"Stripy, humbug walls and bright red seats—Ave Mario in Covent Garden teeters over into eyesore territory. And it’s not even a fun eyesore—like the kind that gets you a day off work. It doesn’t have the romantic overload of plants that some of the other spots have, and the two-person armchairs on the ground floor level can feel a little squished. Plus, we once ate a courgette cream pizza here that made us feel sad in a way that no cheesy carb should. Things do get much better on the middle floor (before taking a steep decline in the poor man’s Studio 54 basement). So beg, steal, or barter for one of the rattan seats in the Amalfi Coast-like room." - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna
