We have a lot to thank the Italians for, not least their wonderful fresh cooking. The rules have always been simple: take the freshest ingredients and cook in the simplest way. Next time you go for pizza, be sure to try one of our recommended pizzerias – all are truly Italian. And for your next dinner party, why not wow your guests with some knock-out antipasti from any of these Italian delicatessens. This summer holiday be sure to visit a real Italian gelateria with the kids. Buon appetito!

Pizza restaurants

Al Parco Bar Pizzeria 2 Highgate West Hill, N6 8340 5900
Great pizzas. Arrive early for a table outside in the summer.

Donna Margherita 183, Lavender Hill, SW11 7228 2660
Locals rate this as having the best pizzas in London – with especially fresh ingredients.

Fire & Stone 31/32 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden WC2E 7257 8625
Modern-style newcomer (their pizzas pictured below) with traditional pizzas as well as the more bizarre, including Thai flavours.

Malletti 26 Noel Street, Soho W1F 8GT 7439 4096
Comes highly recommended by Italians.

Mulberry Street 84 Westbourne Grove W2 7313 6789
Newcomer based in style on the pizza restaurants in Manhattan’s Little Italy with funky music and great pizzas.

Pizza Metro 64 Battersea Rise, SW11 7228 3812
Superb pizza by the metre!

Pucci Pizza 442 King’s Road, SW10 7352 2134
King’s Road old-timer, still rattling out great pizzas. Good outside eating area.

Red Pepper 8 Formosa Street, London, W9 1EE 7266 2708
A much-loved Little Venice stalwart.

Santoré 59-61 Exmouth Market, EC1 7812 1488
Best kept secret – by Italians living in London.

Story Deli 3 Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, Shoreditch E1 7247 3137
Ultra cool location and wonderful pizzas using organic ingredients.

Pizza delivery

In our survey of the best pizza delivery companies in London, Firezza and Pizza Basilico came out as top. They both have branches across London:

Firezza

Battersea (7223 5535); Wandsworth (8870 7070); Islington & City (7359 7400); Chiswick (8994 9494); Herne Hill; (7737 8000); Notting Hill (7221 0020) and Chelsea (7370 2255).

Pizza Basilic

Lavender Hill (0800 389 9770); Fulham Road (0800 028 3531); Finchley Road (0800 316 2656); East Sheen (0800 096 8202) and Islington (0800 093 4224).

Cleverwallys.com

The thinking behind Clever Wally's Raw Pizza is that however good a pizza is, by the time it has sat in a box for 20 minutes, it will be soggy. This Chiswick based alternative (hoping to branch out across the capital) reads like a regular pizza menu - just RAW. Turn on the oven when you make your order and when it arrives pop it in for 10 minutes. Not entirely the taste of Italy but thumbs up from kids and dad. Salads and raw cookie dough good too. 020 8994 8080 www.cleverwallys.com

Best Italian Delis

Emelia 88 New Kings Road, SW6 7751 0189
His ready prepared risottos are very popular.

La Piccola Dely 20 Stratford Road, W8 7938 5456
Relative newcomer, already gaining many loyal customers.

Lina Stores 18 Brewer Street, W1 7437 6482
Don’t miss their fresh pasta with different fillings and homemade sausages.

Luigi’s 349 Fulham Road, SW10 7352 7739
The best produce as well as a respected source of the prized white truffle.

Manicimio 85 Duke of York Square, SW3
Deli–restaurant.

Monte's Italian Delicatessen 23 Canonbury Lane, Islington, N1 7354 4335
‘Monte’s Deli is FANTASTIC,’ says one local shopper. Nigel Slater also raves about it.

Olga Stores 30 Penton Street, Islington, N1
Huge range of Italian store cupboard products.

Speck 2 Holland Park Terrace, W11 7229 7005
A west London institution. When I was in hospital for a week, I survived on daily deliveries of their ready made pasta dishes.

Tavola 155 Westbourne Grove, W11 7229 0571
My favourite chef’s (sadly his Notting Hill restaurant is no longer and he doesn’t have anything to do with the Soho restaurant that bears his name) wonderful deli in Notting Hill; go there for the tastiest tomatoes and terracotta dishes filled with delicious food.

Ice cream parlours

Marine Ices 8 Haverstock Hill, NW3 (closed Mondays)
Good restaurant but what everyone really comes here for is the ice cream. You have to go there.

Morellis Gelato at Harrods Food Hall
High stools and slick service make this a fun treat.

Foubert’s 2 Turnham Green Terrace, W4
This Chiswick institution has downsized and moved round the corner to make way for High Road House but the ice creams are as popular as ever.

La Bottega Del Gelato 127 Bayswater Road, W2
Grab one on your way into Kensington Gardens.

Oddono's Gelati Italiani 14 Bute Street, SW7 and in Selfridges Food Hall
The ice cream is divine.

Scoop 40 Shorts Gardens, Covent Garden WC2

Gelateria Valerie Duke of York Square, SW3
Modern decor. Yummy cakes too.

Picnic Italian style

Whether you want to enjoy a sunny day on Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park or school sports day, what a treat it would be to have a picnic ready-prepared. We tried out a Carluccio’s picnic (£45), which came wonderfully packaged in a sturdy cardboard box. Inside were lots of wonderful Italian salads, delicious focaccia bread, grilled vegetables, smoked mackerel pate, lemon tart and other treats and also a very good bottle of Sicilian red wine. The children’s menu (£10) includes beef and aubergine meatballs, pizza, salami and fun grissini sticks, cheese, chocolate bar, fruit and fruit juice. You need to order and pick up from your local Caluccio’s. Order 24 hours in advance. www.carluccios.com

Cookery Holidays

Based in a luxury eco-friendly and newly refurbished villa in a secluded hillside setting near Bergamo in northern Italy, you can enjoy a weekend or week-long break, mixing sightseeing, relaxing and cooking. Join fellow guests on escorted trips to local markets, cheese and other producers and vineyards if you wish and, from late afternoon, cook up a feast each night, using locally sourced foods. £850 per person (based on two sharing) for a three-night weekend, include airport transfers, all breakfasts and dinners, including wines and spirits, cookery classes and excursions. www.italianhideaways.co.uk

Cookie Crumbles Cooking classes for kids at Cucina Caldesi

Luke, aged 10, joined a recent pasta-making course and said: ‘I learned a lot – it was hard work but fun.’ What he brought home was delicious. Classes this summer include Italian Sunday Family Lunch, Pasta Making Master class, Italian Summer Menu and Street Food and Pizzas. Ages of children vary for each course. For ages, dates, times and prices, go to www.cookiecrumbles.net. Cucina Caldesi, 118 Marylebone Lane, W1 Tel 8876 9912