Gaia Delicatessen

The 2019/20 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

If you didn't know any better, the coastal tunes and cheery decor of Gaia, an Italian deli run by Nunzio Dragotta and his flock, could make you think you were having a meal in sunny Palermo. The majority of the patrons are Italian natives, adding to the illusion. For a quick lunch, grab one of the panini - try the mozzarella and homemade caponata version when it's available. Likewise, their pasta is homemade and the seafood diablo hits all the right spicy notes. Finishing the meal with a traditional canolo is the way to go – all of Gaia's baked goods and breads are produced by a Sicilian baker in town. Paired with the Italian imports they bring in to create true, authentic dishes, an affordable lunch here is hard to beat.