Trullo

"A decent chunk of north London gets heart palpitations at the mention of Trullo—an elegant Tuscan trattoria on Highbury Corner with white tablecloths, a loose atmosphere, and rustic Italian food. Trullo is the older sibling to Padella, but there are no queues and no counters here. This is a grown-up restaurant with two floors for lunch and dinner play. Friends, family, and your dog looking hopefully at the beef shin ragu—all are welcome at Trullo." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"Highbury and Islington is one of the busiest stations in the UK, but at Trullo everyone feels like they have all the time in the world. The neighbourhood Italian is a restaurant that isn’t just loved, it’s utterly adored. Everything from anniversaries to afternoons off are celebrated here, be it with a plate of glorious beef shin pappardelle or over a bottle of Barolo. If adult playgrounds were a thing, they would likely look like this. All waltzing candles and white tablecloths begging to be stained. Trullo is the older sibling to pasta spot Padella, but it's the bigger plates that you should pay most attention to at the north London restaurant. That and the tiramisu to finish." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, heidi lauth beasley

"The tiramisu at Trullo isn’t always on so when it is, you know what to do. A dessert this decadent lands differently in the gorgeous, happiness-filled, candlelit dining room in Highbury. With a lightly dusted cocoa topping, cream that’s not trying to dominate the occasion, and a sponge that’s present, but may well have had few drinks, it’s the kind of classy tiramisu that will be cleaned up in seconds." - sinead cranna, jake missing, rianne shlebak, daisy meager

"Created in 2010, by alumni of the legendary River Café, this is our favourite place in Islington for dinner. A simple, elegant fit out matches the timeless unfussy Italian food. A whole fish from the charcoal grill is highly recommended. Actually, everything is highly recommended. You must visit more than once." - Present & Correct

"Trullo’s elegant dining room and simple, seasonal food make it one of London’s best Italian restaurants and one of its finest neighbourhood restaurants. Dark wood, low lighting, white tablecloths, and straightforward plating make Trullo decidedly anti-Instagram. Its spiritual parents are the two most important restaurants of a generation, the River Cafe and St. John. Dishes marry Italian traditions with British (and Italian) ingredients, which are fashioned into antipasti, fresh pastas, and secondi, dishes which often do a little time on the charcoal grill. Where sister site Padella is cheaper, faster, and increasingly difficult to get into, Trullo, which offers the same signature beef shin pappardelle and other Padella hits, is more of a grown-up place to eat and relax. A largely Italian (and natural-leaning) wine list is just as considered as everything else." - Adam Coghlan