Positano

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

If you are eager to experience some proper Italian hospitality, this is the place to come. The charming service, combined with the cheerful exuberance of the proprietor Guiseppe Votta (who also owns Il Castello on Castle Terrace), gives this relatively recent addition to bustling Newington Road a friendly buzz, even on midweek evenings. With its plain tiled floor and happy Italian scenes adorning the walls, it has the understated look of a good neighbourhood restaurant and a menu that includes the usual range of pizza, pasta, risotto and meat options (including a good selection of Angus steaks). But it is really fish and seafood that are emphasised here, with a daily changing list of specials based on whatever's on offer at Eddie's Seafood Market in Marchmont. Whole sea bass is tender and moist, served very simply baked with olive oil and lemon juice, and an attentive waiter is only too happy to debone it at the table, while tagliatelle Positano combines large, juicy king prawns with a rich cherry tomato sauce. Desserts, however, are disappointing, being mostly a selection of bought-in ice-cream creations that have come straight from the freezer to the table.

• High point: Friendly ambience
• Low point: Disappointing desserts