The Italians

Chiswick

For a true taste of Italy, stroll along Chiswick’s busy high street and pop inside this elegant-looking deli, where simple decor provides the perfect backdrop for the monochrome photographs depicting different regions of the country which line the walls. Being part of a family is genuinely important to the team, and owner Massimo Lopez has worked hard to create a place that feels like home.

Once through the door, you’ll be seduced by an authentic array of culinary sights and aromas, including prosciutto and salami dangling from the ceiling. If the wooden boards dotted around the room beside signs saying ‘taste me’ don’t tempt you, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the store certainly will. Our favourite is the sfilatino loaf dunked in extra virgin olive oil. It’s made with green olives from the town of Cerignola and stuffed with sun-ripened tomatoes.

In need of lunch? Stop by and indulge in a pizza Romano made of focaccia bread topped with mortadella sausage and pistachio pesto. The lemon zest keeps it lively and balances perfectly with the rich flavour of pistachios. If a sandwich is more your thing, opt for the ciabatta filled with spicy salami and artichokes. On a Sunday morning, you can’t beat a slice or two of the almond and lemon Caprese cake with a steaming cup of earthy Goppion coffee. Be sure to take home a cannoli, a delightful Sicilian snack made with fried pastry and ricotta.

Each Friday throughout summer the deli hosts a traditional aperitivo evening. Spend £10 on drinks to taste a variety of delicious produce for free, including Ventricina Maletti salami and Calabrian spicy spianata. An Aperol spritz matched with home-made grissini breadsticks wrapped in prosciutto San Daniele (aged for 16 months) is the perfect way to welcome the weekend, especially when the sun is shining.

theitalians.co.uk