La Vita Spuntini

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.

The growing trend for sharing plates is capitalised on at this Byres Road venue. It is well suited to larger groups making a meal part of their night with popular Italian cuisine laid out in miniature over four pages of a vast menu. The monkfish and squid in a creamy mascarpone sauce stands out, though the highlight is the range of five-inch pizzettes with perfect bases and rich, piquant sauce. With such a focus on tapas the mains fall down a little. A sea bass with a fricassée of mussels and vegetables doesn’t quite know what it wants to be and penne diavolo al forno is meaty, but largely uninspiring. The form returns with sweet and gooey desserts which are clearly aimed at a younger crowd, such as Mario’s fluffy fix of mallow, strawberries and melted chocolate. This is where La Vita Spuntini successfully pitches itself. The restaurant feels intimate at tables for six thanks to dim lighting from huge cast-iron effect chandeliers, and even if the décor is a touch garish, the menu delivers enough to keep its young, target clientele returning for more.

• High point: Perfect pizzettes
• Low point: Almost too much on the menu