True Italian flavour

The first thing that hits you upon arrival at Angelo's is the superb smell, writes Rebecca Barnes

It's a simply sublime fusion of freshly baked pizza, warm bread and garlic. You can choose to sit in the deli-style front section or at one of the candlelit tables in the ristorante at the back for more intimacy.

But wherever you decide to dine, the mood is unpretentious and informal. With the large, rustic wooden tables and modest decor, the focus is definitely on the food, excellent wine and of course whoever you happen to be with.

Food is freshly cooked to order, and organic ingredients are sourced from local suppliers. We began with a range of starters including insalata tricolore (avocado, tomato and mozarella salad), deep-fried calamari, brushetta and funghi al gorgonzola (garlic mushrooms with gorgonzola).

If you weren't particularly hungry or simply fancied grazing, a few well-chosen starters would probably be enough, as portions are generous in true Italian tradition. We were offered a bit of time before moving on to the main course and gladly took the waiter up on his offer; there was no way I was leaving without trying the mains!

I had ordered tagliatelle pasta with sausage, peas, mushrooms and tomato, which was piping hot and as authentic as you can get. Meanwhile, my husband chose the stone-baked calzone pizza which was enormous and stuffed with a combination of mozarella, tomato, ham, mushroom and pepperoni. So delicious we ate every morsel.

The finale consisted of the best tiramisu ever (I am not normally a fan of tiramisu), and despite having eaten like royalty, it was so more-ish it was devoured within seconds.

The beauty of Angelo's is its simplicity and passion for serving the best home-cooked Italian dishes this side of Sicily. It's the perfect place to eat, drink and socialise without busting your bank balance.

Rebecca Barnes, Richmond and Twickenham Times