Bancone Covent Garden

You'll walk into William IV Street and immediately clock the open kitchen – it's the whole point here. Bancone does Roman cucina, the stuff that doesn't get dressed up: cacio e pepe that's perfectly salty and peppery, carbonara made with guanciale that actually tastes like something. There's no pretension, just excellent pasta cooked by people who know what they're doing. Grab a spot at the counter if you can and watch them work, or tuck into a table and order a glass of something interesting from their thoughtful list. It's the kind of place that makes you wonder why more restaurants can't just get the basics this right.