Veeno Leicester

Walk down St Martins and you'll find yourself in the kind of place that makes you feel like a regular within five minutes. The room's got warmth to it—exposed brick, mood lighting that doesn't try too hard, the sort of setup where you can have a proper conversation without shouting. You're here for the wine first, honestly. The list skews Italian but thoughtfully so, with plenty of stuff under £30 that actually tastes interesting. The food isn't an afterthought either: proper charcuterie, pasta that tastes like someone cared, simple dishes that let good ingredients speak for themselves.