Luca

"Like Gaga on a campaign trail, Luca is glam. A sophisticated Clerkenwell spot with lots of polished surfaces and dark wooden booths, this place specialises in cooking Italian food using British produce, with elements of British cuisine thrown in. Get a seat at the charming bar with your favourite person, order the outrageous parmesan fries and a bowl of the rigatoni with pork sausage ragu, then ask the barman to make you a gold Negroni." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"If there was ever a good reason to crack out the old super lactase enzyme tablets, it’s Luca’s parmesan fries. What you’re dealing with here is basically a crispy, fluffy churro for people who stan hard Italian cheeses. A Luca signature, these ‘fries’ are certified proof that the best thing you can do with a nutty, flavourful cheese is to mix it with potato, then grate yet more parmesan on top, and price it at £6.50. That way inherently greedy turophiles like ourselves can always justify popping by for another round. Genius." - rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing

"Maximum Capacity: The Garden Room 8 / The Pasta Room 10 / The Terrace 20 Minimum Spend: Prices available upon enquiry We’ve had dreams about a place called The Pasta Room, but they mostly involved Jeff Goldblum hand-feeding us tagliatelle. Sadly, Jeff isn’t part of the private dining package at upmarket Italian spot Luca in Farringdon. But they do have a room that’s designed to look and feel like a rustic Italian home kitchen, where chefs make fresh pasta. There’s also The Garden Room that overlooks the open kitchen, with enough foliage and warm lighting to make it London’s most romantic private dining room." - heidi lauth beasley, sinead cranna

"As secluded terraces go, the one at Luca is pretty next-level. There’s exposed brick, some very perfectly maintained foliage, and a working fireplace. Basically, when celebrities get ‘secretly wed’ in their back gardens, this is what we picture. A meal at this Italian spot in Farringdon can be expensive but sharing the pork sausage ragu pasta, a portion of the parmesan fries, and a bottle of wine? You’re golden." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"The slick Italian spot - famous for its parmesan fries and oh-so-sexy atmosphere - is now doing delivery and collection Thursday to Saturday. The menu changes, but a meal for two will cost £80 and there are vegetarian and pescatarian options too. Pre-order here." - oliver feldman, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak