It's marvellously low-key, unpretentious, and though it holds a Michelin star to its name, offers a whole lot of fun. From its cornish sea bream ceviche and pork crackling to its wood roasted pork chop, you can bet there's a wine to compliment every course. As the wine is washed down and the music dialled up a notch; this place can turn rather rowdy, in the very best of  ways! 

With an in-house salumeria and a focus on nose-to-tail butchery, Manteca also makes hand-rolled pasta. Following years of pop-ups and residencies, chef Chris Leach found a permanent home on the more grown-up side of Shoreditch, and it’s always two-floors-full of date-night couples and Italian expats slurping mussels. We rate the bar seats on the ground floor, along with the Wildfarmed rosemary focaccia, black pepper salami and handkerchief-like fazzoletti with duck ragù.

The canteen-style younger sibling of Trullo in Islington, Padella was a long-held dream of owners Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda. The Borough Market joint is almost impossible to get into without a wait but this Shoreditch space has a much lower footfall, which means drop-ins are welcome. The plates of lemony tagliarini with Dorset crab and homemade worm-like pici cacio e pepe are such good value it’s reasonable to order more than one. Keep an eye out for kids-eat-free offers plus £2 Negronis (for the adults).

Knowing to ask for a table at this floor-to-ceiling-stacked bottle shop is an insider move. An Italian wine distributor since 2003, owner Luca Dusi introduced a bright blue-fronted store with a back-room wine bar 10 years later. Since then he’s added floral wallpaper behind the shelves and two more hidden drinking dens (in the basement and upstairs). Thoroughly unpretentious, Passione Vino has a sunny community vibe, and just one thing on the drinks list – avoid it if you don’t like wine.