Lo Spuntino

Itching for a coffee in town but seeking to avoid the Bank Holiday crowds & the queues in the ghastly Starbucks et al, I ambled towards Camden Road.
It’s amazing that I have no real knowledge of the various stores here. I guess it’s because it leads away from where I live, but it strikes me I need to make amends — pronto! There is a whole host of independent retailers & restaurants along here; presumably attracted by cheaper rents and possibly a less corporate feel. Like Brighton’s Laines or antique shops the whole nation over, it often pays for similar places to huddle close together. Anyway, it’s going to be a goldmine of interesting experiences & reviews!!!
This place has clearly been transferred from Naples lock, stock and barolo!!! There are various flags, posters and produce about you just don’t see in the UK. Italian staff and music (not Dean Martin stuff… proper stuff) and an interior that is so un-​Café Nero and so cheap as to take you straight to the real Italy as opposed to the hell that is the Costa Coffee Marketing Department Italy.
The menu was a triumph in minimalism. Ten choices, no starters, one pud. Pasta, tomatoes, anchovy and simple pizzas only. Just like Naples again. Furthermore, they seem to sell staple Italian larder products which you won’t see in Tesco. Not a deli exactly, just useful…
What an inspiring place. I hope people will make the effort to visit. What is the point of going to fake Euro eateries when the real ones are under our noses? Five stars!