Forty Dean Street

Soho

There might not be much elbow room, but it hardly matters when Italian classics are cooked this well.

In the maelstrom that is Soho – where tourists are ten to the dozen and restaurants open and close in a flash – there’s comfort to be found in an establishment that’s stood the test of time. Family-run Forty Dean Street, is still serving up the familiar, classic Italian dishes it launched with nearly 20 years ago. Well, if it ain’t broke...

Our visit falls on one of the hottest evenings of the year; the waft of garlic dancing on a breeze down the street from Forty’s flung-back windows. Three tables tickle the pavement out front, the addition of a slightly cramped third suggests this is not the place for clandestine tête-à-têtes. But hey, space is at a premium in these parts, and the diners already in situ at 6.45pm don’t seem to mind.

Behind the unassuming frontage, wood-panelled walls, red velvet and marble bistro-style tables make this feel like something you’d stumble upon down a backstreet in Perugia, while the orb lights, full-width bar and navy seating places you firmly in London. The menu is a succinct series of simple, well-priced dishes, with the two-course set lunch a genuine snip for W1 at £10.

Aperol spritz cocktails land on our table as we’re settling in, followed by Sicilian olives and salty shards of crispbread. Starters include bruschetta, piled high with San Marzano tomatoes and garlicky pesto and antipasti – salami, Bresaola and Parma ham – served with pickled carrots (delicious), charred artichokes and creamy mozzarella, which benefits from a slick of piquant balsamic.

The usual suspects are present when it comes to primi: pesto pappardelle, penne arrabiata, tagliatelle with beef ragu. We opt for chicken Milanese with sweet spaghetti al pomodoro. The meat is tender and well-flavoured, but the pasta steals the show, served at the epitome of al dente. Forking furiously at the plates gathering on the table, the purist’s choice – pizza Margherita – gives reason to pause. The dough is charred and pillowy, while the melted strings of buffalo mozzarella have real depth of flavour.

Flanked by Quo Vadis and Ducksoup, Forty isn’t fazed. This is a restaurant that forgoes pomp in exchange for quality, affordable classics.