Ave Mario

You know that feeling when you walk into an Italian restaurant and it immediately feels right? Ave Mario nails it. Tucked away on Henrietta Street in Covent Garden, this is Big Mamma's answer to doing unfussy, ingredient-led Italian cooking without the pretension. The room buzzes with the kind of energy that comes from people actually enjoying their food — proper chatty, a bit chaotic, genuinely good. You're looking at Roman classics done properly: cacio e pepe that tastes like it should, carciofi alla romana that'll make you reconsider every artichoke you've ever eaten. The wine list is thoughtfully Italian without being show-offy, and the staff actually know what they're talking about. It's the sort of place you end up recommending to everyone because it feels like a proper neighbourhood spot, even if it's slap bang in the middle of tourist central.