Vini (CLOSED)

No matter how many winning new enoteche chef-owner Andrew Cibej opens (see 121 BC and Berta) the demand for seats here never dwindles. The original recipe remains unchanged: a daily menu of imaginative, contemporary Italian fare scrawled on the walls, packing them in for lunch and overflowing on to waitlists in the evening. One day may focus on a region such as Campania; the next may simply be titled Giovedì (Thursday). The only guarantee is al dente pasta, disturbingly fresh seafood and a couple of superb slow-cooked secondi every day. You’ll need to be prepared to wait a few minutes for a seat and it’s not unusual to be jostling for one with a three-hat chef or hospitality stalwart: this is where they come to unwind. Unassuming sommelier Giorgio De Maria still commands a 100 per cent Italian wine list and a fantastic grappa and amaro selection to finish off a true Vini experience.