Italian Bistro: Not a great name but super food

I arrived at Italian Bistro in Streatham a few weeks ago with trepidation in my heart.

I left feeling I were the last to a very good party. It had been recommended to me several times but the name put me off. I haven’t changed my mind about this aspect of the restaurant. However, I now overlook it because the food is good.
This is a good, solid neighbourhood Italian, with dishes to make the whole family smile. The value for money is staggering and I’m still unsure how the prices remain so low.
I often ignore the children’s menu as rarely bringing a good deal to the table. Not so here. Kids’ pasta for less than £4 and three courses for £8.
It’s difficult to keep up with the masses of deals of offer. 2-4-1 on pizzas midweek until 6pm. Most 12ins sourdough pizzas will set you back £6. Kids’ pizzas cost even less and don’t seem to be much smaller. A wood-fired oven lies at the heart of the open kitchen.

Italian Bistro is an absolute find. In a world that finds everyone moaning about the hugely increased cost of living and subsequent spiralling prices in restaurants, this place rocks.
We were two adults and a child, sharing three starters, two pizzas and a kids’ pasta portion. After adding a couple of drinks, the bill was £37.
Portions are generous and we walked away with one pizza that was hardly touched, which we consumed the next evening at home.
Starters included olives, served with three hunks of home-made sourdough, oil and vinegar, calamari and zucchini fritti, as well as arancini of the day – tomato and mozzarella.
Best of all, Italian Bistro is family-friendly and we were made to feel very welcome.
Open from noon daily.
Italian Bistro 32 Streatham High Road, Streatham SW16 1DB
Paloma was not a guest of Italian Bistro.

lBOXPARK Croydon has taken Happy Hour to a whole new level.
It’s Happy Days at BOXPARK every Monday to Friday with 2-4-1 drinks from 5pm until 8pm.
All you need to do is show your BOXPARK Black Card. If you don’t have one, it’s easy to download once you get there.
Casual Chinese dining restaurant, Chop Chop, has opened at one of the capital’s landmark casinos, The Hippodrome in Leicester Square.
This late-night dining spot specialises in Cantonese cuisine from 6pm until 4am. The star dish on the menu is Hong Kong-style Roast Duck. Other signature dishes include Char Sui BBQ Pork.
The interior of Chop Chop is heavily influenced by 1960s Hong Kong, with its formica table tops and high counter seating.

Pictured top: Great food, excellent value at Italian Bistro Pictures: Paloma Lacy