Osteria Italiana

Traditional Italian favourites at terrific value in this stylish Merchant City restaurant

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

There are a lot of clocks adorning Osteria’s stylish interior, signifying the importance of time in cooking good Italian food, and the joys of kicking back and savouring the moment. Osteria is indeed a delightful place to spent a few hours, with rousing music from the old country and a charming conservatory area, illuminated by fairy lights. Pride is taken here in the slow-cooked tomato sauce, which tastes like it’s been loved, but the showstopper is the cacio e pepe, served with short rigatoni. This most simple of traditional dishes – black pepper and pungent peperino with a small dose of cream – is a thing of beauty. It’s available, too, as a pizza topping – and all of Osteria’s pizzas can be made as a calzone. After all the talk of time, Osteria has a preposterously good set menu if you've a lack of it, or if you’re on a budget, and – unless you're a vegetarian – no shortage of options, too. An array of puddings are on offer as well, including gigantic sundaes made with Nardini's ice-cream.