Via Emilia

Alert the press! Sound the sirens! It’s another bloody handmade pasta restaurant. This one’s located off little known Hoxton Square, and you would have called it a hidden gem a quarter of a century ago. We’ll stop bitching though because there’s some good stuff going on here. The gnocco fritto - fried bread - with charcuterie is very nice, as is the tomato spaghetti and the pork ravioli. Some of the other pastas are quite forgettable compared with nearby competitors, but the room is nice and it’s got an intimate (but not too intimate) vibe that makes it good place for the next time you’ve convinced someone to go on a date with you, or for a quick plate and a glass of wine with a small group of friends.