An Italian pizzeria chain that’s just opened its third branch in London, Rossopomodoro is a delightfully authentic addition to Covent Garden.

The Venue
With a Spaghetti House and a Pizza Express just down the road and countless restaurants of the same ilk within easy walking distance, Covent Garden is not necessarily in need of another chain Italian restaurant. Lucky then that Rossopomodoro is more than you’d expect. It might be a chain, yes, with countless incarnations in Italy and two others in London, but its Italian authenticity is second to none.

Located where Gili Gulu used to be, Rossopomodoro (red tomato in Italian) is split into two floors. The ground floor is small but effective, with several scattered tables, floor to ceiling windows and clear plastic shelves along one wall, bowing under the weight of cans of tomatoes, bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, reams of pasta and jars of other foodie delights. Towards the back is an enormous pizza oven; covered in glittery, pale yellow mosaic pieces, it looks almost like a giant sparkly ant hill, with uniformed pizza makers scurrying to and fro. There’s a second level as well, centred around a circular balcony that overlooks the ground floor.

The Atmosphere
With its good reputation within London’s Italian community, it’s no surprise that within days after opening the restaurant is nicely crowded and buzzing. Many of the guests seem to be Italian as well, which is always reassuring. The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed and the staff are professional and make you feel at ease.

The Food
The menu is long, with a nice variety of dishes. As a Neapolitan restaurant, Rossopomodoro specialises in dishes from the region, most importantly their famous pizza. Dishes are well priced and range from anything from £5.60 for a classic pizza to £19.50 for a steak, and portions are large as well.

One starter should be plenty to share for two people. The ‘a Tiella is a plate of fritters, according to the menu, a typical Neapolitan dish. Gooey sticks of fried cheese, cakes of thin elbow macaroni, croissant-like rolls of crisp pizza dough, long, skinny triangles of polenta cakes with chunks of ham, cheesy risotto balls – definitely not at all healthy, but despite all the cheese and carbs, it’s not greasy at all. The ‘o Casaro is another platter, this time of thin slices of Italian cheese: a sharp Bagnoli pecorino, creamy but firm caciocavallo, pale and subtle caciotta primo sale and mild and waxy provolone Auricchio.

For mains, pizza is the best way to go. They look refreshingly hand-made (if you watch closely you can probably see them creating yours) and have a crisp but substantially chewy crust. The Baianese is a really good choice for something different than the traditional Margarita combination. Made with buffalo mozzarella fondue, mozzarella and a lashes of truffle and wild mushroom sauce, it tastes rich and thick, with a good mix a textures from the soft cheese and crispy bread dough. The fried pizzas are really enormous fried calzones, crisp on the outside and folded up into a large parcel. The simple Buttunata is hot and gooey on the inside, although the outside edges are a bit too oily and greasy.

If you have room for dessert, round off the meal with either the ‘a Marasca or the Boschella. The a’ Marasca is a soft and moist triangle of sponge cake filled with large and juicy cherries, covered in a pale yellow custard and scattered with more cherry pieces. The Boschella is as much fun to watch as it is to eat, as the white mound of panna cotta jiggles and wobbles every time your fork touches it. The tart sauce of red- and blackcurrants rounds it off nicely.

The Drink
Sodas, coffees and dessert coffees are all available, and the wine list is all Italian – no surprises there. Prices range from for the house to £37 for their most expensive red. A bottle of Piedrosso Campi Flegreidoc, Michele Farro, from Campania costs £19 and tastes rich and full bodied, with a slight bubbly taste.

The Last Word
With ingredients and chefs brought all the way from Naples, you won’t have to go far from Central London for a bit of authentic Italian food in the capital.

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