Becco

Where Chinatown collides with little Italy in once notoriously brothel-dotted Crossley Street, warm-hearted Becco has been a 15-year fixture, casting an inviting glow across the bluestone gutters from its big streetside windows. Here, a respect for produce and traditional Italian cooking is teamed with an enchanting generosity (hefty chunks of bread; brisk, friendly service) and the crisp, linen-dressed dining room makes for a delightfully cosseting rather than cutting-edge meal. The buzzy conviviality appeals to both date-night diners and big-end-of-towners. Starters arrive pronto, as in a tooth-stickingly good slab of pork belly with apple and radish. For mains, comfort comes in fall-apart duck confit with pan-fried potatoes and a grappa-spiked jus, tempting to pair with a side of chilli-kissed spinach, or ossobuco and parmesan gnocchi with gremolata that delivers plenty of bang. Then, a playful chocolate brownie, cherry granita and coconut foam dessert comes at a quick clip. Traditional tiramisu is a menu fixture.