Soho is so crammed full of bars that it can sometimes be all too easy to stroll past independent eateries like this cute Italian restaurant on Old Compton Street.

The Venue
Pulcinella is a charming little dining spot. The plain white and green frontage is punctuated by huge windows and a few little outdoor tables covered in white tablecloths. Inside, however, is rather less inspiring, with neat little rows of high-backed pine chairs around tidy tables also covered in pristine white tablecloths. But despite a few modern art prints on the walls, the interior lacks much in the way of Italian soul. It’s certainly far from rustic. Why oh why does everywhere seem to think that neutrality is best? With a few genuine Italian touches, the interior could so easily be lifted.

The Atmosphere
Whilst the interior of Pulcinella is bland, the service is warm and welcoming in the way that you’d expect from an independent Soho eatery. This helps the atmosphere to remain laid back and easy to settle into, and the clientele all seem to follow suit. The mix is the usual local media workers, Londoners visiting Soho for the day and, of course, tourists – although the tourist contingent isn’t as irritating as it might be, probably because it’s diluted by interesting locals.

The Food
The food at Pulcinella mixes the reasonable with the expensive and you can splash out or eat on the cheap, which is great if you are waiting for payday whilst your mates have a few extra quid in their wallet. For example, a starter of burrata and smoked salmon costs almost £9, which is more than some of the large and very tasty pizzas. If you really want to push the boat out then you can do as the Italians do and order several courses.

But let’s get real, these are tough times and we all want to save a few pennies and pounds. And so, the pizzas steal the show. Made up from a crisp, thin - and large - base, with a generous amount of topping, the choice is impressive. And if you go for the margherita with a base packed full of gooey, creamy mozzarella, plenty of sweet tomatoes and a hit of oregano to lift those fresh flavours, it will set you back just £5.95 - incredible value for money. If you want to be a bit more adventurous then the calzone (£9.40) is also excellent - like a giant pizza pasty. The folded over pizza base is filled with tomatoes, mozzarella, a slightly salty ham and lots of earthy mushrooms for a dish that will leave you pleasantly full – or a little sick depending on how big your stomach is.

The Drink
As well as the wine list that's skewed towards Italy, there’s a decent choice of beer for a restaurant like this, including Peroni, Moretti and Budweiser, well-priced at £3-£3.50 a bottle. Otherwise, and a little randomly, they seem to love their rum and whisky selection here, which isn’t overly Italian but at least shows they have put care into their drinks menu.

The Last Word
Pulcinella is what you make it. Order well and you can eat a feast for very little money, and if you take some good company with you then you’ll have a great time.

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