Royal Saxon

This revamped watering hole has slowly built a reputation as somewhere to have a good meal, not just a good drink. Service is smart and friendly, as the team keeps things ticking along without making you feel rushed. The menu has an Italian accent, sporting simple but beautifully executed dishes from chef Simone Righetto, a Verona native who has worked in Tuscany and London. A paper placemat menu lists antipasti, pasta and risotto, pizza and dishes from the grill. Worthwhile starters include stunning quail and pork ravioli in sage butter, or a pizza of spicy 'nduja salami with red onion, tomato and scamorza cheese. Mains might include a Veronese-style venison dish, braised in chianti and served with soft polenta, or chilli-spiked prawns, calamari and athead tangling with tagliatelle. A brioche ice-cream sandwich could never be a bad way to round things out.