Brutti Ma Buoni

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Brutti Ma Buoni (which means 'ugly but good' in Italian) is the stylish café/bar belonging to the Brunswick Hotel. Its deep, narrow space is basic, if modern in design, with small stainless steel tables as well as a queue of black leather stools that stretch the length of the long bar. It's a great place to sit and have an after-work drink and sample some of the free tapas they occasionally provide. The massive menu – arguably too big for such a tiny kitchen – covers everything from specials of the day, sandwiches, salads and tapas to pizzas, pastas and bruschetta. One of the latter – topped with chicken, basil and mozzarella – can turn out a little dry when the promised garlic and olive oil drizzle doesn't show up. A retro favourite such as prawn cocktail offers an abundance of tiny prawns on crisp iceberg lettuce with a mild and very creamy sauce. Chocolate honeycomb 'cheesecake' makes an interesting end, with masses of whipped cream piled high and combined with small, sweet, triangular biscuit. Service is breezy and young staff keep the place hip with an eclectic mix of cool music.

• High point: Laid-back, cool atmosphere
• Low point: Dry bruschetta