracts reviews ranging from “good quality” to “excellent” – with meat (including Josper-grilled steak) a standout, and starters and desserts that are “not too shabby” either.

This “no-nonsense” Italian with “perfectly good pizzas” has been a family-friendly fixture in a railway arch by Golders Green tube station for more than four decades.

This “nice, no-nonsense, friendly Italian” veteran in Child’s Hill is “always full of locals”, who come for the “huge portions” of traditional, home-cooked fare, served with the benefit of a gigantic pepper grinder.

Chef-patron Mario Magli’s “just fabulous neighbourhood gem” near Archway has delighted all-comers for the best part of two decades and is going from strength to strength (accounting for some diners’ best meal of the year, with fans visiting from as far afield as Balham). “Over many years, the quality and consistency has been fantastic” for “traditional trattoria dishes, sometimes with a twist” and “perfect” service, all at “fair prices”. The restaurant takes its name from the Fiat Cinquecento – another “small Italian delight!”

A Finsbury Park fixture for almost 30 years, this particularly friendly and lively Italian welcomes a loyal crowd for pizza, pasta and a decent selection of main dishes.

This “great local Italian with homemade pasta the big draw” is a well known Finsbury Park stalwart under “friendly” Neapolitan-born owner Paola. “While the surroundings may not be glamorous, the food is very well prepared and authentic”, providing a true taste of southern Italy and Sicily.

This “reliable” old stager of a restaurant in Hampstead “has hardly changed in 40 years”, during which time its fans and foes have stuck to consistent themes. The former say “you’ll always get a good Italian meal” here; the latter that “the pretty location does not make up for the below-average food!” or “dismissive” service.

“Superbly executed”, Mediterranean-inspired small plates “which change regularly” continue to win praise for this “really charming” basement spot, which is to be found in a picture-book Georgian terrace leading up to St John-in-Hampstead church. There’s also “a well-priced wine list including many options by the glass”.

2022 Review: Set in a “lovely building” with tables under a 200-year-old olive tree, this restaurant – one of eight in a local chain – is frequently packed with regulars, who come back for its “good honest Italian fare at a reasonable price”. There’s “something for everyone on the menu”.

Near Oakwood tube, this superior local Italian is one of the top options for a meal in the surrounding ’burbs. Complete with tablecloths and a tasteful interior, it’s in a traditional vein, serving “homemade Italian food expertly prepared by Carmelo” (Carnevale, the chef, who hails from Sicily). Pasta and risotti are numerous on the menu, plus a few more substantial main dishes. They’ve also recently opened a nearby coffee shop, Caffè Amore.

For a dependable local with food that’s “simple but always good”, most reports applaud Adriano Bernabel and his family’s Whetstone Italian. To critics, by contrast, the performance is “just OK”, but they must be doing something right as it celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2026.

2023 Review: This new Italian in Muswell Hill has an “interesting selection of tasty and well-presented small plates”, with a “focus on quality and taste”. The chic modern interior makes for a “nice buzzy atmosphere”, and locals are encouraged to use it as a wine bar – there are more than 100 bottles in stock, most of them Italian.

“Lovely Italian food, excellent small plates and delicious pastas or pizzas for kids” are the ingredients that make this “good neighbourhood spot” from brothers Nunzio & Salvatore a hit with Highgate locals.

2023 Review: “Two minutes’ walk from Archway tube”, this “tiny Italian” comes “recommended for its homemade pasta and specials” and “delicious Italian sourdough pizza”, all delivered by “polite and considerate staff”. Top Menu Tip – “the olives Ascolana appetiser – fried breadcrumbed green olives stuffed with minced meat”.

“Bravo team Rossella!” Luca Meola’s “always-welcoming family trattoria” near Gospel Oak is “a lovely local that’s stood the test of time” and is “permanently buzzing” with regulars from across north London, for whom it’s often “a go-to restaurant for family celebrations and parties”. “Luca and his team provide excellent service”, a varied menu including “home-made ice creams”, and “wines from their own vineyard in Italy”. Top Menu Tips – “cheap dishes for lunch bring in many locals”; and “the authentic range of pizzas including the best Margherita and a Salsiccia made with Italian pork & fennel sausage and caramelised onions are just delicious!”.