Lindoni's

For more than 20 years, locals and tourists alike have embraced the charming Old World atmosphere and rustic romanticism of the fairy-lit courtyard occupying pride of place on Hastings Street. The promise of an authentic southern Italian dining experience abounds - from the traditional menu to the geniality of the shirtsleeved, mostly male wait staff. Some classic southern dishes live up to this promise. The pairing of plump, golden-fried zucchini flowers with a generous stuffing of fresh, warm ricotta is an antipasti encapsulating the simplicity of the Puglian region from which the hails. Classic seafood combinations dominate, including a steaming bowl of mussels with chunks of bread for soaking up garlic and white wine broth. Lindoni's 'famous lobster risotto', while studded with sweet, fresh meat, falls short of its claim to fame in terms of technique and flavour. The dessert menu will please purists, perhaps a little less so if the apple tart arrives drenched in a cloying chocolate sauce.