Alight in Farringdon, London station and you will find yourself surrounded by restaurants.  

But carry on walking up Cowcross Street almost by the corner of St John Street, and you could be in for a treat at Attilio Ristorante.

It is midday and my Italian friend joins me for lunch, she is here to share her insightful opinion.

As we go through the glass doors we are charmed by a traditional looking trattoria and an Italian, with Roman roots, who lead us to our table.

While our friendly waiter takes our order, we nibble on fresh olives, bread, and balsamic vinegar which are served complimentary.

 

Service is quick and tactful, and the starters arrive within no time; a scrumptious avocado and vinaigrette salad and a must-try Aubergine Parmesan, an aromatic baked dish where the cheese melts in the middle and is slightly golden on top.

For our mains we enjoy, Risotto fungi, a blend of creaminess, complemented by the nutty flavour of the mushrooms and a luscious Spaghetti alla vongole, a harmonious combination of clams, pasta and spicy tomato sauce.

The portions are quite generous and as we prepared to order the bill, four pretty amaretto biscuits are brought free to our table.

As my friend says: “It is great to find a real Italian restaurant.”

So go on, visit Attilio and enjoy their set lunch menu for £9.95 or impress your date and come for dinner when the set menu costs £11.95 and it also includes a glass of Prosecco and Amaretto liqueur.

Attilio’s Contact details:

1 Cowcross Street

Clerkenwell London

EC1M 6DR

Tel: +44 (0)20 7253 8369

Photographs courtesy of Carolina Are

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