La Lanterna

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

If its location at the tail-end of Hope Street is a little dingy, stepping inside La Lanterna provides a welcome step back into an almost forgotten age of catering. In a scene that is predisposed to bringing a contemporary or modern twist to classic dishes to remain fashionable, La Lanterna's understated commitment to tradition is a refreshing change. Since opening in 1970, the restaurant has remained in the same family, with Christopher Martinolli and Luca Conreno now carrying on its lineage. There is a clear confidence in this heritage, with suited waiters, carafes of wine and snippets of Italian shared between staff giving La Lanterna a recognisable identity. The menu is vast and throws up few unknowns. Specials are predominantly seafood-based and illustrate the kitchen’s more creative side, with fresh, seared scallops encircling a lightly dressed king prawn salad, for instance. There is an impressive array of homemade pasta, with wild boar ravioli, topped with truffle, rosemary and butter, a clear stand-out.

• High point: Good regional specialties
• Low point: Chairs not too comfy