Marenghi's Restaurant

You'll find yourself on the Chepstow Road stretch where things actually happen in Newport, pushing through the door of a place that's clearly got serious regulars. There's nothing flashy about Marenghi's—no fairy lights or Instagram theatrics—just Italians who know how to cook and a room full of people who've worked out where to eat. The kitchen takes what it does seriously: fresh pasta that's been rolled properly, seafood that tastes like it arrived yesterday, risotto that's creamy without being heavy. It's the kind of restaurant where you'll see couples who've been coming for years sat next to families tackling shared plates, and everyone's equally happy. Book ahead because word's clearly out.