So enduring is Britain’s gastronomic love affair with all things Italian, it was only a matter of time before another budget pizza and pasta chain popped up to challenge Ask!, Bella, Pizza Express and the rest. According to their website, Say Pasta’s founder claims this one is different, but the differences are a little hard to spot…

The Venue
Few things about a restaurant are more important than its location, and in this regard, Say Pasta’s latest branch is off to a flying start, prominently sited at the eastern end of Wimbledon’s fragrant High Street, next door to the always-heaving Dog and Fox pub. Once you’ve played hunt-the-front-door (it’s some distance down the side), you enter a long narrow dining room, wisely punctuated by a central bar and servery. The decor boasts few surprises, so this can’t be where the promised difference lies: think pale wood, stainless steel and neutral walls, enlivened by kindergarten-bright purple banquets and lime chairs, the latter colour matching the company logo. Tables are clothless and napkins are paper.

The Atmosphere
This is a place in which to fill up on simple, wholesome, Italian food, not to linger over a romantic tryst. The spaghetti lighting, provided by snaking spots emerging from two perforated metal strips that run the length of the room, is efficient rather than romantic. Staff are pleasant and competent, although sometimes the seating can be a bit confused and awkward.

The Food
The chain is named after its creator, Rhodesian-born, globetrotting Carl Say – Say Pasta is not an instruction like Ask!, as one might have thought – and his presence is pervasive: his signed letter of welcome says the menu is ‘a collection of my favourite dishes from the parts of the world that have influenced my life the most.’ As minestrone, mozzarella and tomato salad, spaghetti bolognaise and tagliatelle carbonara feature, those influential world parts would appear to be Italy, Italy and, er, Italy. Even nods to Carl’s homeland are meaningless: calling an anchovy, caper and olive pizza Fishoek after a Cape Town coastal village doesn’t make it South Africa; and why do bacon, spinach, feta and avocado make a pizza a Cape Special? What’s wrong with admitting you’re serving traditional Italian favourites?

There are no starters as such, but you could chose from the side dishes section or share one of six salads, ‘Enough for a main or a starter for two’, counsels the menu: couldn’t they offer half portions for diners whose companions don’t want the same thing? It’s a pity to miss out on attractive combos like spinach, orange segments, goat’s cheese and pine nuts (£7.25) or roasted Med veg, mixed leaves, feta and pine nuts (£7.95).

From the side dishes, a wooden board of bread and olives (£4.85) proves generous and tasty. The fresh breads include slices of rye, and seeded white, plus olive-studded focaccia and grissini sticks. There are both small, squidgy, black and large, crisp green olives, all conveniently stoned. A side salad of mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes and cucumber sprinkled with thinly-sliced spring onions (£3.50) is perfectly fine, although the (already applied) vinaigrette is a tad sweet.

After a short section called soups and hotpots, the menu goes big on pasta with no fewer than 27 options divided into sections, or bases; olive oil, tomato, seafood and cream. Our founder is getting in on the act again: the spag bol (£8.25) is ‘Carl’s mother’s secret recipe!’, and, as for the macaroni cheese (£7.25), ‘Carl grew up on it!’. There are a couple of risottos and 11 11-inch pizzas. Children’s portions are available.

An unadorned rectangular dish of beef and bacon cannelloni (‘for the meat eaters,’ the menu explains: how slim are the chances of a vegetarian ordering it inadvertently?) at £8.95 is piping hot, with gutsy meat and tomato flavours and a hint of oregano. The aforementioned thin-crust Fishoek pizza (£7.95) is crisp round the edges and squidgy in the middle. There’s a good, mouth-puckering kick from the capers and black olives, whilst the large anchovy fillets appear to be fresh and are outstanding.

A dessert menu lists warm fudge brownie (£4.25), lemon and coconut tart (£4.75), baked cheesecake (£4.95) and sticky date pudding (£4.50) but is really all about ice cream. (There’s more toe-curlingly cheery chat from Carl, who learnt to make 86 different flavours whilst working at an ice cream parlour in Munich.) Caramel Crunch (£4.25) is scoops of vanilla and (very similar) crema ice cream with the ubiquitous squirty cream but excellent, deeply-flavoured caramel sauce and crunchy little caramel nuggets scattered on top. From a selection of ices, strawberry is the stand-out, clearly homemade from little more than cream, milk and fresh fruit. There is also a takeaway menu featuring most of the same dishes but at substantially lower prices.

The Drink
There are nine white wines, nine reds and two roses (£11.95-£23.95) from around the world, more than half available, commendably, by the 175 or 250ml glass, plus a couple of Champagnes (£21.95/£38.00). The house red, named, unpretentiously, Say Pasta Red Wine, is serviceable if a little ordinary.

The wines appear on the back of the food menu and other drink options are on the inside of the main menu and the dessert list. There are three bottled beers including the little-seen Windhoek Lager from Carl’s homeland, plus Savannah Dry Cider (all at £2.95), the usual selection of soft drinks, including freshly squeezed orange juice at £1.80, bottled waters, coffees (£1.75-£1.95) and a selection of teas at £1.60.

The Last Word
After successful openings in Bristol and Bath, Carl Say and his team have marched confidently into the capital with branches in Islington and Battersea as well as Wimbledon. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the food they serve, the way they serve it, or the prices they charge, but why pretend they are offering something different? The menu’s irrepressibly upbeat and sometimes patronising bon mots wouldn’t be missed either, but none of this will prevent Say Pasta from establishing its place in London’s dining scene.

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