If you’re looking for top quality pizza and pasta at very reasonable prices in South West London, seek out Il Mascalzone.

The Venue
Il Mascalzone is a mini-chain of two restaurants (the second being in Edgware) and you’ll find the Putney branch at the bottom end of the high street, just before Putney Bridge. The first thing you notice as you approach is the delicious smell in the air – there’s not much that gets the tastebuds tingling quite like the aroma of fresh baked pizza that permeates the area immediately around the restaurant.

The main room is long and reasonably thin, which makes it look a little dark from the street, but the entire front wall is made of floor to ceiling windows which can open up on warmer days; this ensures that the inside is bright enough and well ventilated when the temperature rises.

Once inside, the restaurant has a cosy feel, despite being deceptively large, and is attractively decorated throughout with Italian knick-knacks, posters and paintings. If you’re seated nearer to the windows, you’ll have an excellent view of the pizzas being prepared, baked, and whisked away to waiting diners.

The Atmosphere
Busy and bustling on weekends, most of the tables at Il Mascalzone are occupied by groups of friends or families, but the atmosphere is lively and friendly rather than raucous, despite the presence of some very large groups. Staff greet you like a long-lost family member and make you feel instantly at home, remaining attentive without being at all overbearing. Tell them you’re in a hurry and they’ll do all they can to serve you quickly, but otherwise you won’t feel at all rushed. It’s a relaxed, fun and enjoyable place to spend some time.

The Food
When it comes to the menu, there are no points for originality but nor are there meant to be. Il Mascalzone positions itself squarely in the pizza-pasta camp, bolstered with familiar starters that include beef carpaccio (£6.90) and bruschetta (£3.90) along with a smattering of traditional Italian main courses such as chicken with ham, tomato and mozzarella (£9.90) or veal alla Milanese (£10.90).

Pizzas are reasonably priced and of top notch quality, with the melanzane e zucchini (£7.90) and quatro stagioni (£8.50) varieties both going down a storm. With traditional thin bases, perfectly crisp and charred to the edges, they are light and packed with flavour. A calzone (£7.90) is also worth a try, looking impressive as it’s delivered to the table in all its puffed, golden, tomato sauce topped glory, but cut inside and it’s a real treat, filled with a generous mix of meats and cheeses.

If you’re not in the mood for pizza, never fear as the pasta is also reassuringly good. The al dente tagliatelle alla carbonara (£7.90) is served in a generous portion with a well flavoured, traditional egg, parmesan and bacon sauce. There are also big brownie points for the cheese that’s offered with the pasta – no bowls of stale pre-grated stuff here. Instead, there’s a large lump of parmesan grated directly and generously onto your pasta at the table.

The only thing that really lets the food at Il Mascalzone down is the identikit desert menu, consisting mostly of a selection of ice cream deserts with the odd favourite like tiramisu thrown in for good measure. If the same kind of care and attention to detail was paid to the dessert menu as the other courses, it would definitely be the icing on the cake.

The Drink
The good value evident on the food menu is also present when it comes to drinks. There’s a fair selection of wines, many under £20 a bottle, a very drinkable selection of wines by the glass at about the £4 mark, as well as bottled beers, including the ubiquitous Peroni.

The Last Word
London is awash with pizza and pasta joints and since many of the big chains have branches just around the corner Il Mascalzone has some serious competition. There’s no doubting it’s up to the challenge, though, dishing up food that is fresh, authentic, prepared with care and served with well deserved pride.

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