Taking over what’s a pretty cursed spot next door to the Guardian’s old watering hole, The Betsey Trotwood, Dolce Vita’s well-priced and authentic Italian fare will hopefully see it stay.

The Venue
A great deal brighter than previous – and very temporary – incumbent, the Harlem Drugstore, Dolce Vita has thankfully avoided veering into Italian cliché. Instead, there’s more of a bar vibe, with impressive monochrome mosaics dotted around, taking up much of the wall space and celebrating the classic Federico Fellini film from 1960. A large open kitchen hugs one wall, with a couple of chefs whizzing up dishes that are scribbled neatly on the chalkboards above. Wonky wooden floorboards, loads of bottles of wine, chairs covered in burgundy throws and busy hands in the kitchen give the place a feeling of warmth, which seems pretty spot on for somewhere serving accessible Italian fare.

The Atmosphere
And this warmth is continued by the amiable staff, who possess admirably thick Italian accents. Easy listening (think Nouvelle Vague) filters through the air during the day, but you get the impression they crank it up a notch or two during the evening, when the clientele goes from local workers grabbing a lunch to larger groups and those who’ve had an after work beer.

The Food
It’s certainly not going to attract the men from Michelin, but what’s on offer at Dolce Vita is exactly the kind of food you’d get in an equally inexpensive and reliable restaurant in Italy. Starters are all around the £5 mark, with some really good pasta helping to make the spaghetti carbonara (rich, creamy and with ample bacon smokiness - £5) and the tagliatelle Bolognaise (a very good, well-balanced sauce – also £5) well worth trying.

Mains are pretty good too, with a carpaccio de bresaola (£6) boasting some really good mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and rocket, it’s just a shame that the bresaola isn’t the best – but then at £6, you really can’t complain too much. The scaloppini al vino (£8) is served with a pretty average side salad, but the actual veal escalope is good, with hints of the white wine in which it is cooked coming through nicely. Desserts are pretty standard Italian fare, so expect tiramisus, profiteroles, panna cotta and the like.

The Drinks
A decent selection of Italian wines is probably your best bet, all of which seem to be well priced and well suited to matching both the bold, and delicate flavours on the menu. Peroni and Nastro are available by the bottle, with a fair few soft options included too; think Cokes, orange juice, apple juice – things like that.

The Last Word
A perfectly good restaurant whose reasonable prices and Italian charm will hopefully keep it busy. Great for a quick lunch or a few easy bites in the evening.

venue information venue map view london review write a review