Cacciari’s was opened two friends who grew up in Bologna and wanted to bring a taste of Romagna to London. What they’ve come up with is a stylish eatery that’s modern and sleek while simultaneously homely.

The Venue
This is the perfect place to call your local. Whether you’re after a café-style breakfast/lunch haunt or a swanky restaurant and bar in the evening, Cacciari’s covers all the bases. It’s a good looking place, with hardwood floors, white leather seating and a gorgeous little terrace out back, while an Italian street scene painted on the walls, complete with Vespas, shows off the owners’ roots with pride.

The Atmosphere
An Italian restaurant in London has got to be good if it’s filled with dining Italians and that’s exactly what you’ll get at Cacciari’s. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a modern café in the heart of Bologna as the melodious hum of Italian charismatically buzzes around you.

The Food
Don’t let the tacky menus with pictures of the food deter you. They may be reminiscent of a tourist trap in any European city, but what they’re serving is pure gastronomic bliss. Everything in the restaurant is made in-house so it’s super fresh, and if it’s not, it’s shipped in from Italy. Cacciari’s signature is the piadina bread – a thin flatbread that’s famous in the Romagna region – and it’s served sandwich style, as a dessert or simply as a side.

A platter of cold cuts for starters, served on a rustic breadboard, is surprisingly light. Delicate sheets of mortadella, spicy salami, prosciutto cotto and Parma ham are antipasto heaven. Wrap a bit of piadina around them, stuff with a bit of rocket and pecorino, and you’re good to go. The mozzarella and tomato starter is another winner, with creamy slabs of the cheese served with refreshing tomato slices.

Fresh pasta is always so much better than dried, and it’s a homemade delight at Cacciari’s. For mains, the taglitelle with mushrooms is drizzled with truffle oil and every bite is unbelievably good. Meanwhile the polpette (beef meatballs), served on spaghetti with a tomato sauce and peas, are wonderfully rustic and feel good for the soul.

For a taste of sweet, the dessert piadina filled with chocolate spread easily rivals the more traditional crepe while the light and fluffy tiramisu will please any lover of the traditional Italian dessert.

The Drink
The wine selection is, of course, Italian and starts at £17 for a bottle. The Torresella Merlot from Venice is light and fruity and is a fine drop to complement the food. If you want to go all-out Romagna, order a glass of Amaro Montengro. This herby digestif is distilled in Bologna and is the perfect way to finish your meal.

The Last Word
Italian food is simple, allowing the quality of the ingredients to do the talking and when it’s done right, it food can be amazing. Cacciari’s hits the nail on the head with every delicious morsel.

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