Discovering there was a La Porchetta within walking distance of work was a revelation. After many great lunches at the Rosebury Avenue one, this branch was a bit of a surprise. Small and rustic inside, it contrasts with other restaurants in the chain, which tend to be a bit more white and modern.

Still, what people come here for is the food, not the decor, and no surprises there - it’s pretty fantastic for the price. Others have recommended the huge pizzas, but I often go for the pasta instead. The classic Penne Amatriciana is gorgeous, as is the seafood linguine. Look out for the specials too, I’ve had some absolutely amazing dishes from there (I tried to recreate one at home and failed miserably - sometimes it’s best to give up and go out)!

Went to this charming little restaurant last night with 6friends and I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed. The starters were amazing and huge! Main course, for which I had pasta was massive (perhaps a little too big) and so tasty! Puddings here are excellent also. I had three courses and we shared a litre bottle of red wine (which cost under £10) and it came to a tiny £16 each! Staff were friendly, polite and worked very hard as the place was packed. It took a little while to get our bill but for great food at a great price, who cares!! If you want to go to this restaurant then I recommend you book. We did and the place was up to capacity, which says it all!

There are a few La Porchettas, all serving extremely large pizzas with lots of toppings. Most have lithe Italian waiters and lively music (although I noticed the newest one in Chalk Farm lacks the cosiness and Italian-ness of the others). This one is the liveliest, smallest and cosiest, hidden down a side street off Queen’s Square and usually crammed with customers in the evenings. It opens after six p.m. and is small, so it’s advisable to book a table. The music is loud but good - usually well-beloved funk, reggae and rock. The pizzas are huge. My favourite is pear and gorgonzola, sounds strange but it’s amazing and you can’t get it anywhere else. Some people can’t eat a whole pizza because they’re so big (the pizzas, not the people). Some people eat huge bowls of mussels, which I find horrible (I tend to retch under the table when that happens), but everything else about the place is wonderful. They do pastas and other Italian dishes, and the desserts include the usual tiramisu, profiteroles and some lovely cakes. Wine is plentiful. All is pretty affordable and the atmosphere lively yet cosy, loud but intimate, busy but friendly.

This is a brilliant, friendly, authentic Italian restaurant. The pizzas are great - proper thin italian pizzas with great toppings - I particularly recommend the Pizza Ortolana and Pizza Rucola. All the staff are Italian and the prices are very reasonable. The pizzas range from about £5 to about £8. I've never had any of the pasta or risotto dishes here but I've heard good things about them and they look really nice.