Tucked away on Thackeray Street off the throng of traffic down Kensington High Street, Locanda Ottoemezzo is a place to escape the bustle of London life and slow down, Italian style. To our mind, ‘Italian style’ means delicious, authentic food in a cosy, friendly atmosphere. Locanda Ottoemezzo pull this off, with all the rustic charm you could hope for to go with their simply incredible Italian offerings. This has been a popular Kensington eatery since its days as a simple cafe in the 90s, but Locanda Ottoemezzo have now expanded their repertoire from exquisite foccacia sandwiches (though those are still on the menu, thankfully) to hearty breakfasts, perfect pizzas, decadent desserts and a slew of refined main meals like roasted baffonero fillet of beef, homemade fresh egg pasta with black truffles, slow-cooked duck salad and so much more. It’s worth queuing for, as many Kensington folk do of a lunchtime, but do the wise thing and book a table because you really don’t want to miss out.