This branch in Battersea Rise pulls off the Strada formula perfectly – the food is fresh, simple and tasty, and the atmosphere pleasant.

The Venue
It hasn’t achieved complete high street ubiquity yet, which is perhaps why Strada manages to maintain a pleasant, intimate feel despite being one of the biggest Italian restaurant chains in the country. The decor is sophisticated yet understated, with leather backed sitting and deep oak tables, and this venue is particularly spacious.

The Atmosphere
Located on well-to-do Battersea Rise, Strada attracts a young and upwardly mobile crowd of diners. There’s lots of chatting as this is a big restaurant, but there’s still room to have an intimate meal without being disturbed. Staff are also friendly and well turned out in black, again taking you away from the usual chain vibe of pot-luck service and impersonality.

The Food
If you’ve eaten at other Stradas then you’ll know the score, and the Battersea Rise branch carries off the formula well, with everything tasting fresh and well prepared. Ribollita is a wholesome, satisfying starter – a hearty Tuscan soup that blends chicken broth, cannellini beans and vegetables and is served with ciabatta. It’s full of aromas and herbs, and is filling yet light – well worth the near £5. The beef carpaccio is also done beautifully, comprising ultra thin slices of cured beef that melt on your tongue with a simple complement of rocket, lemon, Parmesan shavings and extra virgin olive oil, which don’t drown out the flavour of the meat.

A nice touch is being able to see the wood-fired ovens, and the pizzas made in them have divinely thin bases. Speck is a good example, featuring flavoursome slices of northern Italian smoked mountain ham with creamy gorgonzola and tangy rocket – the thin base allows the flavours space and doesn’t bloat you. There are also a good selection of pastas and mains – far more than say, Pizza Express. However the char grilled butterflied chicken breast with cream, porcini and marjoram sauce, while nicely done, feels a bit safe. The chicken is succulent, but the creamy sauce lacks a strong taste.

For dessert, baked peaches with vanilla mascarpone and crumbled Amaretti biscuits is an indulgent treat, the sweetness of the peaches was delicately balanced by the bitterness of the almond amaretti. The tiramisu feels a bit low on alcohol, but is still delicious, the dusting of cocoa and thin sponge base adding just the right amount of chocolate to the mix. You feel Strada can live up to it’s higher end reputation when it needs to, but more often has to play it safe to remain a fixture on the high street. Still, things feel reasonably priced and the ingredients and careful preparation involved really show.

The Drink
The wine here isn’t cheap, with the least expensive house bottles coming in at £13.25. They’re pretty good, but you could still enjoy something as nice for about £10 just 50m across the road at Scoffers. For beer, there are three types of Peroni available, the cheapest £3. Again you could get cheaper elsewhere, and while Italian beer is nice, a bit more choice would be better.

The Last Word
Overall, Strada on Battersea Rise, delivers, offering a mid-priced meal with classier touches. And you always have the option to splash out on the fancier steaks and wines should your wallet let you. What’s more, the decor is sophisticated, and the atmosphere and service equally positive.

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