Bertorelli's - Covent Garden

The story begins with the Bertorelli brothers opening an eatery with five tables and a kitchen in the early 1900s. They served British fare to taxi drivers who liked the meals, but were intrigued by what the brothers cooked for themselves - homemade, authentic Italian dishes.

This resulted in the opening of their first outlet, serving Italian cuisine, on Charlotte Street, in 1913. While each branch varies in size and décor, the quality of food and service remains the same. Some also have a cafe section, separate from the dining area, where it is possible to grab a cup of coffee and a quick bite. But nowadays the décor is rich with chandeliers, crisp linen, smooth waiters and sparkling glasses.

In true Italian tradition, the menu offers a variety of starters with a hearty lentil and porcini mushroom soup finished with parsley and grated pecorino and grilled goat's cheese salad with a beetroot, pear, walnut and endive salad. The mandolino di Piacenza comprises the finest ham from Northern Italy, cured for 18 months, served with seasonal melon and pomegranate.

There are choices of pastas and risottos and the house's signature dishes are fresh cannelloni filled with roasted duck, topped with sautéed mushrooms in a béchamel and parmesan sauce, and tortellini filled with moradella, in a creamy brandy sauce with baby spinach. Risotto primavera is creamy with garden peas, asparagus tips, broad beans, artichoke hearts and baby carrots sprinkled with parmesan, and it gives a whole new meaning to this sometimes rather overlooked dish.

Contrary to general opinion Italian like their salads, notably the sarda which involves boiled free range egg, grilled tuna fish and black olives, and is served on Sardinian crisp bread.

Other specialities are roasted fillet of salmon with a poppy crust on a tomato and aubergine caponata with a green pea sauce and, for meat lovers, veal chop coated with breadcrumbs and parmesan, with salsa verde and lemon. A real treat for the seafood enthusiasts comes in the form of half a turbot roasted on the bone with fennel seeds and lemon, quite one of the best fish in the sea, but should that fail, baked fillets of sea bream studded with garlic and lemon, are served with a baby artichoke casserole

The Italian wine list is likely to please a connoisseur as well as a novice - the list is classified according to area of origin. A Barolo Riserva, Villa Lanata, carries the banner for the North West and a Sicilian Merlot always seems to attract welcome attention. In general the wines are well priced and three champagnes are served by the glass.

The desserts include the traditional tiramisu, hot chocolate fondant with praline whipped cream and cherry compote, and thin pastry caramelised apple tart with fresh cream.

Serving authentic food served in a stylish atmosphere, some of their restaurants also cater for theatre dinners and private parties in rooms named after the Bertorelli family members. For more details do click on their excellent Website.