Pizza Metro Pizza 64 Battersea Rise, London SW11, 020-7228 3812

A local Italian that ticks all the boxes, not least with proper pizza that wouldn't be out of place in Naples (if youwant silly toppings or deep-pan nonsense, go elsewhere). That's not all: there's something for everyone in a fabulous range of antipasti; pasta has a sureness of touch that reminds you of the stuff you had on holiday in Italy; and fish and meat mains match the high standards. Add a decent wine list, genuinely friendly service and fair pricing, and you just know you'll be making a return visit.

Fran Minks London SW2

Pizzeria Castello 20 Walworth Road, London SE1, 020-7703 2556

Offering a wide range of pizzas and pastas - together with bream, halibut or veal for that awkward member of the party - this place makes a nod to sophistication out of keeping with its location with an extensive cocktail list that's proffered hopefully with the menus. Its main strength, however, is the pizza - cheapish, by London standards: £5.60 for a basic margherita - with generous toppings oozing above nicely risen bases. Good navigational skills may be needed to find your way from the tube, but it's worth the effort.

Joan Tavira London SW1

Neon

71 Atlantic Road, London SW9, 020-7738 6576

Among the chaos and grime of Brixton, Neon stands out like a beacon. The menu is small, staple and south London cheap, but with a few interesting and unpretentious twists. That usually poor relation, the vegetarian pizza, is transformed into a 'Giardinari', bustling with pumpkin, green beans, mushroom and courgette. Modern Italian primi and secondi include a dreamy swordfish in champagne sauce. The intimate dining room is enlivened by great service - the kind that actively offers tap water and isn't too proud to smile.

Peter Hames London N7

Buona Sera

22 Northcote Road, London SW11, 020-7228 9925

It's not often you get a restaurant where hen parties and families can have an equally good time; here, both can do so at the same time. If you're on a budget, go for wafer-thin, dinnerplate- sized garlic bread, then an even larger pizza. Or splash out on four courses, from minestrone to tiramisu, via more imaginative specials. Food is traditional rather than trendy, but the buzzy atmosphere means the crowds flock here. You might be able to get better food elsewhere, but not better value. Popular, reliable and fun.

Sarah Brealey Thetford, Suffolk

La Pernella

470-472 Garratt Lane, London SW18, 020-8946 9712

Bring a healthy appetite, especially if you begin with the buffet misto - share with a friend and you won't feel quite so guilty. They serve their pizza by the metre, and there should be something in the extensive range of toppings to suit all. If it's pasta you're after, plump for the seafood linguine - you'll struggle to find any better. Alberto, the Neapolitan owner, is a mad Chelsea fan, but don't let that put you off - on current form, his smile is as wide as his pizza.

Gill Clark New Malden, Surrey

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