Caffé Caruso

You'll smell the coffee beans before you even spot the entrance on Horsemarket Street. This family-run Italian spot has been getting the caffeine-and-carbs combination absolutely spot-on for years, serving up proper espresso that'll make you question every chain coffee you've ever bought. The pasta is made fresh daily, and their ragu actually tastes like someone's nonna has been stirring it for hours. The atmosphere hits that sweet spot between neighbourhood café and proper restaurant – you can pop in for a quick cappuccino and cornetto in the morning, then return for dinner on Thursday through Saturday when they stay open until ten. The owner genuinely cares about getting things right, from the perfectly pulled shots to the generous portions of carbonara that arrive steaming hot.