Da Maria

The spirit of old Napoli lives on in Notting Hill, thanks to this cramped and glorious local legend, which has been run by Maria Ruocco and family since 1980 and famously survived a threat from the developers at the end of 2017. Mamma Maria’s food is always an affordable treat, although the soundest bets for those on a budget are the pastas and pizzas: the former might include spag bol, penne carbonara, lasagne and cannelloni, while the latter could feature names like marinara, margherita and spicy diavola. You can also trade up to mains such as chicken milanese or meatballs in tomato sauce with roast potatoes, and it’s worth throwing in the odd plate of antipasti if your purse strings are flexible – try the arancini, minestrone or aubergine parmigiana. To drink, there are a couple of wines for quaffing by the glass or bottle.