Zizzi - York

You walk into this handsome Georgian townhouse on Lendal and forget you're in a chain restaurant. The high ceilings and period features give it proper character, whilst the buzz from families and couples creates that warm Italian trattoria feeling you're after. The menu hits all the expected notes – wood-fired pizzas, creamy risottos, decent pasta – but it's executed well enough that you don't mind paying £12-15 for a main. Their children's menu is brilliant if you've got little ones in tow, and the location means you can easily stroll down to the river or pop into town afterwards. Staff are chatty and efficient, making it feel less corporate than you'd expect.