Il Fornaio IFSC

You wouldn't expect to find decent Italian food tucked between the glass towers of the IFSC, but Il Fornaio proves the Docklands can surprise you. The pasta is made fresh daily, the pizza bases have that proper char, and the staff actually know their way around Italian wine beyond the usual Pinot Grigio suspects. The dining room feels refreshingly unpretentious for the area – more neighbourhood trattoria than corporate canteen, despite being surrounded by banks and tech offices. It's become the go-to for financial workers who've grown tired of overpriced sandwiches, but the evening crowd draws from across the northside. The tiramisu alone justifies the trek from wherever you're coming from.