Perfect pizza a like-a Mama's

There are hundreds of pizzerias in London; many, however, are bland, uniform and sterile, as well as being overpriced. Not so Mondragone, an authentic, family-run Italian neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Walthamstow Village; a great example of good food and atmosphere at very affordable prices.

A large eatery, the restaurant is divided into two, with a large family-type dining room on one side and the more informal pizzeria on the other. Bustling and unpretentious, it is typically Italian - the restaurant's name comes from a town near Napoli from where the owners hail.

The night we visited, we were lucky to get a table, so popular is it with locals. Wooden tables with check tablecloths make for a down-to-earth dining experience; it's worth mentioning that, as in Italy, children seem especially welcome as there were a number of groups dining en famille.

Service is friendly without being intrusive; I ordered from the specials menu for my starter, a particularly tasty leek and potato soup as it was as cold a winter's evening as we've had yet this year, and didn't regret it.

My partner went for the moules marinieres which came in a generous mound for £4.50. Many of the dishes have a comforting, retro-feel to them, such as avocado with prawns which is sometimes just what you want from your neighbourhood restaurant. We chose a bottle of Bardolino which was good and fruity, with a deep ruby bouquet; very reasonable at £12.50 a bottle.

There's a great range of pasta dishes - I counted 28 - all of which can be done as a starter for £3.50. I opted for the penne arrabiata. My partner, however, had her eyes on the pizza chef who plies his trade on his own counter front-of-house, and chose accordingly.

The penne arrabiata was a good-sized portion, with plenty of freshly made sauce - no penny pinching there. As a word of warning, I must say that it was particularly piquant - and this is from someone who has a taste for hot food.

My partner's pizza was the size of a bicycle wheel (oh all right, 12 inches in diameter), the cheese still bubbling as it was transferred straight from oven to table. The pastry was just as thin and crispy as it should be, and very light too which leaves plenty of room for the main attraction: the topping, in this case a heavenly mixture of tomato, mozzarella, aubergine and sun-dried tomato.

We skipped dessert - the only slight downside of the menu, and something you often find when holidaying in Italy, is that desserts are of the frozen variety. We rounded off our meal with that other great stalwart of Seventies restaurants - an Irish coffee each. Amazingly, the bill came to just £38; at these prices, we're sure to be eating here more often.

Mondragone
25-27 Orford Road, E17 9NZ