"Al Dente in South Kensington is a great all-rounder. The Italian restaurant is the equally perfect backdrop for a casual first date as it is for a last-minute catch-up with your favourite people in the intimate corner seats with a view into the kitchen. The menu is filled with excellently executed classics like cacio e pepe and pumpkin ravioli so soft and delicately spiced that you’ll inhale it within five minutes. The pocket-friendly prices mean you could pop in for a speedy, good-value lunch if you’re in the area. " - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna